College And Career Planning

There are certainly a number of opportunities to assess your skills, interests and values for a first career or a career change. But if you are asking yourself the combination question, "What's college and career planning?" you may want to consider one of the many systems and programs that help tie the two parts of adult life together.

Most of these programs focus on the key areas of generating ideas for a college major and the careers that would naturally follow from that area of study. So, after asking, "What's college and career planning?" and looking for answers in one of the private company or university-sponsored systems, you should find well-designed package programs that include personality assessment, suggested majors and careers that may fit, as well as some skills assessment material and help in applying to your chosen school.

Many of these programs are intended for high school juniors and seniors who have just started to think about college attendance and what they may do after completing their class work. Contrary to popular opinion, the process of planning education and career should continue through college. Once you get an answer to the question, "What's college and career planning?" it is best to keep looking at options, fine-tuning the process and re-evaluating your skills and interests.

Companies have developed programs that can help the job seeker narrow choices and find the correct path toward career success. For example, some companies provide such guides to students as well as to members of the public (usually for a fee). These guides can include questions that will help the job seeker focus on a career path, as well as descriptions of various careers, providing some clues to the question, "What's college and career planning?"

In addition to the private-company plans, a university may offer its own system, aimed at those who want to explore different fields of work or want to change occupations. However, the university plans may have extensive information and assessment material designed for those choosing specific college-to-career paths. These can be an excellent activity for recent high school graduates and community college graduates.

In addition to the formal programs and systems that help assess skills, values and interests in high school, college and beyond, the individual can do a number of things that will help answer the question. Taking classes to find areas you do well in and enjoy is one step. Talking to counselors, career specialists and friends is another. Any real-life experience, both school and work, will go a long way to the true answer to "What's college and career planning?"