Self-Assessment

The staff of the Office of Career Development believes that career development is an integral part of the intellectual and personal growth of each student and maintains a full range of programs and services to help students who are uncertain about their plans for the future. Whether a student is trying to decide on a major or choose a career, s/he can meet individually with a career counselor for help in identifying interests, abilities and values, and to clarify career goals.

Students benefit from a self-assessment inventory (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) and a computer-assisted guidance program (FOCUS V-2), as well as career-related panel discussions and presentations.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality assessment that describes different consistent behavioral patterns that result from how individuals take in information and make decisions. In answering questions about behavior patterns, an individual presents preferences in interpreting and understanding information, as well as in decision making. These preferences then are used to help a student self-direct to a particular learning or work environment.

The key is to help a student determine his/her strengths and then find an environment in which those strengths will be best utilized. The MBTI is just one tool we use in assisting with the self-assessment process.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER - FOCUS-V2 is an interactive, computer-based guidance system that provides career and educational planning services. The FOCUS V-2 system enables users to discover and learn about career options related to their personal attributes. Users of FOCUS V-2 learn to make realistic decisions about their goals and plans, how to self-manage their careers and the importance of adaptability in these times of change. FOCUS V-2 guides users through a process enabling them to:

  • assess their interests, skills, values and work experience needs.
  • explore and analyze occupational and educational paths compatible with their personal attributes.
  • map out realistic occupational goals and educational plans to support their goals.
  • identify training and development needs.

You will need an access code to navigate the FOCUS-V2 program.  Please contact Heather Soler at:  hsoler@smcvt.edu for the access code.

CareerSteer offers free online career tests to help you with your career choice.  There are also CVs and you can look at career options in other countries.