If you are having trouble making a decision about choosing a major or career, you may begin to experience negative thoughts, feelings or confusion which can consist of increased anxiety, anger, or depression. The more negative and confused you are, the more difficult it is to begin the decision-making process and make informed decisions. The outcome can be increased negative thoughts and feelings resulting in increased stress and procrastination. This can greatly limit your options and potential to achieve what is best for you.

Plan of Action

• Complete each section of  the Gain Self-Awareness Stage of the GOALS
• Schedule an appointment with a career counselor to learn decision-making strategies
• Consider taking the Career Assessment Thoughts Inventory to identify career barriers you are being challenged with

If you are finding it difficult to commit to a specific choice whether it is choosing a major or a career path, the anxiety you may be feeling can make the process very difficult.  Perhaps you have been successful in narrowing your options to a few but not as successful in making a final decision. A couple of reasons may exist for not being able to commit. One relates to the need for further exploration to continue to explore possible options, or the other might be due to anxiety as it relates to making a commitment because of the importance of the decision. As simple as it sounds, a fear of making the wrong decision could be the culprit in preventing you from making a commitment.

Plan of Action

• Work through the Gain Self-Awareness and Options to Explore Stages of the GOALS
• Complete the Career Analysis Worksheet to be able to visualize and better understand your options
• Use Career Pathfinder Program located on CDC web-based to connect UIS Majors to career paths
• Narrow down your options  and perform a “pros” and ‘cons” comparison
• Schedule an appointment with a career counselor to review your findings and develop a strategy plan
• Consider taking the Career Thoughts Inventory to identify career barriers related to commitment anxiety 

Important people in your life may not approve of the  major or career choices you are considering or have already made. The feedback you receive from those close to you may leave you feeling less confident about your choices. You may begin to experience self doubt and have difficulty distinguishing your own opinions from the opinions of others. The contrasting opinions from your family and friends can complicate the career planning process and create conflict for you in moving forward.

Plan of Action

• Work through the Gain Self-Awareness and Options to Explore Stages of the GOALS
• Completing the Career Analysis Worksheet can help you understand your options
• Use Career Pathfinder CDC web-based program connect UIS Majors to career paths
• Reviewing the Career and Major Match on Focus our online career planning system
• Schedule an appointment with a career counselor to learn how to navigate
• Consider taking the Career Thoughts Inventory to identify career barriers related to commitment anxiety

• ACRN Career Decision Making Tool 

One of the best ways to stay motivated in your career is to engage yourself in activities which are of interest to you.

As you begin to explore interest areas think about:

• What classes you have enjoyed in the past
• Contributions related to your volunteer experiences which provided a sense of purpose and enjoyment
• Aspects of your hobbies which could transfer into a means of financial support
• Special projects and causes you devoted a large amount of time to and enjoyed

Another way to explore your interests is to think about your preferences in the way you want to work with people, data, things, and ideas. By considering a number of these areas, you will be able to better determine a career which will be the best fit.

You can learn more about your interests by taking the FOCUS career assessment tests. Focus can help evaluate your work interests, leisure interests, skills, personality, and values and finds career paths based on these aspects. 

about your personality so you can make choices well suited for you. Not sure about what your personality traits are? You can begin discovering your unique personality traits by considering:

• Your communication preferences
• Level of energy
• Interaction styles
• Level of curiosity
• Approach to decision making
• View of the world and much more

These factors provide a good indication of potential majors and careers to pursue.

aking time to identify and understand what is important to you in a career will increase your chances of a satisfying future. Your values are the principles you use to determine how much something means to you. As you begin to define your values you should consider:

• What your general beliefs are
• What guides your decision making
• What your world view is and much more

Another important part of understanding your values is being able to create balance between your personal and career values. Sometimes your personal and career values may be in harmony, and other times, you may have to make a value adjustment.

A skill is a talent you have acquired from your educational, work, and life experiences. The more you know about what you can do, the better you’ll be able to decide on a degree or a career path. You will need to evaluate the skills you currently possess or want to develop. Taking time to review your experiences will help you identify acquired skills you find enjoyable. This information can be used to guide you in exploring various career paths.

• O*Net Skills Search
• Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential
• FOCUS
• Know Thyself: Work Values (PDF)

• Illinois Career Information System

Career counseling services are available either face-to-face or through distance secured methods. Licensed Professional Counselors and supervised counseling interns assist individuals and groups with the decision-making process and facilitate the development of career action plans as it relates to life and career directions. Career counselors tailor services according to the needs of the individual in order to clarify life/career aspirations. Some common concerns confronting individuals can include identification of interests, values, skills; improving decision-making skills as related to choosing a major and/or career; identifying resources such as career planning and occupational information systems; educating about job search strategies; resolving personal conflicts on the job by improving interpersonal skills; assisting with the integration of work and other life roles; providing support and decreasing job stress, job loss, and career transitions. Learn more about Career Counseling.

The department’s Licensed Professional Counselors and supervised counseling interns administer and interpret career assessments such as the Career Thoughts Inventory, Strong Interest Inventory, Self-Directed Search, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, and a variety of card sorts when appropriate. The assessments will assist students and alumni in identifying interests, values, skills, abilities, and personality types. Identifying these attributes can help target the most compatible careers of interests (fees vary). Also available is an online program called FOCUS which includes a self-directed approach to assessments at no extra charge. Although FOCUS is a self-directed program, the department strongly encourages students and alumni to consult with a career counselor to assist with the interpretation to clarify results. Learn more about Career Assessments.

The CDC Resource Library is comprised of up-to-date books, videos, handouts, worksheets, company literature, internship sources, computer kiosks, and career information files available during regular office hours. Vault Career Advice contains articles and resources is also available 24/7. 

FOCUS will help you better understand your interests, work values, personality, skills, and more using tests. The results will enable you to further explore career options. Find out more about FOCUS.