consuming process. Where to start, what to do, what career is right for you !owever it can be time well spent if the outcome leads to "nding rewarding work. #or most people there is more than one career alternative so choices and priorities must be based on an assessment of skills, interests, values, strengths, and opportunities. $ou need to take time to look at who you are, what you%ve done, where you%d like to go and what you need to do to get there. The following resources are designed to guide you throughout this process. $ou can go through the process at your own pace && spend a few hours a day, or focus on a section each week && whatever works best for you. Career 'ecision (uide )now $ourself The "rst step in the career transition process involves gathering information about yourself. *nderstanding your values, interests, aptitudes, abilities, personal traits, and desired life style will help you become aware of the interrelationship between you and your career choice. +dentify your interests, What do you want to accomplish professionally, What%s important to you in a career What you en-oy doing What areas do you excel in These are important .uestions to ask in the career planning process. We suggest taking a self&assessment to help determine your attitude and interests as they relate to possible career choices, Online Assessments What types of work activities do you prefer 'o you en-oy working with people, organi/ing and analy/ing data, creating ideas, doing hands&on and practical activities, or some combination What are speci"c examples from your previous experiences that support your preferences 'iscover your personality +n many cases, people tend to seek work environments that compliment and are similar to their personality type, which usually produces greater -ob satisfaction. To better understand your personality type, try using this online tool, Personality test 'etermine your 0ersonal and Work 1alues +n trying to determine a new career, it is important to understand your values. $our values have been shaped by your life experiences and become the criteria for your -udgments, preferences, and choices. Making career choices that agree with your values is critical to -ob satisfaction. *se this worksheet to help you determine your work values. Identify your transferable skills Transferable skills are the skills you2ve gathered through various -obs, volunteer work, or other life experiences that can be used in your next -ob or new career. +n addition to being useful to career changers, transferable skills are also important to those who have been laid o3, and to those re& entering the workforce after an extended absence. *se this worksheet to help you organi/e and rate your skills. Consider your M4. !ow does it impact you on the -ob *se this worksheet to help you to identify how your M4 symptoms may impact a career decision and determine how or if they may be accommodated. )now What%s 5ut There 6esearch the occupations and career "elds that interest you. This step involves extensive research and investigation in of the world of work. *tili/e the resources below to gather career7industry information and compare it to what you already know about yourself. O'NET, an online a tool for career exploration and -ob analysis, has detailed descriptions of the world of work. 8 summary report can be obtained for 9:; occupations, including a brief description, sample -ob titles, tasks, work activities, work context, interests, work styles, work values, knowledge and skills re.uired, wages, employment trends, and related occupations. The 'ictionary of 5ccupational Titles provides concise, accurate -ob descriptions for more than <9,;;; occupations. =ach occupation is assigned a nine&digit '5T code number. $ou can search for occupations using the alphabet letters and subgroups. 8ccess the '5T online at Dictionary of Occupational Titles to search for speci"c -ob titles. The 5ccupational 5utlook !andbook can be found online at Occupational Outlook Handbook. *se the 8&> index to "nd a speci"c occupation by clicking on the letter that corresponds with the "rst letter of the occupation you want to review. $ou can also type in the name of an occupation or -ob title directly. now the !ob outlook for !obs of interest. What are the career "elds that will o3er the most work opportunities in the next "ve to ten years "obs of the #uture Obtain $rst%hand career infor&ation' =xplore internships, networkin( and infor&ational interviewin( that can help you gain more information about career options. +nformational interviewing can be a very important tool when considering a career change. +t involves meeting people who are currently working in a "eld that you are looking to become a part of to learn "rst hand if this may be a good match for you. 8dditional resource s, What is an +nformational +nterview and !ow it Can !elp $our Career +s there a Match ?etween $ou and $our Career Choice This step involves the synthesi/ing of all accumulated information regarding one%s self and the world of work you have identi"ed and comparinge it to various -obs7work environments that interest you. *tili/e this worksheet to make your comparisons. 1iewing this information side by side can help you determine if there is a match between you and a particular -ob choice. 'o this for each career choice you are considering. 8fter you complete the worksheets write the barriers of each occupation7career "eld you have compared into two categories, What are the challenges @long and short&termA Time Money =nergy 4acri"ces !ealth What are the rewards @long and short&termA 'oes it meet your goals 6ank the options according to the challenges, decide what you can realistically accomplish, select a goal and develop a plan.
'evelop a 0lan 5nce you have gone through the exploration process and have decided on a career goal that meets your criteria you are ready to take the next steps. ?egin by developing a plan or strategy for achieving desired career goals. Consider the following, What additional education or training will be re.uired Contact your local vocational rehabilitation agency to "nd out how they can assist you with planning your next steps and7or funding for additional training. What types of career&related work experiencesB internships, part&time -obs, etc. will best assist you in reaching your career goals =xplore ways in which to do this. !elpful websites for internship and part time opportunities include, Idealist Internship Opportunities) *areer+uilder'co& Part Ti&e "obs) Indeed'co&' *se the 8dvanced 4earch option, then select 0art Time from the Show Jobs of Type listB "ob ,earch En(ines use the advanced search option and search by type of position and narrow the results to include only part time -obs listingsB ,i&plyHired'co& Part Ti&e "obs 'evelop a timeline for getting career&related work experience. *pdate your resume and cover letter toward your new career choice Career Changers2 Most 0owerful 6esume and Cover Cetter Tool Career Change Cover Cetter 6esumes for Career Changers 6esume Tips 0repare for the interview. 4witching to an entirely new "eld where you have little or no experience poses special challenges during the interview process. The following tips are designed to help you navigate this challenging task so you will be better prepared to interview with con"dence. +nterview Tips 4ix +nterview Tips for Career Changers 8dditional 6esources, Career (uidance 0rogram This website is dedicated exclusively to helping you discover a career direction that best matches your interests, skills and personality. +t is a step&by&step program that guides you through the process necessary to help you determine a new career. Internet *areer *onnection Career Changers Website This website is a comprehensive resource for resume writing tips, career counseling, networking, -ob&search tools and help for interviews. Career Changers +nfo Careerology This website provides career assessments, career counseling, helpful resources and articles about "nding the career that is right for you. *areerolo(y "ob Hunters +ible This website, developed by 'ick ?olles, author What Color Is Your Parachute: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters an Career-Chan!ers, has everything you need to know and more about -ob hunting, counseling services, resume training, research on the internet and networking. The Depart&ent of -abor website has a page dedicated to career exploration. *areer E.ploration ,ites *areer /ui01 ,hould I *hoose This Occupation2 8fter you2ve gathered information on the occupations you are considering, take this 3ui0 to "nd out if you are heading in the right direction.