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Get Your Career Started - How to Get Started on Planning Your Career

Get Your Career Started - How to Get Started on Planning Your Career
Choose a Career

By Dawn Rosenberg McKay, About.com Guide to Career Planning
The good thing about starting your career is that you have an endless number of choices in front of you. The bad thing about starting your career is that you have an endless number of choices in front of you. It's like being able to pick only one dish from a menu that is hundreds of pages long. Try not to be too overwhelmed. With a lot of careful planning, you can have a career you love. Use these resources to help you get your career off to a good start.

1. Choose a Career
2. Explore Occupations
3. Make a Plan
4. Get the Skills You Need

Choose a Career

To get started on your career you will first need to choose a career field in which you will eventually seek employment. Put a lot of thought into your choice of career field and you will be rewarded with a career that is both fulfilling and successful. Choosing a career field is not a simple process -- there are many steps you should take to insure the occupation you pick is the right one for you. It will be well worth it in the end.

* How to Make a Career Choice
* Self Assessment: Overview
* Identifying Your Work Values
* Personality Type and Career Choice

* Working With a Career Counselor or Other Career Development Professional
* Ten Myths About Choosing a Career
* What Do College Career Services Offices Do?

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Explore Occupations

While you may have heard about a great occupation from your friend, sister or aunt, don't take their word for it. Go out and gather your own information on any career field you are thinking about pursuing. This will involve doing lots of research as you explore a variety of different fields. Use what you learn from your research to narrow down your career choices.

* Career Exploration: Resources to Help You Explore Your Career Options
* Careers A to Z: Profiles, Quizzes, Stories and Related Occupations
* Career Quizzes: Is This the Right Career for You?
* Quiz: Should I Choose This Occupation?

Make a Plan

Once you've chosen an occupation, you have to figure out how to eventually reach your goal of working in that field. That may include taking some classes, getting a degree or finding an employer who will provide on-the-job training. Before you do anything, write a formal career action plan that includes both long-term and short-term goals.

* Career Action Plan: A Roadmap to Your Future
* How to Set Goals

Get the Skills You Need

Now it's time to move forward with your career action plan. You will need to obtain the skills and training required to work in your occupation of choice. Here are resources to help you achieve your goals.

* Graduate School or Not?
* Career Training Opportunities in the U.S. Armed Forces
* Should You Do an Internship?
* Give Yourself the Competitive Edge

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Think College | The Inclusive Current Enrollment Initiative

Think College | The Inclusive Current Enrollment Initiative

Top 10 Tips for College Students: Creating Goals & Objectives for a Brighter Future

Top 10 Tips for College Students: Creating Goals & Objectives for a Brighter Future

Top 10 Tips for College Students:

1. Create a List of Personal & Professional Goals & Objectives
Creating a list of goals will help you stay on target. Once you’ve established the top goals that you want to accomplish, be sure to write down three or four objectives on how you plan to meet those goals.

Example of Personal & Professional Goals & Objectives:

Goal #1 - Increase GPA to 3.4.

Objectives:
1. Stay after class to ask questions.
2. Spend more time studying.
3. Ensure that you eat healthy, exercise, and get enough sleep.

Goal #2– Gain relevant experience in a career field of interest

Objectives:

1. Begin to network and conduct informational interviews with several people working in a career of interest.
2. Draft a resume.
3. Find an internship for spring, summer, and/or fall.
4. Volunteer for a local organization.
5. Join a club at your college and take on a leadership role.

2. Seek to Understand Your Individual Personality, Values, Interests, and Skills in addition to Identifying Your Personal Strengths and Weaknesses.
Doing a thorough self-assessment is the first step to the career planning process. Speaking with a career counselor at your college can help you uncover some of your personal attributes and begin to understand yourself a little bit better. There are also a number of assessments you can take to help guide you in the right direction.

3. Research
Whether it is to actively research potential majors or career options, researching can help you further clarify your goals and assist you in the decision-making process. To gain relevant experience in the work force, you may begin by researching available job shadowing and internship opportunities.

