Understanding Yourself

I. Career Development Cycle

The career development cycle model was developed to help students better understand the process of career development. Throughout your college experience you should touch upon each part of this cycle. Over time you will find yourself building your resume, and your confidence in a particular career direction.

Experience

Getting experience can involve anything from taking a class that interests you to joining a club or organization on or off campus. Experiencing something will allow you to distinguish between your likes and dislikes. Further, this will help you discover where your strengths and/or weaknesses lie.

Reflection

Reflection is a great way to understand your experiences more fully. Whether using a career log , journal writing, or talking with a career counselor this practice can help you organize your thoughts and create career goals.

Career Concept

The career you think you want to pursue after graduation. For example, “after reflecting on my last two internships, I think I really want to be a pediatrician”.

Information Gathering

Doing occupational research through our online resources, meeting with alumni through the Career Contact Alumni Network (CCAN) to talk about their career experiences, reading books from our Career Library or observing others doing the job you think you would like to do someday.

II. Meet with a Career Counselor

We have professional career counselors to listen to your concerns about any aspect of the career decision making process, from choosing a career or a major to finding out how to search for a job. Topics frequently discussed include: choosing a career, selecting a major, researching occupations, obtaining experience through volunteer and internship positions, reviewing interest test results, learning job search strategies, identifying and researching employers, and learning the value of a college degree. Matriculated students or alumni who received a degree from Stony Brook, who are interested in counseling are encouraged to drop by or call us at 631.632.6810 to set up an appointment.

Note: Schedules are opened bi-weekly and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Summer and intersession periods tend to be less active times when it is easier to obtain an appointment on short notice!

III. Interest, Skills & Personality Assessments.

 What is Self-Assessment?

Self-assessment is a process by which you learn more about yourself – what you like, what you don’t like, and how you tend to react to certain situations. Knowing these things can help you determine which occupations and work situations could be a better fit for you. You may recognize some of these tools if you ever worked with a career counselor. The Career Center provides several assessment programs which may assist you in identifying career options.

DISCOVER

DISCOVER is a computerized assessment that helps users identify their strengths, make career decisions, and build a plan based on your personal profile. Based on your responses to a series of statements, DISCOVER generates suggestions for occupations and industries for future employment. DISCOVER is accessible via the web with a key code you obtain from the Career Center.

Strong Interest Inventory

The Strong Interest Inventory examines the relationship between a variety of interests (i.e., school subjects, amusements, occupations... etc.) and careers which may satisfy those interests. The Strong can be taken in the Career Center for a $10 fee after an initial consultation with a counselor

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Also provided is the MBTI as an adjunctive assessment instrument for students who are having difficulty in choosing a career. The MBTI assesses personality preferences which may help identify occupational settings most compatible with an individual's personal style. Students may take the MBTI for a $10 fee, after an initial consultation with a counselor.

IV. Career Courses: CAR 110 & CAR 210

The Career Center offers two credit-bearing courses to help you understand the career decision making process, relate your academic planning and career choices, set goals, and devise action plans. We will lead you through the process step by step and engage you in activities to reach your goals. Below you will see a description of CAR 110. See description for CAR 210 under the How-To section on our webpage. You may enroll in these classes using the SOLAR System.

Career Course: CAR 110

Career Development & Decision Making Course is designed primarily for freshmen and sophomores who are exploring career fields and deciding on a major. It will also benefit any student who wants to know more about career development as a life long process. The course addresses the decision making process and teaches students how to explore choices, set goals and pursue them. The Career Development Course teaches students a systematic approach to developing one's career. It examines two steps in a career decision progression: self-assessment and career exploration. Components of self assessment that will be analyzed: skills, interests, values, personality traits. Different career fields will be studied using all available resources - Internet, books, periodicals, personal interviews with professionals in the field. At the end of the course students will develop a written plan for their own careers.