Career Exploration and Academic Planning

(6 Tasks)

Invest time in deciding your career path—it’s one of the most important decisions you can make!

In this module, you'll explore Career Coach, an interactive online platform designed to help you find a career you’ll love and the educational program to help you get there. With Career Coach, you can explore careers, find one that’s right for you and choose an education path that will train you for that career.

Use your findings to explore career options uniquely suited to YOU and dig deep into researching a career to learn all you can about industry trends, what people actually do on the job, how much money you can expect to make, how much education and training you will need, and more!

You will also:

Identify your educational plan of study,
Interview someone in your career field, and
Have the opportunity to discuss your career plan and goals with a KCC career development counselor.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will have:

Developed an understanding of careers that match your interests.
Explored various career options to understand job expectations, outlook, industry trends, and salary information.
Chosen a major and career field(s) based on your research and assessment findings.
Discussed your career plan with a career development counselor, and
Understood what’s required in your educational plan of study.

Required Readings and Resources

Utilize these resources after completing your career assessment.

Skills assessment

Occupational Outlook Handbook – Occupations, job outlook, and medial annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

O*NET OnLine – Tool for career exploration and job analysis.

CareerOneStop – Toolkit for exploring careers, finding jobs, learning about industry trends, and comparing salary information.

Occupation Profile – Learn details about any occupation including what you might do on the job, how much you might earn, and how much education or training you might need.

Informational Interviews – Guidelines for conducting your information interview, including questions to ask your interviewee.

Assignments

My Career Exploration - Detailed instructions for completing this assignment can be found in the assignment prompt linked here. This assignment includes multiple parts, so be certain you are reading and following the instructions carefully.

a. Complete Career Coach

b. Research your career choice

c. Meet with Career Development Counselor

d. Interview someone who has worked in this occupation

e. “My Chosen Career” 1-2 page paper

Academic Map - In addition to the 1-2 page paper, you will construct an Academic Map outlining courses you will be taking by semester to complete a degree or certificate in an identified plan of study. Review these instructions for the Academic Map assignment and watch this informational video to help you complete the assignment.

How to Use the Assignment You've Completed

Now that you've completed your assignment using Career Coach, you can utilize this tool throughout your time at KCC. Use the easy resume builder to put together a resume that you can download, edit, and apply for jobs, including internship and part-time jobs that can be completed while attending school. You can even submit your résumé for review by a Certified Professional Résumé Writer.

Whether you are just beginning to explore careers or ready to apply for jobs and career opportunities, KCC is here to assist you! Watch these videos to meet folks right here on campus that are ready to help you!

Meet Kim Schott, KCC's coordinator of Career Services.

Meet Cydney Boyd, a career development counselor and academic advisor.

Don't hesitate to reach out to Kim or Cydney for the help you need!