WEST CENTRAL COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE INC.

Career Preparation
Module 4: Career Decision Making
Learning Objectives:

At the end of this module, you expected to:

• Understand the process of Decision Making.

• Apply your understanding of the process of Decision Making.

Note: In this Module, you are required to answer all the questions with utmost diligence and honesty.

Introduction:

The first step to solving a career problem is to bridge the gap between where you are and where
you want to be. Exploring your values, interests, and skills will help you find educational and career
options that match up with your goals. Whether you are choosing a major, searching for a job, or
applying to grad schools, our theory-based services can help you develop and implement a plan for
the future.

Know About Yourself

Knowing what is important to you (your values), what you enjoy (your interests), and what you
do well (your skills) will make it easier for you to make a career decision. Think of values, interests,
and skills as the three legs of a stool. You will sit more comfortably with your decision if each leg is
equally strong. The pyramid below is a simple way to remember what is important in making career
decisions.

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Know About Your Options

Life is what we make it. We have to deal with all the situations we are in. And in the process, we
should know what are our options that will lead us in choosing the right decision for us.

Your Decision Making Process

Once you have a clear understanding of your options and self-knowledge, you can use this
information to reflect on your decision-making process.

Have you ever had stage fright before a big performance or experienced butterflies before
giving a presentation? These experiences are a natural reaction to stressful events in your
environment. Similarly, some people become anxious or overwhelmed when thinking about career
decisions they must make.

Guide to Good Decision Making

A cycle can be used to show the steps in making a career choice. Use the blank spaces below to
note your thoughts and feelings about your career choice.

Communication - Knowing I Need to Make a Choice

Events- things that happen to me

Example: "I need to choose a major by next semester."

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

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Comments from my friends and relatives

Example: "My roommate said that I'll have problems if I don't make a decision soon."

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

The way I feel

Example: "I'm scared about committing myself."

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Avoiding my problems
Example: "I'll get started next week."

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Physical problems
Example: "I'm so upset about this, I can't eat."

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Analysis - Understanding Myself, Options, Decision Making, and Thoughts

UNDERSTANDING MYSELF
My values
Example: security

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

My interests
Example: working with people

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

My skills
Example: using a computer to plan a budget

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

My employment preferences
Example: limited travel
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

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UNDERSTANDING MY OPTIONS

What I know about the occupation, program of study, or job

Understanding specific occupations, programs of study, or jobs

UNDERSTANDING HOW OCCUPATIONS, PROGRAMSOF STUDY, OR JOBS ARE ORGANIZED

Example:

• Realistic Occupations
• Investigative Occupations
• Artistic Occupations
• Social Occupations
• Enterprising Occupations
• Conventional Occupations

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

_______________________________ ____________________________________

UNDERSTANDING HOW I MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS

Example:
Thinking, feeling, and/or getting advice from others

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

UNDERSTANDING THOUGHTS RELATED TO MY DECISIONS

Self-talk
Example: "I'll never be able to make a good career choice."

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Self-awareness
Example: "I'm getting very scared about this."

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Monitoring and controlling my self-talk

Example: "I can't really predict the future and imagining failure is not going to help me find a good
job."

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

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Synthesis - Expanding and Narrowing My Options

Identify occupations, programs of study, or jobs that fit my values, interests, and skills. Pick
the 3 to 5 best occupations, programs of study, or jobs using what I learned from "Understanding
Myself and My Options"

1. _____________________________

2. _____________________________

3. _____________________________

4. _____________________________

5. _____________________________

Evaluing - Prioritizing My Options

Benefits to myself? My family? Friends? Cultural group? Community? Society?

Costs to myself? My family? Friends? Cultural group? Community? Society?

Occupation, program of study, or job

1. ____________________________

2. ____________________________

3. ____________________________

4. ____________________________

5. ____________________________

Prioritize my occupations, programs of study, or jobs

My first choice: _______________________________

My back-up choice(s):

• 1st: __________________________________
• 2nd: __________________________________
• 3rd: __________________________________
• 4th: __________________________________
• 5th: __________________________________

Execution - Implementing My First Choice

(Complete the sections below that apply to you)

• Plan – Example: My plan for getting education or training

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

• Try Out – Example: Get experience (full time, part-time, volunteer) and take courses or get
training to test my choice

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___________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

• Apply - Steps to apply for and get a job or pursue further education

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Communication - Knowing I Made a Good Choice

In answering this portion, kindly provide a brief explanation. A mere answer of YES
or NO will not suffice.

• Have events changed?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

• How did my family and friends react to my choice?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

• How do I feel now?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

• Am I avoiding doing what needs to be done?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

• Am I satisfied with my choice?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

• Am I confident with my choice?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

**********

Well done! You are now ready for your next Module.

“You fail only when you give up.”

Apple O’Bryan

https://career.fsu.edu/students/plan-your-career/career-decision-making

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