The Career Decision Pyramid
by NACE Foundation (National Association of Colleges and Employers)
Planning your career/life is part of the college experience. When planning your career and choosing your major, you will want to assess your
values, interests and abilities. The Career Decision Pyramid is a simple, easy-to-use career development tool to identify a career goal.
The pyramid quickly and effectively permits you to: 1.Recognize a personal level of career clarity from virtually wide open to nearly decided;
2. Identify the best corresponding method to obtain career information, in accordance with your indicated level of career clarity; and 3. Become
aware of and gain an understanding of the services and resources provided by Career Services that match your chosen level of career clarity.
To discover which level you are on in The Career Decision Pyramid
choose which statement you identify with the MOST!
I DON'T KNOW WHICH CAREERS I SHOULD CONSIDER.
Step 1 – Self-Exploration Services
Assessing is the activity level most appropriate for those whose career choices are wide open. Rather than making a precise career decision,
the objective of completing an assessment is to identify several occupations that merit further consideration because they are well suited to
the needs, interests,a values of the decision-maker. Once a list of potential occupations has been identified through assessment, the decision-maker
can move up the Pyramid using more refined information sources to further narrow occupational choices.
eDISCOVER and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator are available in 1 Johnston Hall
I AM INTERESTED IN ONE TO THREE BROAD FIELDS BUT NEED HELP IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC OCCUPATIONS.
Step 2 – Research Resources
It is not practical to read about a wide variety of occupations, but this activity can help transform a generalized career choice such as "business"
into more specific occupations through selected Reading and/or Viewing of videos or CD-ROMs. Upon completion of this activity, some decision-makers may be
ready to make their decision. For most, though, a more likely result is to identify four to six specific occupations to further explore at the higher
levels of the Pyramid.
I AM INTERESTED IN FOUR TO SIX SPECIFIC OCCUPATIONS.
Step 3 – Conversations With Professionals
Discussing options and expectations with professionals from fields of interests is an excellent source of career information. It is most valuable for those whose interests
have already narrowed into three to five specific occupations.
I CAN'T DECIDED BETWEEN TWO OR THREE SPECIFIC OCCUPATIONS.
Step 4 – Site Visits
For decision makers whose occupational choices have already been narrowed to a very small number of specific occupations, it can prove very useful to Observe professional doing
these jobs. As the observations are made, decision-makers should ask themselves simple but important questions: Can I see myself doing this job? Would I be good at it? Would I like it?
The answer to these questions are critically instructive to decision-makers, moving them toward or away from particular occupations.
I KNOW THE SPECIFIC OCCUPATION I WANT TO PURSUE, BUT HAVE NOT MADE A FINAL DECISION.
Step 5 – Career Try-outs
The Pyramid's highest level is for those who have made a tentative career choice but remain less than certain. Ultimately, the only way to make such a difficult
decision is through experience, trying out the occupation under consideration by volunteering, taking part in an internship or cooperative education assignment, or
holding a part-time job. The point is that you are Doing something in the field of your interest to find out if it is really the place for you!
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