Choosing a Major

Perhaps the most challenging question students face prior to attending or while in college is the question of what to major in. With so many different options available, it seems that there is nearly an endless list of options! We are here though to help you through this process! Below is a list of a number of activities to get you started in the career search process! 

Visit Career Services in Kettler Hall 109

• Speak with a career counselor about your options
• Take a free Focus Assessment (call the office at 260-481- 0689 for the access code)- A number of other career assessments are also offered through our office

Take a class to help you make career decisions

• EDUC X210 and EDUC X310 are designed to help YOU with various Career Topics including career exploration, self-assessment, internships, job search strategies, and much more! 

Conduct an informational interview 

• Talk to somebody who's in the field you're interested in  about their job. Not only is this a great opportunity to better understand the profession, but it's a great opportunity to network!
• Sample questions:

1. What is a typical day like in this position/ industry?
2. What degree/ qualifications are need to enter this field?
3. What do you like least/ most about your job?
4. What is the entry-level salary range for a position in this field?   

Do Online Research!

• Many colleges and organizations have devoted a lot of time to sharing free career information online. Some websites the Career Services office recommends includes O*netonline.org, Career Services Major Information, and Career OneStop
• Disclaimer: We advise you to be critical of the information you find on these or any other Web site and encourage you to make an appointment with a career counselor if you have any questions. Career Services does not take responsibility for the information contained on these Web site or for any address changes. 

SAVE THE DATE--Job Fair Prep Sessions!

Tuesday 9/24 | 10am-4pm

Wednesday 9/25 | 10am-4pm

Career Services KT 109 

 

ARE YOU PREPARED? 

• Bring your resume for a quick review 

• Discuss how to work a job fair

• 

  What's the best way to follow up with employers afterward?

• Dress for success!

Fall Job Fair

Thursday, September 26th

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Gates Athletics Center Fieldhouse

OVER 80

Employers!!!

Student Employment Job Fair

Interested in obtaining a part-time job on campus or in the Fort Wayne  community?

IPFW Career Services will be hosting it's second annual Student Employment Fair on Thursday, August 29. With 40+ employers now attending the fair, you won't want to miss out!

Who: Community employers, IPFW offices, and IPFW students!

What: Student Employment Job Fair

Where: Walb Ballroom (room 126)

When: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

If you would like help with preparing for the fair, please contact the career services office and schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor or plan to attend drop-in sessions from 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Career Services Office, Kettler 109.

If you have questions or would like to contact the Career Services office to schedule an appointment, please call 260-481-0689.

What's stopping you?

So you're ready for a job search, or a career change, or just something different... but no matter how you try, it's difficult to make any real progress on this goal.  What's stopping you?  If your answer is, "I don't know" with much exasperation, then there may be some hidden walls that have been built up (over time) and are innately preventing you from moving forward.

Negative Career Thoughts & the Walls we build

There is an excellent career assessment which can help individuals uncover the specifics of these walls.  Experts at Florida State University have developed the Career Thoughts Inventory which has excellent results when interpreted by a trained career counselor.  Here are three of the potential walls that you could be building or have built which are preventing you from moving forward with your career dreams.
 

Decision Making Confusion

Decision making confusion could come from a variety of things impacting your search.  The first thing any job seeker or career changer must first identify is, "what do you want?"  Can you verbalize to others the type of job you're seeking?  If this is difficult for you because you don't know what you like or you like too many things that it's hard to choose one, then Decision Making Confusion may be blocking your progress.

I don't know what I want to do

First determine if you don't know because of lack of exposure to options, or lack of confidence in yourself.  When you don't even know what's out there, then it can be very difficult to know what you would like and not like.  It's time to get exposure through career assessments, job shadows, informational interviews, and career research.  A career counselor can help you with this.  Most colleges will have an office, or you can locate one in your geographic region through a professional association like National Employment Counseling Association or National Career Development Association.

If you are feeling a sense of being stuck with low motivation, then I strongly recommend meeting with a career counselor (who has a mental health background) or a local mental health counselor.  There could be something rooted deeper than just finding a new job that's preventing forward movement.  Some key giveaways that would indicate a deeper issue are negative self-talk, hopelessness, and low motivation for regular daily living.  Here is a resource from American Counseling Association to find a local counselor.

