Career Exploration and Self-Assessment
If you would like more information or have questions about this document, feel free to speak with a Career
Advancement counselor. You can make an appointment by calling 773-702-7040.
Career Exploration is, broadly speaking,
the process of matching yourself to the
working world. It is often a time-consuming
process, but one that can be rewarded with
a satisfying way to spend your time and
make a living. Many people will go through
a process of career exploration several times
over the course of their lifein college when
choosing a major, when selecting a career,
when transitioning into another career, and
when looking for ways to stay active after
retirementso this handout is designed to
introduce you to the steps one can take on
the path to effective exploration and some
resources to help you on your way.
Far from being an esoteric, unrelated, save-for-just-beforegraduation thing, career development is an ongoing process
in which you should already be engaged. Ultimately, the
knowledge you gain through self-assessment, as related to
your career development, can help you find the right career,
choose the right employer and position, and present yourself
more confidently on your resume and in the job interview.
It is important that you set aside time for self-assessment.
Give yourself time to think and then return to the process
as your answers crystallize. Answer questions as honestly as
you can without regard to what you think others may expect
of you.
The information which will be most helpful in your career
development and job search process relates to your Skills,
Interests, and Values. Focus on finding the ideal career for
you right now, which will incorporate enough of these to
keep you satisfied and motivated. Dont put pressure on
yourself to find the right job for the rest of your life. You will
Step 1: Self-Assessment
The very first step is to take the time to learn about yourself.
What kinds of things do you like to spend time doing inside
and outside of class? What would you do if you had plenty
of time, freedom, and money? What kinds of problems do
you want to solve?
For the present, the answers to these questions may help
certainly develop new skills and new interests over time, and
your values will change as your life changes, so dont be
surprised if the careers that work for you now dont work for
you in the future and you need to consider a career change.
To begin with your self-assessment, work through the
exercises on the next few pages to determine your Skills,
Interests, and Values.
you decide on your concentration and your involvement
in activities outside the classroom. For the future, self
assessment will help you answer questions about the type of
work you would enjoy doing and the environment in which
you want to work.
Ida Noyes Hall | 1212 E. 59th Street | Chicago, IL 60637 | 773.702.7040 | careeradvancement.uchicago.edu
SKILLS
An essential part of self-assessment is identifying your motivating and transferrable skills. Motivating skills are the things
that you are good at and enjoy using. Transferrable skills are those which you have learned in one environment (for example,
your classes) that can be used in other environments. Listed below are some skills that you may have gained through your
academic experience. Other skills listed might have originated in extra-curricular activities, or professional or volunteer
experiences. For each skill listed, indicate by ranking 1-4 (4 is highest, 1 is lowest) how much you enjoy using each skill. Then
do the same for what you feel your ability level to be (4 is Excellent, 3 is Good, 2 is Mediocre, 1 is Unable). Write down any
other skills you have that are not indicated here. When you are done, it should be clear which skills are motivating, because
they will have ranked high on both scales. Try to be objective, recognizing that although you may wish your skills were
stronger, they could be very strong in comparison to someone else.
Enjoyment (1-4)
Skills
Ability (1-4)
Identify important questions
Read for information
Synthesize and evaluate data
Multi-task
Present information persuasively
Write papers and proposals
Coordinate a program
Supervise
Teach/Train
Edit and proofread text
Lead and motivate a team or group of people
Counsel people
Design an experiment
Budget
Organize information
Listen
Make decisions quickly and efficiently
Analyze situations
Develop new approaches to a situation
Speak/Write/Read other languages
Create art/music/literature
Manage time
Entertain/Perform
Work on a team
Adapt to change
Deal with numbers
Design software
Maintain and Repair Equipment
You might also want to think about skills you do not have but would like to acquire. Are there things on the skills list above
which you would like be able to do? Circle these skills.
INTERESTS
VALUES
Your interests are reflected in the things you like to do and
Values determine what we consider important and
how you like to spend your time. The following are some
worthwhile in our lives. In relation to a job, your values may
questions to help you think about your interests:
be reflected in what you hope to gain or accomplish. For
some, satisfaction will be gained from prestige, money, or
What are the subjects and activities that arouse your
power; for others, satisfaction will be gained from working
curiosity and enthusiasm?
with or helping people. Some people will seek jobs that allow
sufficient free time for other interests, whereas others will
What courses or assignments have you found so
interesting that you were excited to do the work?
want a job that is the primary activity in their life.