4. Create a Resume & Cover Letter
Initially you may want to create a general resume listing all of your skills and accomplishments. As you get ready to apply for internships and/or jobs, you will want to read over the qualifications of the position you are applying for and make sure your resume and cover letter are targeted to the specific position and organization.

5. Develop a Professional Network
Reach out to people you know as well as alumni from your college for the purpose of discussing their individual career path, how they got to where they are today, and for recommendations on how you might break into the industry yourself.

6. Conduct Informational Interviews
Contact friends, family, previous employers, alumni from your college to set up a 20 or 30 informational interview session over the phone. If they are nearby, you may ask to meet them for coffee or do a face-to-face interview at their office or organization. Job shadowing is a great way to learn more about a career field of interest by spending time with someone curently working in the field.

7. Find an Internship
Professional networking and informational interviews are a great way to learn more about careers and potential career options. You may also be lucky and find internships available through your network.

Three Strategies for Finding an Internship:
* Networking
* Checking out online databases for potential internships in your area of interest and location.
* Prospecting for employers offering internships in your career field of interest.

8. Volunteer
There are numerous volunteer organizations available. You can find one either at your college or in your college community or when you are home during break or over the summer.

9. Participate in a Club and/or Sports Activity on Campus
There are usually numerous clubs that you can join on campus, find one and offer your services and take part in meetings that will help you to develop additional transferable skills that will make you a valuable asset in the job market. Taking on leadership roles on campus is something employers love to see on a resume.

10. Get to Know Your Faculty
Assisting faculty in class or participating in some collaborative research will help you develop professional working relationships with faculty members at your campus. Not only will you learn a whole lot about what they do, you will also create the potential of getting some strong recommendations for future jobs or graduate programs you may be applying to

Education Week: Experts Begin to Identify Nonacademic Skills Key to Success

Education Week: Experts Begin to Identify Nonacademic Skills Key to Success
Dispositions for Success

Across education and industry, research by Mr. Sackett; Neal Schmitt, a psychology professor at Michigan State University in East Lansing; and others shows the biggest predictor of success is a student’s conscientiousness, as measured by such traits as dependability, perseverance through tasks, and work ethic. Agreeableness, including teamwork, and emotional stability were the next-best predictors of college achievement, followed by variations on extroversion and openness to new experiences, Mr. Sackett found.
Click on the article's title to read the entire article.

Education Week: Experts Begin to Identify Nonacademic Skills Key to Success

Education Week: Experts Begin to Identify Nonacademic Skills Key to Success

College Living Experience – News > College for those with Asperger’s Syndrome

Click on the link below to get some information about planning for college:
College Living Experience – News > College for those with Asperger’s Syndrome

ASCEND Group (Havertown, PA) - Meetup

ASCEND Group (Havertown, PA) - Meetup
Joining a group that can provide information and support can make the transition to college easier and less daunting. Click on the link below to join ASCEND.

Request to Join - ASCEND Group (Havertown, PA) - Meetup

Reminder : College Support Program-Speaker:Dr. Felicia Hurewitz

When Tuesday, December 21st-7PM
Where Barnes and Noble , Metroplex- Chemical RD. Plymouth Mtg.
Topic- Support for college students on the spectrum

www.academicmentoringservices.com

PACAC Flyer for spring fairs_0.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Click on the link below and plan your visit to spring college fairs.

PACAC Flyer for spring fairs_0.pdf (application/pdf Object)

A Vision of Students Today, as Told by Students | Faculty Focus

A Vision of Students Today, as Told by Students | Faculty Focus

College Support Program for students on the spectrum

You are invited to meet with Dr. Felicia Hurewitz of Drexel University on Tuesday, December 21st at 7PM- Barnes and Noble, Chemical Road , Ply. Mtg Metroplex.
Learn about a support program for college students on the spectrum. This program has already been implemented on several college campuses.

Come, learn, ask questions.