There are too many options, it's hard to pick one

This could be an issue because you haven't fully explored the many options you're considering.  Often people find it difficult to choose because it's believed they can do all the jobs they're considering.  This may be true, but which one(s) would you prefer to do?  I strongly recommend job shadowing and informational interviews so you can learn about the good/bad/ugly of the actual job.  Job shadowing is great to learn what a typical day is for any job, and an informational interview can help you hear about the realities "from the horse's mouth."  I recommend job shadowing for at least 1-2 full work days, but informational interviews usually only take 30minutes-1hour of the employer's time.

Commitment Anxiety

John Krumboltz has a happenstance theory that believes some career paths don't actually have a direction or specified goal.  Many people will make job and career choices based upon the opportunities that are presented to them.  This is perfectly acceptable!  Having said that, employers want to hear from candidates a sense of passion and drive for their job opening. So, before you start job searching you still need to make a plan as to what types of jobs you want to focus on during the search.

This is more about analyzing which option you would prefer to do 40 hours/week and 52 weeks/year, knowing that you are never locked into a job and can always take different directions later.  I don't like to force a job seeker to limit their job search, but rather focus the search towards their top 2 choices.  Then, once that job search is underway they can start including the next 2 choices.  If you like to have options this job search strategy can be helpful, but remember to tailor your resume and cover letter and keep very accurate notes on the companies you've contacted for employment.  With more options comes more chances to get confused.  In the end, as you're offered a job, you will have to make a commitment to be employed.  If this is still scary for you, then maybe further counseling is recommended to determine the source of the commitment anxiety and develop coping skills.

External Conflict

This wall could be the most difficult for people because it's more about how other people play a role in your life.  Are you a people-pleaser and want others to like the decisions you make?  You may prone to having an external conflict.  Everyone has somebody they want to either make proud, or they don't want to let down.  Who's that person(s) for you?  Maybe it's your spouse, children, or parents (all very common).  It's perfectly normal to feel a little pressure when you have significant others in your life, but the issue becomes more serious when those significant others prevent you from pursuing the career direction that suits you best.

The typical external conflict I see with college students is parents. Parents, may want what's best for their child, but in the end are actually causing more harm than good by preventing their child to make their own decisions and understanding what it means to accept the consequences of their decisions.  They may have created someone who blames others for their own failings.  Think about it, if all your decisions were made for you, then you have no ownership and can easily blame someone for making you do it.  In the end, the person who has to live with your decisions is YOU!  If you choose to please your parents (or significant others) then you are also accepting the consequences of that decision, which could range from unfulfilled careers to depression.

Overcome Your Wall

Now that we've discussed the 3 potential walls to your career development, I hope you've come to a realization what might be blocking you from making forward movement in your career.

Simple Steps for Forward Movement

Decision Making Confusion

1. Job Shadow/Informational Interviews
2. Career Research on www.onetonline.org
3. Use a pro/con list to evaluate the options

Commitment Anxiety

1. Make a list of all the options you want to consider
2. Rank order according to preference
3. Start with your highest choices when job searching

External Conflict

1. Talk to the person(s) that you're having the conflict with
2. Use the research done on your career choice to support your decision and educate the person(s) on your choice
3. Seek out counseling if you are apprehensive about having this conversation or there is a deeper conflict with the person that needs addressed first.

Karen Campbell, MA, GCDF

Assistant Director of Career Development

Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne

Getting Started with Your Resume

A quick video tutorial on starting your resume!!

Negotiating A Salary

Perhaps one of the most challenging components of the job search process, negotiating a salary, comes after receiving an offer.

To effectively evaluate a job offer, you must consider much more than just the salary. You should also consider other benefits such as health insurance, pension- plan options, and holiday, vacation, and sick-day policies. You should also do research on compensation for similar positions in the area and the cost of living for the given area.

In addition to these considerations, below are some tips which you should keep in mind as you meet with the interviewer to negotiate your salary.

• When meeting with the recruiter, be sure to mention two points about the offer which you like best, so the interviewed doesn't feel as if you are simply meeting just to earn higher pay.
  
• When presenting your concerns, share them briefly and gauge the reaction of the interviewer before furthering in detail.
  
• Clearly express which points of the offer you would like enhanced.
  
• Give the recruiter sufficient time to take your conversation into consideration and be sure to thank them for their time.