Thinking Outside the Box
An Academic & Career
Advising Approach
Where am
I going?
How do I
get there?
Who am I?
STUDENT
Why am I
here?
Now
what?
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What were your reasons for going to college?
How do you feel about being here? Why?
How do you think a college education factors
into getting a good job?
What do you think employers look for when
deciding who to hire?
Self-knowledge aids in establishing or confirming
criteria for your ideal career
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Exploration
 Understanding knowing yourself is important
 Discussion factors that enter into your plan
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ACTIVITIES
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Advisee introduction form
Airplane or Island Activity
Describe Me
Interests – Holland Based
Phone a Friend
Family Tree/Genogram
Day In Their Future
Assessments
 Changing the advising mindset & reframe the
discussion with students
▪ Reminder: Major doesn’t define the career!
▪ What are you going to do with that major?
▪ “You can do anything!”
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Academics
 Major/Minor research
▪ Admission requirements?
▪ Interdisciplinary courses?
▪ Progress already?
 Faculty connections – Student
 Course projects
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Activities
 Career clusters by Holland Code-O Net & OOH
 Examples in Eagle Opportunities
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Outside the classroom
 Informational interviews
 Job shadows
 Internships
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Change your language
 Now “What are you going to do?” BUT “What
could you do?”
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Utilize partners in Career Services
 Initiate the discussion of internships & career
planning
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Joint staff meetings
Liaisons to college offices
Follow Your Bliss
Career Exploration Class
Special visit days – Admissions
Admissions Counselor Advising Suggestions
Shadow a career advisor & vice versa
Develop a cross-over position
Relationship building with faculty allies
Career Development Facilitator Training
One last good idea……
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Please share your ideas and we will share with
the entire group
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kbald@uwlax.edu
 Additional ideas – email me and we will
send out an email to everyone.