Examine the list of work-related values below. Add any
values that are important to you and not included in the list.
If you could have three or four research topics/
Rate each value according to its importance in your choice
disciplines, what would they be?
of career.
1 = Not important at all
2 = Somewhat Important
3 = Important
4 = Very important
What do you do in your spare time?
What extra-curricular activities have you participated in:
____
Direct service to others
social, academic, work, etc.?
____
Benefit the Greater Good
____
People contact
____
Work alone
____
Work on teams
If you were given $500 to spend in a bookstore, what
would you spend it on?
____ Friendships
____ Competition
Is there a cause you feel passionately about?
____
Job pressure
____
Fast-paced environment
What do you daydream or fantasize about? Are there
____
Power and authority
patterns in these daydreams that are indications of your
____ Influence
vocation?
____ Knowledge
____ Expertise
Do you visualize yourself in certain work situations or
environments?
____ Aesthetics
____
Change and variety
____
Job security
If you have a role model, what about his or her work is
____
Recognition and prestige
relevant to you?
____
Challenging problems
____
Career advancement
____
Physical challenges
____
Excitement and adventure
____
Wealth or profit
____
Independence and autonomy
____
Moral fulfillment
If you could live five lives simultaneously, and explore a
different talent, interest or lifestyle in each, what would
you be in each of them?
____ Creativity
What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
____ Location
____
What are problems in the world that you would like to
solve?
Now go back and circle the activities and/or subjects that
you would like to continue as part of your work life.
Self-realization and enjoyment
____ ____________________________
____ ____________________________
____ ____________________________
Additional Self-assessment Tools and Resources
and evaluating data, and want a job with some stability, you
Assessment Instruments
could consider a career as an actuary. You dont need a lot
If you are feeling frustrated with the self-assessment process,
of information about career options to do brainstorming. You
you should ask a Career Advancement Counselor about
just need to be thinking creatively and allowing for ideas that
the Strong Interest Inventory and/or the Myers-Briggs Type
dont sound perfect. By adding a job to the list you are not
Indicator. These are computer-based instruments that help
committing to it, just throwing it in to see what turns up.
assess your interests and personality type. You can then
explore what kinds of careers people with your type tend to
Some good ground rules for brainstorming are:
enjoy. A Career Advancement counselor can tell you if they
1.
think this kind of assessment would be beneficial for you.
Get together a couple of friends to help, and ask them to
come up with at least 5-7 ideas for your career.
2. Ask everyone to pull together at least two elements (one
Books (just to get you started)
skill and one interest, for example), and come up with
an idea that incorporates them. This can be a job title,
Discover the Best Jobs For You!: Find the job to get a life
you love, Ron Krannich (2002)
Do What You Are, Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron
(2007)
suggests that you become an acrobat, and you are
I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was, Barbara
terrified of heights, you still have to write it down.
Sher and Barbara Smith (1995)
it. But no repeats!!
5. Dont be limited by your current situation. Just because
Making a Living While Making a Difference, Melissa
you are majoring in English now doesnt mean you cant
Everett (2007)
decide to be a biologist later!
The Pathfinder, Nicholas Lore (1998)
Real People, Real Jobs, David H. Montross (1995)
What Should I Do with my Life?, Po Bronson (2005)
Zen and the Art of Making a Living, Laurence G. Boldt
(Aug 25, 2009)
4. Once something is written down, it is okay to work from
I Dont Know What I Want, but I Know Its Not This, Julie
Jansen (2010)
industry, or employer/organization.
3. You arent allowed to say no at this stageif someone
Career Advancement also has a selection of called
Great Jobs for (English Majors, Math Majors, etc.) and
Careers for which introduce you to careers by type
(artsy types, outdoorsy types, etc.).
Step 2: Brainstorming
Step 3: Researching Options
Once you have a list of possible careers generated from your
brainstorming exercise, research those careers to see what is
a good fit, what isnt, and what has a related job that might
be a better idea. Start with three careers--and these can be
those which are of greatest interest to you or those which
you know the least about.
Career Advancement Resources
Career Advancement Career Resource Library: 3d Floor of
Youve done step one: self-assessment. Now it is time to step
Ida Noyes Hall
back and look at the big picture.
