Career Development
Center
  Occidental College
 1600 Campus Road,
Coons 109
 Los Angeles, CA
 90041-3314

 Email: careers@oxy.edu
 Phone: 323.259.2623
 Fax: 323.341.4900

Guide to Career Decision Making/Choosing a Major

There are several objectives to consider when trying to choose a major, including knowing about yourself, knowing about your options, knowing how you make decisions and identifying/addressing any barriers to your career decision making.  The relationship between these objectives is outlined in the diagram below.   

Once you realize you need to make a career decision, the next step is to clarify what you know about yourself and your options. In looking at your self-knowledge it is important to consider your interests, values, and skills.  In terms of your career journey, interests tell you what direction to pursue; values tell you whether or not the journey is worth taking; and skills tell you how long it will take to get there. In other words, interests are what you enjoy doing; values are what motivate you to work; and skills are what you do well.  Clarifying this self-knowledge will help you to find options that might be a good fit for you. When you feel you have adequate knowledge about yourself and your options, you may move toward learning about the way that you make decisions.  Where do you feel you need to begin?

I need to start with knowledge about myself.

I need to start with knowledge about my options.

I need to start with knowledge about how I make decisions.

I need to start learning how my thoughts influence my decisions.