Career Counseling

Decisions about college programs of study and career direction can be some of the most important and challenging in one's life. The selection process may seem overwhelming with so many choices, or it may seem that there are no options available to match specific interests.

Help is available. The career counselors available in Career Planning are experienced in assisting people with a wide variety of career concerns. Individual assistance and workshops offered are listed below:

Choices:
This is a one hour workshop for people who are interested in attending NECC, yet are uncertain about their career direction. The workshop assists in matching personality and interests to NECC programs and potential careers. It is offered to all free of charge.

MBTI:
The MBTI is a paper and pencil inventory that is useful in understanding personality type and preference. It is helpful in making career decisions, although it is not designed solely for that purpose.
Interpretation and application of the MBTI are offered through the Career Choice Package and through individual appointments.

Career Decision Workshops:
These two-hour workshops are designed to introduce different career choice theories. The issues discussed may include the following:

• Assessing individual work motives and values
• Recognizing important work factors and conditions
• Identifying skills
• Relating personality and interests to NECC programs and to careers

Career Choice Package:
This package offers a series of individual sessions with a career counselor. Topics may include:

• Determining Holland Career Personality
• Assessing interests, work values, preferences and priorities
• Identifying skills
• Interpreting the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and understanding personality type in relation to work
• Developing appropriate career options
  

Individual Career Counseling:

Clients may discuss career issues and questions individually with a career counselor. The issues discussed may include the following:

• Deciding on a career direction
• Changing careers
• Relating NECC programs to careers
• Identifying skills
• Relating interests and abilities to careers
• Finding strategies to help discover the "right" career
• Other career and work concerns
  

Job Search Coaching:

Meet with a career counselor for assistance with the job search. This may include:

• Assisting with resume writing
• Preparing for job interviews
• Developing job search techniques and strategies
• Enhancing job/career change strategies

Services for community members may involve a nominal fee
(with the exception of CHOICES workshops, which are free to all).

Career Research on the Internet

Following are web sites that may be helpful in researching careers. This list is intended as a beginning point only, since most are linked to other sites.

Massachusetts Career Information System
(provided by the Massachusetts Division of Career Services)
http://masscis.intocareers.org
Source of general career information, including occupational descriptions, salary information, and outlook. Also includes interest profiler to determine interests and how they relate to the world of work; skills assessment to match your skills with potential occupations; other assessment tools.

Occupational Outlook Handbook
http://www.bls.gov/oco/
Source of general career information, including occupational descriptions, salary information, and outlook.

What can I do with a major in…?
www.uncwil.edu/stuaff/career/majors
Career suggestions for a variety of college majors. (Also included are links to other web sites related to those majors.)

America's Career Info Net
www.acinet.org
Includes links to career information sites, lists of the "fastest growing jobs", and general occupational outlook.

Job Profiles
www.jobprofiles.org
Includes information from professionals working in a variety of career fields.

For more career resources visit

For further information, call Career Planning at: 978-556-3722