Career Decision-Making Guide

Now is the perfect time to explore possibilities for your future, but you don’t need to explore alone. The Career Center has tools to help you every step of the way.

Need a guide for your journey? Schedule an appointment with a career coach for help with career exploration or contact an academic advisor for help with major exploration. Unsure about what to do with your life after college? Pro tip: there is not just one right career for you…there are many!

Use this guide to help you narrow down your career paths and find appropriate tools and actions for every step along the way. Answer the questions below to know what category best fits your current place in your career journey. Capture what you learn. Take notes, draw, create a quadrant with your ideas, capture your findings from these exercises in a way that works best for you. When you’re done, schedule an appointment with a career coach to create an action plan toward your first career.

"Dysfunctional Belief: I should know where I’m going Reframe: I won’t always know where I’m going, but I can always know whether I’m going in the right direction."
–Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, Designing Your Life

Start Where You Are

Review the categories below, jump to the category that fits you right now and work from there. You don’t need to complete the actions in any particular order. Complete all or just a few. This guide is for you—use it in whatever way works best.

Is it hard for you to answer questions like:

  • What are my interests?
  • Why do I like them?
  • What inspires me?
  • What is my personality like?
  • What are my strengths?
  • Where am I most comfortable?
  • How do I spend my free time?

Tools

Actions

  • Join a club. Check out all the clubs at Associated Students of Westminster. Answer these questions:
    • What do I like? Why do I like that? What don’t I like? Why don’t I like it?
  • Volunteer
  • Get a part-time on-campus job. Did you know: “students who were employed on campus were significantly more likely to remain in good academic standing and to stay enrolled through their four-year degree.” (SightLine, “The Top 3 Benefits of Employing Students on Campus”)
  • Talk to your professors about their career paths, ask them things like:
    • How did you become a XYZ? What do you enjoy most about your job? What do you like least? If you could do it over again, what would you do differently? Did you always plan to major in XYZ? If not, what other majors did you consider and how did you decide?

Is it hard for you to answer questions like:

  • What do I like learning about?
  • What am I passionate about?
  • What do others say I do well?
  • What gives my life meaning?
  • What do I value?
  • What kind of lifestyle do I want?
  • What are the career opportunities for this major?

Tools

  • Do a value-sorting activity to identify what’s most important to you in a workplace. Did you know it’s important to work at a company that aligns your values? “Job satisfaction is determined more by how your values align with your work environment than by any other factor.” (Forbes, “Why Your Work Values Are Essential To Career Satisfaction”)
  • Read “Designing Your Life” Good Times Journal and AEIOU questions. Email the Career Center (careercenter@westminsteru.edu) for your free copy.
  • Evaluate the majors you are considering by looking at industry growth, average pay, and required education at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay attention to Tables 1 and 2.

Actions

  • Attend in-person and virtual employer events, like career fairs, expos, networking, either on Handshake or in-person. Read tips to get prepared for these events.
  • Talk to alumni who have job titles that sound interesting to you. Visit Westminster University’s LinkedIn page and click the alumni tab. Use the Career Center's Informational Interviewing Guide (found in Handshake resources) to direct your conversations.
  • Talk to your professors, mentors, advisors, and community about their career paths. Ask: How did you become a XYZ? What do you enjoy most about your job? What do you like least? If you could do it over again, what would you do differently? Did you always plan to major in XYZ? If not, what other majors did you consider and how did you decide?
  1. I don’t know what jobs align with it
  2. Now I’m starting to rethink my decision

Is it hard for you to answer questions like:

  • Who can I talk to about getting jobs with this major?
  • What does a day on the job look like?
  • How much money will I make?
  • What is perceived job growth?
  • Where would I live?
  • Would I feel fulfilled?

Tools

Actions

  • Do an internship (or 2) to try different jobs and work environments. Information and due dates for academic credit is available through the Career Center.
  • Go on a site visit or shadow a working professional. Need connections? Ask your professor or visit the Career Center.
  • Changing majors? Talk to your faculty advisor as soon as possible.
  • Connect with alum or others on LinkedIn who have interesting job titles or work for companies you’re interested in. Use our Informational Interviewing Guide (found in Handshake resources) to help guide your conversations. This is a long-term strategy. You’re not asking for a job; you’re seeking information about others’ career journeys. Ultimately, you’re building your network so that when positions open, your connections will hopefully think of you first.

Is it hard for you to answer questions like:

  • What are my long term and short-term goals?
  • What are my alternative possibilities?
  • Who do I want to emulate?
  • Are there opportunities for change or growth within this field?
  • Does this workplace align with my values?

Tools

  • Explore job descriptions on Handshake and CareerShift
  • Follow companies of interest on LinkedIn
  • Attend events and fairs on Handshake to learn about the variety of opportunities
  • Join professional organizations or local industry groups (ie: Silicon Slopes, Utah Outdoor Association)

Actions

  • Do an internship to gain industry relevant skills and experience. Ask co-workers about their career paths.
  • Go to the Career Center webpage to learn more about internships.
  • Find a part-time job in the industry. Look on Handshake or CareerShift.
  • Attend in-person career fairs and expos.
  • Build a network of contacts on LinkedIn. Include your internship colleagues, classmates, and professors.

Next Steps

You’ve completed one or all of the categories in this guide. Still uncertain about how to turn your major into a successful career? If you’re looking for:

  • Help compiling a resume, cover letter, and preparing for interviews: Visit the Career Center webpage, the resources section in Handshake, or drop by the Career Center (Shaw 101).
  • Job search strategies, mock interviews, another set of eyes on your resume, cover letter, or job application: Schedule an appointment with a career coach through Handshake

Remember, your career is a journey that can take many paths. There are numerous “right” paths for you. Want to speak with a human? Schedule a free coaching appointment through Handshake.

"Dysfunctional Belief: To be happy, I have to make the right choice. Reframe: There is no right choice, only good choosing.
Dysfunctional Belief: My dream job is out there waiting. Reframe: You design your dream job through the process of actively seeking and co-creating it."
–Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, Designing Your Life

Additional Exploration Tools