EXPLORING MAJORS
How Do you Pick a Major?
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Different Story for Everyone
Key is research
 Research
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self, options and World of Work
Four Steps
 Self-Assessment
 Research/Exploration
 Decision
 Planning
Making
Assessments
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Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Strong Interest Inventory
 http://www.roguecc.edu/counseling/hollandcodes/test.
asp
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StrengthsFinder
Values Card Sort
Holland Code Party
Imagine that you walk into a party with six groups of people. The descriptions
of the type of people in each group are in the boxes on the next slide. Choose
the group you are most drawn to - the people you would most like to meet and
talk with. After that, find the second group you are most interested in, and then
the third group. Think about why you chose these groups. Do the descriptions
of these group describe you? How so?
For example, if you chose the Social, Enterprising, and Investigative groups,
your codes would be SEI. This means that out of the six types, you most
resemble the Social type of person, somewhat less the Enterprising type, and
resemble the Investigative type even less. The types that are not in your code
are those you resemble least of all.
List your Holland Codes: Group 1 _____ Group 2 _____ Group 3 _____
Holland Groups
Realistic
Investigative
Artistic
Social
People with athletic or
mechanical ability,
who prefer to work
with objects, tools,
machines, plants or
animals, or to be
outdoors
People who like to
observe, learn,
analyze, investigate,
evaluate or solve
problems.
People who have
artistic, innovating or
intuitional abilities
and like to work in
unstructured
situations using their
imagination and
creativity.
People who like to
work with people to
enlighten, inform, help,
train, or cure them, or
are skilled with words.
People who like to
influence, persuade,
perform, lead, or
managing for
organizational goals
or economic gain.
People who like to
work with data, have
clerical or numerical
ability, carry out tasks
in detail or follow
others’ instructions.
Some activities they
like:

Making new
friends

Belonging to a
club
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Teaching
children
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Studying about
other cultures

Helping people
solve problems
Some activities they
like:

Leading group
activities
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Working on a
sales campaign
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Buying clothes
for a store

Talking to
people at a
party

Selling
insurance
Some activities they
like:

Word processing
or entering data

Keeping
detailed records

Organizing
paperwork

Working with a
budget

Preparing
reports
Some activities they
like:

Doing
puzzles/word
games

Studying
astronomy

Flying a plane

Working in a
lab
Cooking
Creating a
Fixing household 
project for a
items
science fair
Doing craft
projects
Some activities they
like:

Doing
puzzles/word
games

Decorating
rooms

Working with
animals
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Some activities they
like:

