Build Your Self-Knowledge
To make a confident choice, you need to identify the key factors that influence your decision-making. The following three pillars of self-assessment are essential for this process.
Understanding your preferences is a critical first step. Consider what types of activities you enjoy, which environments you prefer, and how you like to interact with others.
- Reflect on preferences: Do you prefer working with your hands, building things, doing research, or coming up with creative ideas?
- Consider your environment: Would you prefer to be outdoors, in an office, working in a fast-paced environment, or having a set and structured schedule?
- Identify themes: Look for common themes in your preferences and ask yourself why those are of interest to you.
Consider your current skills to understand your strengths and identify areas for growth.
- Core Skills: Reflect on your ability to communicate verbally and in writing, solve problems, critically think, and analyze information.
- Interpersonal Skills: Assess your ability to lead others, work in groups, interact with people from different backgrounds, and use diplomacy.
- Identify opportunities: Think about experiences you’ve had where you were able to apply some of your best skills and abilities.
It is important to consider that which is of great importance to you when choosing a major or a career. Your values should align with your academic and professional path.
- Work Environment: How important is Autonomy (independence), Challenges, Security, or having opportunities for Money-Making or Leadership?
- Personal Interests: Do you value Creativity, Knowledge Seeking, or Professional Growth?
- People/Impact: How important are strong Friendships/Relationships with co-workers, Helping others, or a feeling of Societal Importance?
Take the Strong Interest Inventory
Your Academic and Career Advisor will email you the assessment for you to complete. As you prepare to take the Strong assessment, it is important to keep these key points in mind:
The Strong assessment is not a test of your abilities, but rather an inventory of your interests.
- Think only about whether the item listed interests you and try to give the first answer that comes to mind.
- When deciding on your answers, don’t worry about how well you could perform a job or activity. Instead, simply ask yourself how much you would like or dislike that activity.
- If you do not have strong feelings either way, mark “indifferent.”
- Be aware that some of the questions may seem repetitive; this is on purpose.
Reach out to the Career Services and Advising Center to register for the Strong Interest Inventory.
