STUDENT DECISION-MAKING PROCESS (AND RESOURCES)
What Do You Plan To Do With Your Life?
Choosing a post-high school pathway is a decision-making process. The effectiveness of your decision making relies heavily on the information available to you. Planning for life requires understanding self, exploring occupations, making decisions, and acquiring work skills. In addition to using the step listed below, use the career decision-making resources located on this site.

STEP ONE: Identify your Goal
Think about what you want to achieve and state that as your goal. Some decisions you might be facing could include:
    - What do I need to do in high school to prepare for the next phase of my life?
    - Where do I want to be in five years and what is the best way to get there?

STEP TWO: Know Yourself (Self Assessment)
What makes you YOU? Self-knowledge is a life long journey. To get started, use the resources available through your career center to explore your skills, interests, values, personality, and dreams.

STEP THREE: Gather Information and Data
    - Visit your counseling office, career center, library, and the Internet.
    - Network. Take advantage of all networking opportunities with peers, recent graduates, parents, staff, college and military representatives, business contacts, and community members.
    - Use the Career Connections website for academic and career planning.
    - Seek out learning through experience opportunities (e.g., volunteer, job shadow).
STEP FOUR: Identify Options
    - Post Secondary Education
    - Military
    - Employment and Entrepreneurial Opportunities
    - Apprenticeship and Internship
STEP FIVE: Evaluate Your Options and Make a Decision
Identify the pros and cons of each alternative by asking yourself:
    - Will I feel good about this choice? How will my parents feel about it?
    - Will certain risks be involved? Am I willing to take such risks?
    - Will it be satisfying for me? How will I feel about this choice five years from now?
    - What will be the probable future consequences of selecting each option?
STEP SIX: Design a Course of Action to Implement Your Decision
Having chosen one of the options, you can now begin developing and implementing a plan of action.
    - Identify steps and resources needed to implement your decision.
    - Identify possible obstacles and create strategies to overcome them.
    - Review your course of action and change directions if necessary. Remember not all career pathways are direct.
Decision making is a life long process. The more you contribute to the process the more likely it is you will meet with success.

 
 

Curator: Andrew Mills

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