Choosing a major is one of the toughest decisions a college student has to make.
At Salt Lake Community College, the advisors in Academic and Career Advising have access to multiple assessments that are geared specifically toward helping students decide which career path is right for them.
“There are several online career assessment tools we prefer, beginning with the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory,” says career advisor Michelle Tuitupou. “These assessments come at a low cost but include an initial advising session to receive their results as well as follow-up sessions and tasks that follow the career decision-making model.”
Students will pay $25 for a single assessment or $40 for both. These evaluations give students a better understanding of their strengths and insight on what they want to achieve.
Tuitupou says the advising office also provides a free assessment through Canvas.
“The Major and Career Discovery Series is a free online Canvas course for current students that walks them through the career decision-making process,” she says. In addition to a personality assessment, the course has sections on job shadowing, information interviews, volunteering and other career exploration techniques.
Tuitupou says that with some advance planning, students can the most out of their visit with an advisor.
“The best way for students to prepare for an advising appointment is to create a list of questions they can ask during their advising session,” Tuitupou says. “I have found that students who have completed some research on their part and come into a session with questions leave feeling satisfied with their visit.”
As it relates to career advising, Tuitupou encourages students to do some research on their own and take an assessment to come up with “a short of list of ideas for majors and careers” to give an advisor “a possible plan of action.”
SLCC offers a tech-friendly advising method for students who cannot meet with an advisor in person.
“Online advising chats are offered at various hours and answered by trained academic and career advisors,” she says. “This format is great for students who are unable to travel to an SLCC campus and need quick information regarding the institution.”
Any SLCC student who is undecided about their career path can speak to a career advisor for specialized help.
