PHI THETA KAPPA International Honor Society of the Two Year College

Experts Discuss “Career Choice” Guidelines

Tuition is not the only thing rising on today’s college campuses – the number of students with undeclared majors has jumped to an all-time high. Some colleges report that as many as 50 percent of entering freshmen are undecided about their futures.

The U.S. national average is much lower, generally in the 11 percent range, and of the Phi Theta Kappa members who reported their majors – which not all inductees furnish– just over 6 percent in a given period listed their major as “undecided.”

For those students needing help in choosing a career and a major, testing can be a good first step, according to a sampling of opinions from community college career professionals.

Most of them use tests employing Myers-Briggs or Strong components – “These are tests that help students understand themselves, how they make choices, where their interests lie,” said Brent Brown, career counselor at Florida Community College.

Students who lack access to a career center can take the tests on their own. Many such tests are offered without charge at various internet sites, including the Humanmetrics Jung Typology Test.

But the tests are just the first step, said Diana Stiles, a licensed professional counselor who assists with career and job placement for students at Alvin Community College in Texas.

“If you are a student who hasn’t made a decision about your future, you need to find out more about yourself. Testing and the resulting assessments will help. But people think assessments are a magic bullet, and they are not.”

A student should get in a career cluster and do the research to find out everything possible about the careers the assessment would list, she said. “If at all possible, try to find a mentor.”

The clusters Stiles mentioned are 16 career areas identified by the U.S. government to provide an organizing tool for schools and learning communities. Visit Career Clusters for more information.

Demographics can affect career choices, especially in the community college arena, said Beth Apple, career specialist at Bellevue Community College in Washington.

The Bellevue career center – which also serves the local community – assists a number of persons, general adult women, who are in school because they need retraining to enter the workforce. These older students generally have some idea of what kind of job they want, but don’t have the experience necessary to find it. “The older, settled population looks at the availability of jobs and workforce shortages in their area,” she said, indicating that a community’s economy can dictate a career choice based on the need to support a household.

Younger students – and the Phi Theta Kappa members who seek assistance from Bellevue’s career center generally fall into that category – are looking for ways to decide what careers to pursue. “These people are looking for real, rewarding careers,” said Apple.

The hottest career fields for community college students continue to be nursing and health related professions. Law enforcement is growing in popularity, as more job opportunities are being created to accommodate homeland security needs.

While qualifications for these careers are numerous and variable, students interested in nursing should generally possess “people skills” – be interested in helping others and providing a service, be good communicators, flexible and level-headed. The demand for nurses is high in the United States and in many Commonwealth nations, and salaries and benefits are good. While types of nursing jobs range from licensed practical nurse to nurse practitioner, all require some type of training and many require degrees.

Law enforcement jobs that encompass field work require even temperaments, decisiveness and the ability to exercise authority. These jobs can be stressful and dangerous, although many government agencies involved in law enforcement include many “desk jobs.” The pay for law enforcement is considered good, and the demand is growing.