Explore Career Paths
Recognizing your personal qualities and interests is the first step in discovering a career that is a good fit. Start with self-assessment. Continue by exploring and researching careers and industries that interest you. Then, create your career development action plan.
Self Exploration
- Focus 2 – provides valid and reliable assessments including Work Interests-Holland Code, Personality, Values, Skills, Leisure Interests and Career Planning Readiness. Assessment results are matched to supporting majors and career options with over 1000 occupations and up-to-date career information. Register for free using the access code EAGLESLA. Career advisors guide you through the sections of Focus 2 in these instructional videos.
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Roadtrip Nation Self-Discovery Course – a project-based course to help you discover your interests, explore career possibilities, and talk to someone you admire about how they found their path so you can discover yours.
Major and Career Exploration
- Choosing a Major, Charting a Career (presentation) - introduces career and major exploration strategies.
- Major and Career Exploration (handout) - provides steps to take depending on where you are in choosing a major.
- What Can I Do With This Major? – helps you connect general academic majors with common career areas, typical employers and strategies to maximize career opportunities.
- Job FutureCaster - allows you to select the jobs that are of interest to you and see what the future prospects for that job will be like and the education path that you’ll need to pursue.
- College Majors Calculator - allows you to select from a list of general majors to review sample occupational outcomes.
- Vault Guides to Jobs - provides numerous employer, career, internship, resume, and interviewing guidebooks. Guides cover industries such as law, consulting, investment banking, accounting, investment management, private equity, hedge funds, Internet and social media, IT and engineering, energy, health care, advertising, and more. The Vault channel provides videos that support the guides.
- Handshake Career Pathways - helps you to explore career possibilities by industry and lists currently available jobs and internships in those areas. Learn about roles and find ones that are right for you using the guide Explore Career Paths for College Students on Handshake.
- Employers by Major - discover, research, and network with thousands of potential employers in California for 150+ majors.
Networking for Career Exploration
One of the best ways to begin exploring career paths is to have a conversation with professionals in a field you're interested in. This is called informational interviewing, where you interview professionals to learn more about a career and how to get there. Ask about the work, their pathways and the skills required in the position.
- Informational Interviews (handout)
- Roadtrip Nation Documentaries (videos) – see how people like you found work that they love.
- Grow Your Network (website)
Professional Brand
Think of your professional brand as a way to activate your personal mission statement. Meaning, a way to bring your personal mission statement to “life” and in a way that combines your personal and professional self.
- Develop Your Professional Brand (handout) - use this guide to create your professional brand statement.
- Building a Professional Brand: Your Professional Journey at Cal State LA (presentation)
Career Development Plan
Think of your career/professional development plan as a way to cultivate your professional brand. Meaning, an intentional plan to grow your professional brand so that you can gain the experiences and skills you need to lead your best life.
- Six Ways You Can Get Started on Your Career Development Journey (video)
- Choose Your Own Career Adventure Checklist (PDF version) (Career Adventure Checklist Word version)
- Planning For Internships (presentation)
- Creating a Professional Development Plan (handout)
Career Readiness
Graduate School Preparation
Additional Support
Employer Events
Part of choosing a career path includes knowing about workplace culture and available opportunities for your degree. Employers host events where you can meet and learn more about what's possible. Look for these events on Handshake.
Workshops
We offer workshops each semester to help you identify your qualities and network for career exploration. Look for them and sign up on Handshake.
Group Advising
Drop in during virtual group advising to ask your initial questions or start the conversation, whether it’s related to résumés, interviews, internships and job searching or general career planning. Learn with and from your peers as career advisors help you form an initial strategy.
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1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month
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12 p.m.
Career Coaching
Work on an individual basis with a career advisor who will guide you through every step of the Career Development Journey and provide you with an understanding of what is important to reach your career goal and become a professional.
Email [email protected] or call 323-343-3237 to schedule an appointment.
