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College of DuPage Library

Career Exploration Tools to Use with Students

Contact:
Marge Peters
(630) 942-2337
petersm@cod.edu

Career Choice

I'm not sure what career I want to follow. Can you help me find some guidance?

  1. Sigi3
    Call (630) 942-2386 for the web address. Register for one year access as new user. For a quick career quiz, choose Fast Start under Surveys. Otherwise there are surveys of Values, Interests, Personality and Skills that will lead to matching occupations with links to career information.
  2. My Next Move: "Tell us what you like to do"
    http://www.mynextmove.org
    A 60-question interest inventory resulting in career suggestions
  3. Career Information System
    http://ilcis.intocareers.org/default.aspx
    At home, sign in as Illinois resident with city name and zip code.
  4. For Veterans: Military Experience to Civilian Jobs
  5. For the Unemployed and Job-Changers: use current skills to transition
  6. Career Inventory Workshops
    Counselors frequently conduct 4-hour Career Inventory Workshops which can help clarify interests and personality style. More information on these workshops is available at: http://cod.edu/counseling/pdf/careerinventory.pdf . A fee per inventory is charged. Also, at select times of the year, counselors take individual appointments to discuss the appropriateness of taking and to process the results of a Career Interest and/or Personality Inventory. Contact Counseling and Advising Services at (630) 942-2259 for more details.
  7. Education 1105: Career Development course
    Enroll in this two-credit hour course to take and utilize a variety of self-assessment inventories and activities as well as printed and electronic resources for occupational information

Career Information

I need information on a specific career. Where can I find data on job tasks, salary, outlook and more?

  1. Occupational Outlook Handbook
    http://www.bls.gov/ooh
    The most up-to-date source for national data on 536 careers (in 341 profiles) with salaries and outlook projections to 2020.
  2. O*Net
    h    ttp://www.onetonline.org
    Specifics on job tasks and skills required for 974 occupations. Scroll all the way to the bottom to see a link to outlook and salary by state (Metro area salary link also available under state results)
  3. Sigi3
    Call 630-942-2386 for the web address. Register for one year access as a new user. Information on over 415 careers by title, major, things to avoid, and survey results. Unique feature is emphasis on values prominent in each job.
  4. Career Information System
    http://ilcis.intocareers.org/default.aspx
    At home, sign in as Illinois resident with city name and zip code. Under Occupations, you will 579 careers described, with wage and outlook for the Chicago Metropolitan Area listed.
  5. Local DuPage County data for over 840 occupations:
    • Outlook for 2008-2018 by Local Workforce Area from IDES Website:
      http://www.ides.illinois.gov/page.aspx?item=911
      DuPage County is Local Workforce area 6. Choose either Excel or PDF as format. Table organization is by Standard Occupational Code (SOC). For guide to occupations under each SOC code area, see http://www.ides.illinois.gov/Custom/Library/publications/Publications/SOCCodeDefinitions.pdf Most important information is Average annual openings: Total and Employment Change: Percent columns

      Wage Information (currently second quarter 2010): Based on mail surveys on wages and salaries paid in 840 occupational categories sent to a representative sample of employers: http://www.ides.illinois.gov/page.aspx?item=913
      Most useful by MSA: Metropolitan statistical area (Chicago/ Naperville/Joliet) or by County. Entry (bottom third), Median (50% above/below), and Experienced (top two-thirds) level salaries based on survey results.

Majors

If I choose a specific major, what careers might be available?

  1. What Can I Do With This Major? http://www.cod.edu/library/media/majors/default.html
    Guide from the University of Tennessee's Career Services to career paths for 70 majors. Includes occupation types, typical employers, and strategies from specialized coursework to on-the-job experiences to help make the student a "stand-out" candidate. Good links to websites with more information.
  2. What Can I Do with a Major In?
    http://uncw.edu/career/WhatCanIDoWithaMajorIn.html
    51 majors are covered with information on occupations, skills needed, and links to useful sites. From the Career Services at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
  3. Sigi3
    Call (630) 942-2386 for the web address. Register for one year access as a new user. Browse Occupational Information by Major.
  4. Career Information System
    http://ilcis.intocareers.org/index_cluster.aspx?FileID=Occ&xsl=index_cluster.xsl&ClusterNum=-1
    At home, sign in as Illinois resident with city name and zip code. Check the 16 Career Clusters list for related careers.
  5. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce
    http://cew.georgetown.edu/publications/reports/

Further Education

Where can I study to prepare for a given career? Where can I find universities and vocational schools?

  1. College of DuPage Transfer Tips: http://www.cod.edu/academics/transfer_programs/transfer_tips.aspx
  2. College of DuPage College Websites and Transfer Information: http://www.cod.edu/academics/transfer_programs/college_websites.aspx
  3. Career Information System School Sort
    http://ilcis.intocareers.org/default.aspx
    At home, sign in as Illinois resident with city name and zip code.
    Under Education and Training, choose School Sort: then Undergraduate, then Associate or Bachelor’s degree. Usually two or three additional limiters will give a useful number of schools: location desired (choose states), Academics: Individual major. Also can choose from size, tuition, sports, and student life offerings such as honors, services for students with learning disabilities and more. A list of matching schools is shown with an extensive linked guide to each school.
  4. What’s Next Illinois College Planning Module
    https://secure.whatsnextillinois.org/Home/_default.aspx
    Create an account to better use the site. Explore Postsecondary Schools has several linked sites to find schools for further education.
  5. Big Future from the College Board
    https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/
    Easy to use "Find Colleges" search
  6. College Ranking Information

The College and Career Information Center (CCIC) in the Library

Need more information on an unusual career? Have a program of study you can’t find in the online sources? Be sure to send students to the CCIC. We have thousands of books on careers, colleges and job searching and knowledgeable staff to help find the information in our sources.

© 2009 College of DuPage · 425 Fawell Boulevard · Glen Ellyn, Illinois, 60137-6599 · U.S.A. · (630) 942-3364