Explore

Where am I and where could I go?

Every explorer knows that to chart a course/plan a trip, you need to know a few things: where you currently are, where you are going (next), and when you are moving in the right direction.

Know where you currently are

We recommend that you have a good understanding of your skills/abilities, your professional interests, personal values, and your workplace preferences. You also need to know what kinds of activities give (and drain) your energy, and the tasks that engage you most deeply. Below are some key tools, resources, and strategies that will help you take the next step in your journey of self/career exploration. 

• Take (or re-take) the PathwayU Assessments – PathwayU has 4 quick-and-easy assessments that will identify your career interests, core values, personality type, and workplace preferences. All of these assessments can be completed in under 20 minutes total and will give you a good head-start for future conversations.
  • 16 Personalities – This simple (and free) assessment can also help you to know more about yourself and your personality preferences using the commonly-used MBTI (Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator) tool.
• Schedule a Self/Career Assessment Appointment - Visit Handshake and schedule a 1:1 advising appointment with your own Career Consultant and discuss your assessment options and/or results.
• Sign up for the BCC150 course - “Exploring Self, Majors, and Careers” (Offered spring semester.)

Know where you are going (next) 

Once you have a good understanding of where (and who) you are, you need to understand where you want to go (next). Here are some important resources and strategies that can help you learn more about some of the many “good fit” majors and careers out there for you. 

• Schedule a Career Exploration Appointment – Hop on to Handshake and schedule a 1:1 appointment with your school’s Career Consultant to discuss your professional experiences, life goals/dreams, “good fit” career and major options available to you at Berry.
• Begin Your Career Research on PathwayU: Your assessment results can highlight some “good fit” majors and career options available to you at Berry (and beyond).
• Go Deeper with Other Career Research Tools: Your Career Consultant will share additional tools and resources that will help with your research and career interests regarding company information, salary ranges, educational requirements, preferred skills, projected growth trends, and much more. You can also find more resources and tools in the Next Steps Toolkit. 

• Visit A Career Exploration Event – Watch for upcoming events, listed in Handshake, to learn more about employers (Employer Insight events or information sessions) and career areas focused on various majors.
• Informational Interviews – People generally love to talk about what they do. Learn what a job or employer is all about by connecting with and talking with people who know!

Know when you are moving in the right direction 

Sometimes the best part of a trip is what you discover along the way.  We are big fans of exploration through experience, because gaining real-world experience will help you to a) confirm that you are on the right path, or b) alert you are that you may need to re-think your current plans, or c) make you aware of interests/options you hadn’t considered before. 

Occasionally great vocational insights just happen, but most “ah-ha” moments actually require some advanced planning to ensure that you don’t overlook or miss them!  Here are some key resources and strategies that can help you craft purposeful plans and gain insightful professional experiences. 

• Take Exploratory Courses - We recommend exploring your personal and professional interests by taking a wide-range academic courses across Berry’s diverse liberal arts curriculum. Whether introductory or advanced, courses often offer first-hand experiences you cannot otherwise gain. 

• Learn What You Can Do With Your Major - Log into the What Can I do with this Major? website to learn more about some of the common career pathways and wide-range of professional opportunities associated with the various majors that interest to you.
• Leverage a LifeWorks job – Every year, we offer students incredible professional exploration experience within every department on Berry’s campus. Visit the Lifeworks Resource Center and Handshake’s job board to learn more about some of the internships and student work jobs available to you right now.
• Get an Internship or Off-campus Job – You are encouraged to add an internship (or two) to your schedule while you are at Berry College. Internships allow you to gain experience in a specific field and/or with a particular employer. Learn about the work environment and network with people in the field to better understand career paths and options.  Off–campus jobs also offer opportunities to delve deeper into a particular field and expand your network of professionals in a particular area.  Make an appointment with your Career Consultant to get more details and resources to begin your research. 
• Schedule a Career Advising Appointment - Through Handshake you can schedule a 1:1 basic career advising appointment with your Career Consultant to discuss some of your life/career goals, and learn more about some of the personal and professional experiential learning opportunities (e.g., jobs, internships, courses, workshops, etc) offered to you at Berry right now.