Designing
clothes

Helping to put
on a play

Learning
languages

Drawing or
painting

Writing stories
or poetry

Playing music
Enterprising
Conventional
Careers and Holland Codes
ARTISTIC:
The “Creators”
The “Persuader”
continued
Insurance Adjuster (ESR)
Actor/Actress (AES)
Interpreter (ESA)
Advertising Art Director (AES)
Journalist (EAS)
Architect (AIR)
Lawyer/Attorney (ESA)
Fashion Design (ASR)
Office Manager (ESR)
Dancer (AES)
Public Relations (EAS)
Choreographer (AER)
Real Estate Agent (ESR)
Drama Teacher (ASE)
Sales Manager (ESA)
English Teacher (ASE)
Tax Accountant (ECS)
Graphic Designer (AES)
Travel Agent (ECS)
Interior Designer (AES)
Urban Planner (ESI)
Journalist/Reporter (ASE)
Landscape Architect (AIR)
INVESTIGATIVE:
Medical Illustrator (AIE)
The “Thinkers”
Museum Curator (AES)
Music Teacher (AES)
Anesthesiologist (IRS)
Photographer (AES)
Archeologist (IRE)
Writers/Editors (ASI)
Biologist (ISR)
Chemist (IRE)
ENTERPRISING:
Chiropractor (ISR)
The “Persuaders”
Computer Engineer (IRC)
Advertising Sales (ESR)
Computer Programmer
Financial Planner (ESR)
(IRC)
Financial Manager (ESA)
Dentist (ISR)
Computer Operator (ESI)
Ecologist (IRE)
Cook/Chef (ESR)
Economist (ISA)
Flight Attendant (ESA)
Horticulturist (IRS)
Health Service Manager
Lab Technologist (IRE)
(ECR)
Marketing Research (IAS)
Industrial Engineer (EIR)
The “Thinkers” continued
The “Helpers” continued
Meteorologist (IRS)
Nurse Practitioner (ISA)
Pharmacist (IES)
Physician (ISE)
Physician Assistant (ISA)
Psychologist (ISA)
Research Analyst (IRC)
Software Engineer (IRE)
Technical Writer (IRS)
Veterinarian (IRS)
Web Site Developer (IRE)
Personnel Recruiter (SEC)
Physical Therapist (SIE)
Police Office (SER)
Preschool Worker (SEA)
Probation Officer (SIE)
Health Educator (SEA)
Social Worker (SEA)
Speech Pathologist (SAI)
Counselor (SEC)
X-Ray Technician (SRI)
SOCIAL:
The “Helpers”
Community Planner (SEA)
Counselor/Therapist (SAE)
Dental Hygienist (SAI)
Detective (SER)
School Teacher (SEC)
Hospital Administrator (SER)
Organization Psychologist
(SEI)
Insurance Examiner (SIE)
Librarian (SAI)
Minister (SAI)
Nurse/Midwife (SIR)
Occupational Therapist (SRE)
Paralegal (SCE)
CONVENTIONAL:
The “Organizers”
Accountant (CSE)
Accountant (CSR)
Administrative Assistant (ESC)
Bank Teller (CSE)
Budge Analyst (CER)
Building Inspector (CSE)
Computer Operator (CSR)
Financial Analyst (CSI)
Insurance Adjuster (CSE)
Internal Auditor (ICR)
Kindergarten Teacher (CSE)
Legal Secretary (CSA)
Library Assistant (CSE)
Safety Inspector (RCS)
Tax Consultant (CES
REALISTIC:
The “Do-ers”
Aircraft Mechanic (RIE)
Aquaculturist (REI)
Architectural Drafter (RCI)
Automotive Engineer (RIE)
Baker/Chef (RSE)
Carpenter (RCI)
Corrections Officer (RES)
Dental Assistant (RES)
Electrical Engineer (RIE)
Electrician (REI)
Firefighter (RES)
Floral Designer (RAE)
Forester (RIS)
Geodetic Surveyor (RIE)
Jeweler (REC)
Laboratory Technician (RIE)
Oceanographer (RIE)
Optician (REI)
Petroleum Engineer (RIE)
Practical Nurse (RSE)
Property Manager (RES)
Quality Control (RSE)
Radiochemist (IRE)
Water Quality
Specialist(REI)
Research Starting Points
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catalog.utc.edu
www.utc.edu/career-student-employment/careerexploration/what-can-i-do.php
www.onetonline.org/
www.bls.gov/ooh/
Decision Making
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Questions to consider: How have you made decisions in the past?
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Flexible - open to more alternatives, has various ways to gather info for informed choices
Proactive - knows decision may not be perfect but can still be effective, will make a new
decision if necessary
Deliberate - has a structured decision making process in place and making best use of it
Spontaneous - little deliberation, only makes choices as they come up
Impulsive - very fast process, little consideration, very prone to making poor decisions
Procrastinating - endlessly putting off decisions, leads to many lost opportunities
Compliance - gives own power over to authority
Play it Safe - stays in own comfort zone, life is safe but can be very boring!
Fatalistic - 'whatever will be, will be'. Has no sense of freedom of choice
Agony - agonizing over the best choice, often leads to procrastination
Escape - may make different decisions, so as not to have to deal with the real issues
Avoidant - avoiding decisions often leads to more stress than making one
Dependent - allows other people to make decisions. Ends up living other people's lives...
Strategy: Weighted Decision Making
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http://www.weighteddecision.com/
Curricular and Co-curricular planning
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Choose courses within general education, major, minor,
electives will help you learn what you want to learn
Gain practical experiences that will help you learn and
develop skills
Clubs, organization, other campus involvement
 Part time jobs
 Internships, practicum
 Research assistance
 Volunteering
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Map out a 4-5 year plan, details for each semester
Other tips
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Set achievable goals
 Research
what skills are valued in your potential career
field- make a plan to gain them
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Get to know your professors and classmates
 Networking
starts in college, sometimes it’s who you
know that gets you a job
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Find a major that’s right for you, be open minded
about career options