11 / 68
clemson.edu/career
CENTER FOR CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
/ClemsonCCPD
11
Choosing your career direction calls for a close look at yourself.
You need to:
•
Know yourself. Make an honest appraisal of your
interests, values, abilities and weaknesses. Analyze
what activities interest you the most (outdoors, helping
people, mechanical, administrative). Recognize your
aptitudes. Evaluate those traits that make you an
outstanding candidate.
•
Understand your capacities. Concentrate your efforts on
obtaining opportunities where your capacities will not be
a limitation in accomplishing your goals.
•
Evaluate your personal interests and hobbies. Determine
how they can be an asset to you in accomplishing your
goals.
•
Determine your career goals. It is important to establish
short-term as well as long-term goals. Doing so provides
a target and helps keep you on the proper path.
PLAN AHEAD
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Choosing the right career can be a full-time endeavor. Be
prepared to make a personal commitment of time and energy.
You will need time to analyze your career and life goals, and you
must be organized and flexible as you pursue these goals. The
more committed you are to your search and decision-making,
the greater your chances for success, paving the way to a
rewarding career in the years ahead.
For successful career development, you need to conduct a
complete analysis of yourself (your values, interests and
abilities) in order to determine what you want, what you can do,
where you would like to live and work, and what your options
might be. The following questions are suggested as guides as
you conduct this self-analysis:
WHO AM I?
Have you ever sat down and written a clear, concise answer to
this question? In five minutes or so, could you clearly describe
yourself to a stranger? Have you identified your interests, your
values, your strengths/weaknesses or your special talents? If
not, you may find yourself at a disadvantage because you may
lack focus in your search. Others with whom you are competing
for positions may have that focus. Being able to discuss these
things with employers in an orderly and convincing manner will
give you greater confidence and make a much more favorable
impression.
WHAT DO I WANT TO DO?
If you find this a difficult question, you are not alone. For
employers, it is one of the most important questions. The
answer you give will indicate whether you have given serious
thought to where you have been, where you are now and where
you hope to be in the future. The more thought you give this
question the more convincing your response will appear.
Internship sponsors (employers) need a starting point to
establish learning goals for your experience. Likewise, employers
need a starting point to evaluate candidates. For both, how you
answer this question often reveals vital information. Remember,
employers will be paying you “to do something” and not just “to
know something.”
WHERE DO I WANT TO WORK?
When a prospective sponsor or employer asks you “Where do you
want to work?” or “Why are you interested in our organization?”
they are expecting a well thought out response.
“Where do you want to work?” can mean several things. It
could mean to work for a specific employer; a particular type
of employer; a particular industry; and/or it could mean to
work in a particular geographical location. Your responses to
such questions will help you decide whether you should even
interview with a certain employer. Your well planned answers
to these questions, should they be asked, will help you make a
favorable impression. Often, to prepare answers you will have
to do some research. Clemson University’s Center for Career
and Professional Development is equipped to help you with
this project.
WHAT ARE MY GOALS?
Many employers will ask this question. Their purpose is to see if
you have thought about where your internship or entry-level job
may take you, and where you would like it to take you.
Especially for seniors, it is important for you to realize that you
are being selected not only for what you can contribute today,
but for the potential you are showing for tomorrow. Thinking
about goals now helps you stay on target as you develop, learn
and implement skills from internships and entry-level positions.