General career exploration books
Industry-specific books and other resources
Industry-specific Career Advancement handouts (as well
What patterns do you see? Do you see similar types of
information appearing more than one or two times? It
as general jobs search handouts)
is important to note such things and think about what
common interest or desire they tap into. This would be a
Career Advancement Events and Programs
good time to make an appointment at Career Advancement
Career Advancement offers programs throughout the year
if you havent already done so and discuss what you do or
designed to educate students about career options in a
do not see in your self-assessment. You are working toward
variety of fields. This is a great way to learn more about an
defining the career and type of work environment in which
industry, job or career path. Many programs include guest
you can find meaning and fulfillment based on what you
speakers/panelists whom you should make a point of talking
know about yourself.
to afterwards to learn more about the career field, industry,
organization or company. View the Career Advancement
One great way to take advantage of what youve learned in
your self-assessment is to brainstorm new career ideas based
on what you see in your skills, interests, and values. For
example, if you like are good with numbers, enjoy organizing
event calendar online to learn more.
Career Advancement Website:
Informational Interviewing
https://careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/
Talking with professionals about their work (informational
Under the Im interested in... drop-down box on the
interviewing) is the best way to get accurate, thorough
main page, select a field that interests you (Business,
information about an industry, career, organization or
Communications, Nonprofits, Government, etc.) to access
company.
online resources and Career Advancement handouts.
Career Advancement counselors can show you how to
Email Listhosts
use the online alumni directory to identify University of
To get regular updates on career-related programs and
Chicago alumni in this field; how to set up and prepare for an
job leads, sign up for these Career Advancement industry-
informational interview; and how to network effectively.
specific listhosts: (e.g. Arts and Culture; Communications;
Consulting; Education/Teaching; Financial Services;
Government, Policy and Nonprofit; Journalism; Science
and Technology). Sign up via Chicago Career Connection
(accessible via the Career Advancement website https://
careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/).
Suggested Online Resources
Americas Career InfoNet: http://www.acinet.org/acinet/
Wage and employment trends, occupational requirements,
state-by-state labor market conditions. The site provides
a variety of self-assessment and career exploration tools.
InfoNet draws heavily from government sources.
The Career Guide to Industries: www.bls.gov/oco/cg
Provides information on available careers by industry;
including the nature of the industry, working conditions,
employment, occupations in the industry, training and
advancement, earnings and benefits, employment outlook,
and lists of organizations.
Occupational Outlook Handbook: www.bls.gov/oco/
A nationally recognized source of career information it
describes what is done at specific jobs, working conditions,
information about training and education needed, earnings,
and expected job prospects.
O*Net: Dictionary of Occupation Titles:
Step 4: Evaluating
Options and Making a Decision
The career exploration process isnt always a straight path,
so while this is listed as Step 4, it could also become Step 6,
Step 8, and so on as you go back to the earlier stages in your
quest for the right career. Now that you have conducted
research on some of the options you brainstormed, its
time to go back to the results of your self-assessment and
evaluate each career option against what you know about
yourself. Do the priorities, tasks, and environment match
what you said you were looking for? Do you need additional
information to come to a decision?
The last, and often most difficult, step in this process is
making the decision about which career you will pursue.
A Career Advancement counselor can work with you to
help you think about how to make your decision based
on what you have discovered thus far, the current state of
the industry, and a sound decision-making approach. In
addition, many of the books on career exploration at Career
Advancement have sections on how to make a career
decision (most notably The Pathfinder by Nicholas Lore).
Step 5: See a Career
Advancement Counselor
Would you like some more guidance during this process?
http://online.onetcenter.org/
Do you have questions about how to proceed? Not sure
Database that includes information on skills, abilities needed,
whether to get an advanced degree or how to use your
work activities, and interests associated with occupations.
degree to get started in a field that interests you? Want to
find internships or part-time work to get some experience?
Professional Associations
Want to learn more about how best to highlight your skills
Professional associations/organizations are a great way to
and experience? Career Advancement counselors can help!
learn about a career field or industry. Some associations
Call 773-702-7040 to make an appointment.
offer student memberships and training programs (webinars,
seminars, etc.). Do an internet search for national association
_____________________ or ______________ organization
or _______________ association.
