Career Planning
The Career Planning Process has three essential steps; Self-Assessment and Information Gathering, Career Exploration, and Job Placement. The ASC Career Center gives you the opportunity to take these steps either in person at 220 Richardson Hall with a career counselor, or online via ASC's comprehensive online career resources.
Step 1. Self-Assessment & Information Gathering
Self-assessment involves pondering who you are, and what your interests, values, and skills are. In this first step you will be answering questions such as "What do I want to major in," "What do I want to be," and "How much money can I make in a certain career?"
The ASC Career Center offers the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality inventory and the Self-Directed Search career interests and abilities inventory to assist with your self-exploration. The College Majors Scorecard is available for students working to choose the right major. Contact the Career Center at 587-7746 to obtain more information about these options. Lastly, explore other online resources by checking out our "Other Resources" page. This page includes a lot of additional online resources related to career planning and exploration.
Step 2. Career Exploration
Once you know what you want, the next logical question is: "What's out there?" Career exploration and preparation takes a variety of things into consideration. It involves making decisions, exploring professional/trade organizations, interviewing professionals and professors, and getting experience, whether it is paid or voluntary.
The Vault is a terrific online resource to assist you with Career Exploration. The Vault is a comprehensive online career library featuring over 90 career guides and employer profiles, over 3000 company profiles, over 1100 career advice articles, industry and occupational profiles, and access to the Vault Message Boards for insider information. Click on the Vault logo on the right side of this webpage to get started.
At this stage, you should be considering applying for an internship. This step should be completed no later than the end of the college junior year. You can search for internships through the Vault. Additionally, the ASC Career Center at 220 Richardson Hall has a wealth of information on available internships, as well as graduate schools. Career counselors are on-hand to assist with reviewing applications, resumes and cover letters, and to provide feedback through mock interviews.
Step 3. Job Placement
At the beginning of your senior year, job searching begins and entails resume and cover letter writing, learning interviewing skills and job search tactics, whether by the Internet, through specific employers, or by networking. At this point you should be ready to answer the question: "How do I get there?"
ASC's online job board/networking site provides you the opportunity to search employers, search posted jobs, and network with employers who are specifically recruiting Adams State College students and alums. Get started by clicking on the "Search Careers" logo in the right navigation bar to create a student profile. Additionally, you can find other job search sites on our "Other Resources" page, including EducationAmerica.net, where you can find information about thousands of employment opportunities for teachers and other professionals.
- Four-year college
- Two-year college
- Professional school
- Vocational training
- Military service
- Immediate employment
Career Workshops
The ASC Career Center offers career workshops throughout the academic year on a variety of helpful topics. Contact Gregg, Kim, Eddie, Jonathon, or Angela at 587-7746 for the upcoming schedule.
The Career Center offers in-person assistance with Resume Building, Cover Letter Writing, Interviewing Skills, Job Searching, Choosing a Major, and Career Counseling. The Career Center is located in suite 220, Richardson Hall.
