Career Counseling

Steps to Career/Life Planning Success

Begin at the bottom and work up. Periodically, re-evaluate your career/life plans by starting again at step 1.

You may need to move from an upper step to a lower one, e.g., from step 4 to step 2, should a lack of openings in a particular field require research into a different one.

Your College of San Mateo, Career Services Center provides college students, high school students, returning adults and community members with complete educational and career planning services.

Our Career Staff has helped hundreds of individuals reach for opportunities they otherwise would not have imagined and to succeed in making sound decisions about their future.

How is this done? Let's look further. Are you unsure about your career or major? Are you about to re-enter the job market but unclear about where to begin? Are you asking what's out there? What does the current job market require? Are you guessing about your skills and abilities while looking for good training programs? Then it's time to begin exploring your options through the College of San Mateo's career exploration short courses and by using the wide variety of Career Resources available to you.

San Mateo residents can use the electronic media, including the Internet to access current job postings online. In addition, the Center offers bulletins and career descriptions, as well as information about salary levels and the employment outlook for specific industries. You can also find reference books that give job descriptions for more than 12,000 occupations. Experienced staff will be available to help you use these excellent resources.

Other services the Career Services Center offers is a variety of workshops, short courses, open forums, individual career assessment activities and career counseling appointments. One of the best ways to participate in these services is to take Career 126 and 127. The class offerings are available several times each week and can be arranged to fit your particular schedule. Here is a listing of the topics that will be covered in our CRER 126 and 127 classes.

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Self Assessment and Career Planning

1. Making Choices---Introduction to the Career Decision Making Process
   This session describes the steps you should take to find the career that best "fits" you. You will review the steps, decide where you are now and start the process to reach your goals.
2. Discovering Who You Are: Take the Myers-Briggs and the Strong Interest Inventory
   These two self- assessment tests are the most popular career decision making tools used in business, industry, education, health services, military services, religious organizations and counseling. All tests are administered and interpreted by Career counselors either in small group formats or in individual career counseling appointments. ( Tests must be purchased by participant. Information will be provided at this session.)
3. Interpreting the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Personality Test
   Meet with a counselor to help you understand your MBTI results. You will put your results to work by relating your personality to careers of your choice.
4. Interpreting the Strong Interest Inventory
   The Strong Interest Inventory is a tool that provides scores, which relate to a variety of career choices. You will find specific job descriptions that reflect your personal interests.
5. Discovering Your Work Values
   Your work values indicate what is important to you about a job. Knowing your work values helps you to find a career that supports and gives expression to your individual work values.
6. Identifying Your Transferable Work Skills
   Most people have more skills than they can name. By applying a process to help you identify those skills you want to use and those skills you want to develop gives meaning to your goal setting.
7. Integrating Your Career/Skills Assessment Results
   Using the data generated through the assessment process gives you the tools to make better Career decisions. You are now ready to research and select a career path with feedback from your career counselor or academic advisor.
8. Goal Setting and Using Career Resources for Career Planning
   Motivation comes from having a clear picture of where you want to go. This session helps you define your career/educational goals and make a plan that is realistic and achievable. Now you are on your way to finding a satisfying career, choosing a major or making a job change that best "fits' YOU.

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Job Search Skills

1. How to Construct a Professional Looking Resume
   In this session you will learn about the three types of resumes and determine which format is appropriate for your needs.
2. Formatting A Resume
   Today's resumes can take a variety of forms; paper, electronic or scanned. Learn the tips and techniques necessary to shine in this resume market place.
3. Networking --- Establishing Professional Contacts
   Finding the person to hire you takes planning, patience, and practice. Learn how to develop your personal Network.
4. Job Marketing Techniques-How to Research Meaningful Employment
   By using the latest technology, the Internet, as well as personal contacts, and printed materials you will uncover jobs that more closely meet your personal goals.
5. Interviewing for Information
   Learn how to ask questions about your ideal job from the experts who have the power to hire you. Build your skills of resourcefulness and information gathering as you go.
6. Job Interviewing
   Getting over the initial fear of the interview process takes practice and feedback. Learn the tips and techniques that will set you apart from the crowd.
7. Demonstrating the Successful Interviewing Methods for Employment
   Through practice, video taping and coaching you will gain the necessary experience for the job interview, including how to handle the difficult questions that might be asked of you.
8. Developing Career Enhancement Strategies
   As a new employee you will be expected to successfully develop your professional skills. This session will coach you through your first performance review. Now, it is up to you to demonstrate your knowledge and skills as a new member of your organization.

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If you have any questions, contact Jeanne Stalker stalker@smccd.net or please drop by our new location in the Temporary building next to Bldg. 1.

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Temporary Building adjacent Bldg. 1
650-574-6571
Copyright 2003