1. Career Clues Prepared by Brigitta, Kim, Molly, and Marshall July 30, 2009

2. Need a Clue? CareerClues.org hosts 16 short, engaging opportunities designed to help students gather and interpret important information about themselves and what they want from their lives. Filled with tools, strategies, and practical suggestions and punctuated with motivating video clips, Career Clues calls on students to explore meaningful career options. Each Clue prompts students to take the next action step as they seek “how to” answers about finding their career direction, identifying their college major, developing meaningful work experiences, and landing a really cool jobs. www.careerclues.org/about.html From your preferred browser, enter the address for CareerClues.Org

3. CareerClues.Org The sixteen opportunities are grouped in four sections so you may start where you have the most need.

4. Searching for Direction???

5. “The secret to success is to become more of what you already are.” –Marcus Buckingham #1: Find Your Strengths *What activities and skills have you learned naturally? * What activities and skills do enjoy? * What areas do peers compliment you in?

6. #2: Identify What Matters Knowing what your values are will help guide you to a career you will love. * Personal values * Work values Values may be the most important when choosing a career. What do YOU value most????? *Achievement *Friendship *Leadership *Status *Creativity *Helping society *Growth *Challenging problems *Fame *Ethical practice *Influencing others *Pleasure *Working under pressure *Security *Close relations *Merit

7. #3: Explore Career Possibilities Define your future “Good Life” * Describe where you would like to be living ten years from now. * Describe the type of people you want to surround yourself with. * Name two or three jobs you think you would like. “Do what you love and the money will follow” If you are not sure what you are interested in, take the Hollands Code Quiz John Holland made it his life's work to look at people and work environments and come up with a classification system that described 1) individual differences and similarities, and 2) a classification of work environments to describe and explain differences and similarities among positions and occupations.

8. #4: Create a Plan!!! What steps do you need to take next to reach your career goal? First, your goal must be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely Next, write down your goals and follow these SEVEN STEPSto achieve them!

9. Searching for a College Major?

10. #1: Create a Personal Profile CareerClues will help you identify a field of study that you enjoy and interests you. The first step is to get in touch with your values and interests, as well as your unique strengths and talents. If you skipped “Searching for Direction,” CareerClues provides two other ways to gather your thoughts: Click on “…print lesson guide” to download and print a form to record your preferences for when you meet with a counselor. Click on MissingMajor.com to use a fun, interactive guide to create your own profile that you can print and take to a counselor.

11. MissingMajor.Com: Online Profile To start your profile online, click on the pad labeled “Profile”.

13. Inquire about Career Assessments.There are hundreds of career assessments and you can complete many of the career self-assessments in this Career Clues series. If you believe you need or want additional career or personality testing, ask for help at your career center as to where and how to get these assessments.

15. Continuing and Former Students: Appointments with career counselors are available through a referral from the academic counselors. Several options are available for continuing students to schedule an appointment with a counselor: Online appointments can be made at www.sierracollege.edu/StudentServices/counseling/login.html or by calling (916) 660-7400 for Rocklin, or (530) 274-5303 for Nevada County Campus. Questions may be submitted to a counselor online at www.sierracollege.edu/StudentServices/counseling/online.html

16. #4: Take Action! Learn a new skill, pursue a hobby, or volunteer in your community. If you are interested in politics, work as a volunteer for a candidate you admire. If you have always wanted to play golf, sign up for a class at your community college. Stay open and willing to take advantage of unplanned events.

17. Searching for Experience...at CareerClues.org

18. #1: Ask the Experts One of the best ways to learn about a job is to ask someone who is doing it by conducting an INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW. A short (30 minutes or less) conversation to find out about a position or field that interests you Get answers to specific questions Helps you build your professional network

19. Interviewing Examples Watch: Road Trip Nation People from all walks of life who have traveled across continents to learn from those who have found purpose and meaning in their jobs and their lives. They are searching for answers just like YOU! U.C. Berkeley: Career Center How to find someone who works in the field that interests you How to initiate contact How to prepare for and conduct the interview How to follow up in a professional manner

20. Great Interviewers: Come prepared Actively listen Ask open-ended questions

21. #2: Visit the Workplace Take a tour of a place of business in the field that interests you. Set up a tour of a business in your town or neighborhood: How would you set up such a tour? Think of 5 questions you could ask of the people who work there. How would a tour benefit you? How would it benefit the company?

22. #3: Get Internships FACT!Employers often hire their interns once they’ve graduated. Internships are available in almost every field. An internship gives you valuable experience—it bridges the gap between college class work and getting the job. A way to find out your strengths, improve communication skills, gain self-confidence. Another way to build your professional network.

23. How do I find an internship? Start with your personal contacts Visit college or university career centers Call the Human Resources department of a company you’d like to work for and tell them you’d like to do an internship Check a company’s Employment/Jobs web pages for internship openings Get creative!

24. Internship Resources GrooveJob.com Tips on colleges, majors, resume preparation, interviewing, internships, part-time jobs, job shadowing, and career planning U.C. Berkeley Job and Internship Guide Tips for finding an internship or developing/ customizing your own.

25. #4: Volunteer in Your Community Almost like an internship, volunteering helps you learn new skills and gain valuable experience. Improve leadership and interpersonal skills Learn about community concerns Help others Gain personal satisfaction Set a positive example

26. Volunteering Resources VolunteerMatch.org Enter your ZIP code and a keyword, and find opportunities in your area Also find opportunities by organization, or specific ally by disaster relief Idealist.org Find thousands of volunteer, internship, and job openings worldwide

27. Searching for a job?

28. #1: Search Jobs Remember: “Make personal and online connections as you conduct your job search” Write a job search goal: Name of the job title, deadline for finding the job, how much money you expect to earn Research companies: Read about companies that interest you online, in magazines, anywhere you can. Online job search guidance: There are a lot of online search engines, but make sure you learn more about them before sending your personal information!

29. #2: Resume help

30. #3: Practice Interviewing Remember: “The job interview is the single most important part of getting a job.” Prepare, Prepare, Prepare! - Be able to fully explain the contents of your resume.- Research the company before the interview. Watch the “job seekers” and see what mistakes are typically made . After the interview send a short and personal thank you note.

31. #4: Build your support network Remember: “For every person who finds a position through Monster or Jobster, at least 10 more find theirs through the people they know.” Why networking works: Gets You in Front of People, People Really Want to Help, It’s Self-Perpetuating, Gain Information about Yourself, Leaves a Lasting Impression Make a networking introduction: Who are you and how are you connected? What do you want? What is your background? Your networking report card: Are you good at networking? Take the quiz and see how you perform!

32. In conclusion...