Please RSVP :wirthedu@aol.com

Great Minds, Universities, and Asperger’s | AutismTodayBlog.com

Great Minds, Universities, and Asperger’s | AutismTodayBlog.com
Great Minds, Universities, and Asperger’s

I made many new friends recently at the November conference in Calgary. One, in particular inspired me to write this blog. Her remarkable brilliance shone like a beacon! Even as busy as it was, her drive to approach me was centered around her desire to see how she could help the cause of autism and advocate for others like herself. This was very unusual indeed, I thought, for a person with Asperger’s – to reach out and extend her own advocacy. It is usually the other way around. As many of us know, tenacity is quite a prominent trait for people with Asperger’s. Once they get an idea, they stay on it come rain, shine, hale, sleet, snow and even adversity – sometimes even at the expense of not being ‘cool’, like so many ‘normies’. As a result, not only do they accomplish their goal, but they also master it with excellence!

There she stood, patiently waiting until there was a spot to slip in and ask me how she could help out in her home town 7 hours away.

Her coy, shy demeanor was a giveaway. Knowing instantly that she was a person with Asperger’s, I was beyond elated to connect with her and talk about ideas. Through the course of the two days, I learned so much about her. Her passion for animals took her on a path to seek a career as a veterinarian.

So, there are her qualities – tenacity, brilliance, and mastery. Combine those with her ‘skill set’, compassion for animals, patience, love, empathy, math, intelligence and desire to accomplish something.

But even with the right recipe, many brilliant people get overlooked, out-numbered, neglected, rejected, or even ejected!
After 3 years actively into a university veterinary program, she was told to leave because the headmaster felt she wasn’t “normal enough” to be there. When she was told she wasn’t going to back out, she was forced out of the program.
Since then, she has started her University studies, aspiring for a science degree in immunology and microbiology. At this time, she is not certain she will pursue a career in veterinary medicine, but leaves the option open.

Devastation is not an option, even for this young lady. Her mother was quite disappointed about her not being accepted to the university, but has remained extremely supportive of her daughter and what she always chose to do. ‘Mom’ is always there to bat when she needs her, even through tough times. She admires her mother on several levels, and has a strong family support system in place as well. Without the love and support of her parents and brother, she would not be where she is today.

She is out there in full swing now, sharing her passions for those like her on a mission for advocacy to make changes. This type of rejection happens all too many times for this modern day and age. It’s time to turn the tables. I’m sure Dr. Temple Grandin would agree with her.

I hope and pray that some day, the colleges and universities will not only accept students with Asperger’s, but actually seek them out! I think you, the reader, might also agree. It’s time to turn off the walls and open the doors, folks! Let’s help the universities and workplaces realize what a wealth of minds they have right at their fingertips!

Sending Children With Aspergers To College | Zwak.org

Sending Children With Aspergers To College | Zwak.org
Sending Children With Aspergers To College
02.12.2010 | Author: Ricky Colosimo | Posted in Health-and-Fitness

In 1990 the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) opened up the doors to college for a new set of students: Children and anybody with autism spectrum. Children are getting the education they require today and they are able to graduate and move on to the college campus. To assist, every college that is not run by a religious institution – though there are few religious colleges which comply – are needed to have an Office of Student Disabilities or an ADA Compliance Officer on staff. These two services are specially designed to assist children with Asperger’s get the college aid they require, like tutoring and counseling, to have a successful college career.

If you have a child who wishes to go to college, encourage them and do your homework. You want to help them find a school who’s Office of Student Disabilities or ADA Officer is serious in aiding students with learning curves. The college have to be willing to aid the student with each aspect of their college life, from classroom learning to participating in organizations to adapting to the social life of the college campus. If you find a school that has a good track record helping other students with Asperger’s, then you know your kid would do well.

A college with a good program in place to aid children will have in place a chain of command which could handle the special needs of the student. Every individual from the Dean to the dorm supervisors must understand what Asperger’s syndrome is all about and know the way to help the student adjust to their new surroundings. They’ll be able to interact with the child and his or her peers to assist everyone involved understand the syndrome and avoid misunderstandings and any possible isolation which can drive the student away.

