Explore Self
The first step in deciding on a major and future career is to consider what you know about yourself.
What are your strengths? Interests? Personal values?
Knowing yourself enables you to choose a major and career path that will likely be a good fit. Consider exploring these areas through some of the free career assessments we offer. Career assessments help individuals learn more about their strengths, interests, values and personality, and what careers and work activities might best fit those traits. Below are several assessments you can incorporate into your career exploration.
When deciding on a major or future career, start by reflecting on what you know about yourself and what you are still exploring.
Below are some self-guided reflection questions to consider:
• Which previous classes, jobs (or aspects or jobs), or activities have I enjoyed most? Why?
• Which classes fit my learning style and interests? What am I curious to learn more about?
• What strengths or unique qualities do peers, teachers, or family say that I possess? What strengths do I see in myself?
• What is essential for me to have - or not have – in my next job and/or workplace? What would be nice to have if possible?
• What do I need to feel supported and motivated at work?
• What is important to me in a workplace environment?
• What do I value in a team?
• What does work-life balance mean to me?
• How important are the various aspects of my identity in relation to my work? In what ways do they shape what I want and need in a job, workplace, and team?
You are also welcome to bring this conversation to a session with a career counselor.
Free self-assessments that you can complete on your own, anytime!
Values
Much of the research on happiness and mental health shows that identifying and living by your values correlates to greater life satisfaction. The same is true for careers! By better understanding and prioritizing your values, you can gain clarity on a career path that will best align with your most motivating values.
Use CareerOneStop’s Work Value Matcher or this Values Exercise to discover your work values and choose a career that's meaningful to you. This is a free activity that you can complete on your own.
Skills
In order to learn more about the skills that you already have and how these match careers, try the Skills Matcher from CareerOneStop.
This is a free activity that you can complete on your own.
Free assessment followed by a conversation with a Career Counselor about interests, including connections to majors and/or careers.
Our team of career counselors will help you understand your assessment report and how your interests connect to possible majors and/or careers. A pre-assessment consultation is required before taking the assessment listed below.
Interests
Identifying what is interesting to you is another way to explore possible majors and careers. The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) helps you identify your top interests and connect them with occupations and majors at Western that would be most rewarding.
Western's Career Services Center offers the Strong Interest Inventory to students for free.
Strengths
Every person has a unique pattern of strengths. Understanding your strengths- particularly those you enjoy and are motivated to use- will help you in each step of your career exploration and development. Request a Choosing a Major or Career Exploration appointment to do a brainstorming activity 1:1. This activity is also effective for groups. If you are interested in a group-based session, you can request a “Sharing Strengths through Storytelling” workshop for your student group.