OUC COUNSELLING SERVICES
CAREER DIRECTION RESOURCES
In our fast-paced world, making informed decisions about your career can be a difficult
task. The fact that you are reading this shows you are someone who wants to take
initiative in your career decision-making process. Though no test or counsellor can tell
you exactly what you should do with your life, we hope that the following resources are
helpful in giving you some guidance.
“WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN
DECIDING ABOUT A CAREER?”
As the diagram to
the right suggests,
there are many
factors that may
influence your career
goals and
decisions.
We believe that it
important to look
not only at the
question, “Where are
the jobs?” but also,
“Which careers
are best-suited to my
interests, values,
aptitudes,
experiences, etc.?”
For this reason, we
have included
questionnaires that
match your
interests and
personality to
specific
careers as well as
providing job
market information.
The OUC Counselling Services website provides a list of Internet resources we have
found helpful. You can access these recommended sites at:
http://www.ouc.bc.ca/counselling/links/career.htm
STEP 1: EXPLORE YOUR INTERESTS
We suggest starting with the first site on this list – www.careercruising.com. This is an
interactive, Canadian career guidance resource that provides in-depth profiles on
hundreds of different careers including interviews with real people and a career interest
inventory called MatchMaker. CareerCruising requires the following login
information:
Username: Okanagan
Password: Careers
Click on the Career Matchmaker icon and complete the
interest inventory to find out what careers are best suited
to your interests. Do the “long form” – all 93 questions –
for the most personalized results. Typically the best
matches are at the top of the list. Click on any of these
suggestions to find out more about these careers. Also
check out the interviews with people actually doing these
jobs to hear their practical advice.
You can also click on Explore Careers to search for
specific careers by alphabetical index, school subject (i.e.
math), or general field (i.e. health).
STEP 2: LOOK AT HOW YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE
RELATES TO CAREERS
Another important part of the career decision-making process is looking at your
personality and how it relates to finding a meaningful career. Two sites we
recommend are:
TYPE FOCUS
http://www.careers.typefocus.com/
site password: ct7700
AND
Keirsey Temperament Sorter
http://www.keirsey.com
These shortened versions of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) can help you
understand your “type” and how it relates to careers. You may want to look back to
your CareerCruising Matchmaker results to see which suggestions were confirmed or
added by the personality inventory results.
STEP 3: THINK ABOUT HOW YOUR APTITUDES
RELATE TO CAREERS
Next, take a look at your aptitudes – your natural talents and things you are good at.
We sometimes assume that something that comes easy to us comes easy for everyone,
but this is usually not the case. Ask friends, family, and others who know you to suggest
some areas they see you succeeding at or having natural abilities in.
Also, ask yourself such questions as:
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What school subjects came easy for me?
Am I mechanically minded? Creative?
Do I have organizational skills? Computer skills?
Am I good with people? Working on a team?
Look back at the list of careers you are compiling. Which ones fit with your aptitudes?
STEP 4: EXPLORE HOW YOUR VALUES IMPACT A DECISION
ABOUT CAREERS
The final part of the self-exploration process is looking at your values. The last place
you want to be is in a career that does not line up with your personal beliefs and
priorities.
Some questions you may want to consider:
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Do you value security and consistency or variety and risk-taking in your work
environment?
Is social interaction and being part of a group or independence and autonomy
important to you?
Do you value achievement and recognition or being “behind the scenes”?
Is your work environment, pace, and/or location important to you?
Do you value financial independence? Status? Creative expression? Contribution to
society?
(Career Key - http://www.ncsu.edu/careerkey/ - provides an assessment tool that looks
into your aptitudes and values and provides advice on occupations that best fit your
“type”.)
Again, refer to your list of careers. Which ones fit or conflict with your values?
Recommended books for career self-exploration:
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What Color is your Parachute? Richard Nelson Boles (2001)
Zen and the Art of Making a Living. Laurence G. Boldt (1999)
Do What you Love and the Money will Follow. Marsha Sinetar (1987)
How to Find the Work you Love. Laurence G. Boldt (1996)
STEP 5: RESEARCH OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOKS –
“HOW PROMISING IS THIS CAREER?”
Now that you’ve done some self-exploration, the next step is to research careers that
you feel are a “good fit”. Along with CareerCruising, the following sites provide
information on occupational outlooks and career profiles. (You may want to search out
potential work locations because a specific career may have a positive outlook in one
part of the country or province and a negative outlook in another.)
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Job Profiles – http://www.jobprofiles.org/index.htm
Work Futures: BC Occupational Outlooks – http://www.workfutures.bc.ca
What’s Key: Career Resource Directory – http://www.whatskey.org
Job Futures: Federal Occupational Outlooks – http://www.jobfutures.ca
Career Paths – http://www.careerpathsonline.com
BC WorkInfoNet – http://www.workinfonet.bc.ca
BC Economy and Labour Market Guide – http://www.guidetobceconomy.org
Human Resource and Skill Development Canada - http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/home.shtml
Community Futures Development Corporation (C. Okanagan) - http://www.cfdcco.bc.ca
Job Boom – http://www.jobboom.com/conseils/top-100.html
Ignition – Guide to Canada’s Industry Sectors – http://www.councils.org/ignition
Careers in Technology – http://www.cthrb.ca
In addition to these web-based resources, we would suggest also to research by
interviewing people who are in the field, to volunteer or job shadow, etc. to better
understand what is involved in different careers. As the Career Decision “Wheel”
diagram we started with suggests, look also at how your past work and life experiences
and the influence of significant others may impact your career choices.
STEP 6: LOOK AT EDUCATION AND TRAINING
After you have researched some options, you will find that there is some education and
training needed to enter most careers. Along with CareerCruising, we suggest searching
for the right program and school using the following resources:
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Okanagan University College – http://www.ouc.bc.ca/programs/
(Also check out our Educational Advising website – http://www.ouc.bc.ca/advising/ -for
questions about specific courses, prerequisites, admission requirements, and the
“Choosing an Education” workshop.)
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Education Planner (formerly Opening Doors) – http://www.educationplanner.bc.ca/
CanLearn – http://www.canlearn.ca/
School Finder – http://www.schoolfinder.com
Guide to Post-Secondary Education – http://www.learning-curve.ca
What Can I Do With a Major In . . .
http://www.umanitoba.ca/student/counselling/WhatCanIDo.html
*PLEASE REFER TO THE INSERT PAGE FOR A LIST OF
CAREER RESOURCES IN YOUR COMMUNITY*
We wish you all the best in your career journey
and hope that these resources have been helpful!
www.ouc.bc.ca
OUC COUNSELLING SERVICES
CAREER DIRECTION RESOURCES - KELOWNA
The following is a list of career resources in our own community that offer FREE
information and advice about local opportunities:
Community Employment Centres
(provide workshops, assessment, consulting, access to work
search resources, and referrals to other career agencies)
489 Bernard Avenue
Kelowna, BC
V1Y 6N9
(branches in Rutland, Peachland, and Winfield as well)
860-4116
YMCA-YWCA Career Contact Centre for Youth (ages 15-29)
(a drop-in service offering resume, job posting,
and resource library materials)
513 Bernard Avenue
Kelowna, BC V1Y 6N9
717-2561
Youth Employment Services (ages 16-29)
(offers employment and personal management skills assistance)
1633 Richter Street
Kelowna, BC V1Y 7N3
868-8541
We wish you all the best in your career journey
and hope that these resources have been helpful!
www.ouc.bc.ca