However, the big factor in all of this is the kid themselves and how much they understand about the Asperger’s syndrome they are living with. Because no 2 children are the same, you must decide whether or not they are able to understand what they are living with. Few kids could handle the fact that they have Asperger’s syndrome and can live a normal life and attend college with help. Others are not able to handle this fact. How you handle their needs would help you both decide if college is right for them and whether their peers ought to be made aware of their one of a kind learning style.

If your kid decides he or she wishes to attend college and to let their peers know that they have been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, ask the Office of Disabilities to assist you talk to the other students. In the right environment, your child will be embraced as a peer and not isolated as the ‘weird kid’.

To discover your best resource of parental information as it relates to raising kids with aspergers check out http://www.parentingaspergerscommu

Education Week: Elementary Students Encouraged to Set College Goals

Education Week: Elementary Students Encouraged to Set College Goals

Occupational Outlook Handbook Index: A-Z

Plan for your future. Research careers that interest you, find out : education, training, job outlook, salary. When is a good time to this? It's never too early (pre-school) and never too late.
Click on the link and start now.
Occupational Outlook Handbook Index: A-Z

2010CollegeOpenHouseListing.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Click on the link below, locate colleges that interest you and your student, check out the dates and contact numbers. It's never too early to explore your options!



2010CollegeOpenHouseListing.pdf (application/pdf Object)

8 Steps for Learning Disabled Students Who Want to Go to College - US News and World Report

8 Steps for Learning Disabled Students Who Want to Go to College - US News and World Report
of the 3 percent or so of teens who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities struggle so much in their high school classes that they give up on hopes of college, setting back their job and career prospects, according to statistics compiled by the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
Click here to find out more!

But there are new reasons for hope for anyone with attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, or other common learning challenges. A growing number of colleges, services, and technologies are helping students earn admission to, and diplomas from, college, counselors say.

[Learn about 8 big changes coming to college admissions in 2010 and 2011.]

College admissions officers and learning disability counselors from around the country say leaning disabled students interested in college should follow these 8 steps:

1. Start preparing early. Many students, parents, and high school officials think struggling students should be shifted to easier classes. But starting in freshman year, anyone hoping for college should try to stick with college prep classes, says Dianne Rogers, director of learning differences at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa. "Avoid the temptation to retreat to lower track classes," she says. College courses are hard. Students who have been waived from high school algebra and other tough courses probably don't have the knowledge or skills to be admitted to four-year colleges. Those who skip rigorous classes in high school could have to spend a couple of years in remedial courses in community college, she says. Besides, high school is the best time for students to develop time management, test-taking, and studying strategies that they'll need in college and beyond.

[Find out tips for transferring into a college.]

2. Experiment with technology. From simple spell check and calendar software programs to dictation software, screen readers, and new high-tech recording pens, there's a growing abundance of tools to help students retain information and finish homework on time, says Rogers.

3. Be creative. Students who just can't succeed in some required courses can look for substitutes. For example, those whose learning disability makes it difficult to keep up in foreign language classes can try switching to something like American Sign Language, says Nancy Singer, assistant director for admissions and recruitment for the Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques (SALT) Center at the University of Arizona.

[Check out U.S. News's Guide to Admissions.]

4. Put the student in charge. High schools develop special learning plans for students with documented disabilities. But colleges don't typically provide any special help unless students—not parents—know exactly what they need and know how to ask for it. "Students have to be ready to have an adult conversation about what they need" such as note takers or special software, says Jane Daigneault, coordinator of disability services at Clark University in Worcester, Ma. High school is a good time for parents to let students experience the repercussions of small failures so that, for example, they learn to follow their medication regime, she says.

5. Carefully research college options. Make sure the college fits the student's unique learning style. Singer recommends three books: The K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder, Preparing Students With Disabilities for College Success, and Peterson's Colleges With Programs for Students With Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorders. USNews.com also includes information on each college's learning disability services in its Best Colleges premium service.

Career Exploration - Use Career Exploration Resources to Help You Learn About Career Choices

Career Exploration - Use Career Exploration Resources to Help You Learn About Career Choices