The Offices of Cooperative Education and Career Planning and Placement can assist students who are undecided about their choice of major in exploring a wide variety of career options.

Through the Office of Career Planning and Placement students can speak one on one with a career counselor to help them to determine what career path is for them. Students can research careers in the Career Center�s 300 volume library housed at the Dobbs Ferry Campus. Students may also opt to take the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator or Strong Interest Inventory Assessments in order to better understand where their interests lie. Both Inventories are discussed below.

Students who want to gain hands on experience in a field that interests them in order to determine if they are making the right career choice may opt to do volunteer work with an organization in their field. This can be arranged through the Office of Cooperative Education.

MEYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR

The "Myers-Briggs Type Indicator" or MBTI assumes that our whole personality can be divided into four areas and within those areas we have a preference for one or two opposites. This makes a total of 16 different combinations of personality types.

By using an instrument like the MBTI you can begin to explore what motivates and energizes you as an individual. Patterns of behavior emerge and utilizing that information can help you to understand your work habits, relationships with others and the type of work environment you like the most.

STRONG INTEREST INVENTORY

John Holland, a psychologist and career theorist proposed that career satisfaction is related to the compatibility of your self- concept and the work environment of your occupation. According to Holland's theory, people seek out work environments that match their personality types. Below are descriptions of Holland's six career interest types.

R=Realistic
People who like realistic work environments prefer activities that are practical and concrete. They enjoy working outdoors, working with tools and machines and using physical skills in general. They often seek careers relating to nature and the outdoors, mechanics, athletics, construction or military service.

I=Investigative
People who like investigative environments prefer activities that are scientific and intellectual. They enjoy gathering information, uncovering new facts or theories and analyzing and interpreting data. They often seek careers relating to science, math, academic research, medical facilities or computer-related industries.

A=Artistic
People who like artistic environments value aesthetic qualities and like opportunities for self-expression. They prefer unstructured and flexible environments and often seek work relating to art, music, drama, writing, cooking, library science and museum work.

S=Social
People who like social environments prefer activities that involve working with people to inform, train, cure or develop them in some way. They enjoy working in groups, sharing responsibilities and communicating with others. They often seek careers relating to education, healthcare and counseling.

E=Enterprising
People who like enterprising environments enjoy influencing, leading or managing others for organizational goals or for economic gain. They enjoy persuading others to their viewpoint and prefer social tasks where they can assume leadership. They often seek careers relating to business management, sales or politics.

C=Conventional
People who like conventional environments enjoy systematic activities requiring attention to accuracy and detail, often associated with office work. They enjoy working for large organizations and are comfortable with an established chain of command. They often seek work relating to financial institutions, accounting firms, data management or clerical activities.