SOU CG 2024-24 DM Accessible - Flipbook - Page 4
Exploration & Discovery: Overview
Embarking on a career is exciting.
You have so many options for the next
step after college—and if that feels overwhelming, your Career Connections
staff is here to help.
Career Exploration Starts With You
The first step to choosing a career is self-exploration. Ask
yourself some questions about your interests and goals:
What are my strengths?
Are you a good communicator? Do you enjoy leadership roles?
How strong are your critical thinking and problem-solving
skills? Are you particularly skilled in a certain area, like tech,
music, or science?
What am I passionate about?
What would you do, even if you weren’t being paid? What
topics fascinate you? Why is finding a job important to you?
What are my values?
What do you think is most important in life? How do you try
to make a positive impact? Is there a need in your community
that you want to address?
What are my needs?
Do you need to prioritize a certain location? What are your
income requirements? Do you require access to health
insurance or other employer benefits?
What experiences do I already have?
How do I work best?
Have you worked any jobs on campus or at home? Do
you hold any leadership positions? Have you participated
in any volunteer experiences? Did you complete a major
research project?
Do you prefer working independently or in a group? Do you
like having strict deadlines and expectations, or do you thrive
with less structured, more creative projects? Are you interested
in working in an office or being out in the field?
Use our checklist and Oregon CIS self-assessment tools to
structure your self-reflection. If you’re struggling, feel free
to reach out to your friends, professors, and advisors for
an outside perspective on your work.
Self-Reflection Checklist
My most important values:
1 __________________________________________________
My top strengths:
2 __________________________________________________
1 __________________________________________________
3 __________________________________________________
2 __________________________________________________
3 __________________________________________________
My most pressing needs:
1 __________________________________________________
I work best when I:
2 __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
3 __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
My notable work, service, and educational experiences:
1 __________________________________________________
4
I am passionate about:
2 __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
3 __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
4 __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
5 __________________________________________________
S O U C A R E E R CO N N E C T I O N S - C A R E E R S . S O U . E D U
