Final Reflection Paper

Camilla Dinkins
Final Reflection Paper
CLSS 2100
April 21, 2011

I have learned so much about how to create an academic and career plan for myself as I have participated in this class. I learned about my personality, values, skills and preferences, and how to choose a career that fits well with those things. I also had the opportunity to research careers and occupations that I am interested in, and learned more about the process of making decisions. When I started this class, I had a big list of possible occupations for myself. Now I have narrowed that list down, and I am much closer to making a decision about my future occupation.
I found the career exploration models from week two to be very helpful to me in understanding where I am in the career planning process. I especially liked the NACE Pyramid. At the beginning of the class, I was on level two of the five-level pyramid, labeled: “I am interested in one to three broad fields, but need help identifying specific occupations.”
As I read the lessons and completed assignments for this class, I was able to choose one specific area and move up through level three: “I am interested in four to six specific occupations” and level four: “I can’t decide between two or three occupations.” That is the point where I am right now. I am certain that I want to go into the Health Care field, and need to decide between Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, and Radiology Technician.
I have also found the SEED model to be very helpful. I have completed Self- assessment and Exploration, and have begun to Experience/Evaluate the three occupations I am deciding between. As I continue to Experience and Evaluate within these three occupations, I will reach the final step of Deciding on an occupation. I am excited to have come this far, and I am looking forward to continuing on this journey.
I have learned so much and enjoyed many of the assignments in the class. I learned a lot from the self-assessment and exploration assignments, like the personality testing and Top 10 Values assignments, and the Webquest and SWOT Analysis assignments. The assignments I really enjoyed and got excited about, though, were those that allowed me to experience, like the Informational Interview, Mock Interview, and especially the Job Shadow Assignment. They allowed me to take action and really feel like I am working toward my future.
For my job shadow, I got to see what it is like to work as a Respiratory Therapist. This was a great experience, and I am excited to have some experiences within the other two occupations I am considering, so I can compare them. I plan to continue to explore and experience these occupations and make a final decision on which occupation I plan to pursue, and which educational program I will apply for, by May 31, 2011. It is exciting to have a clear and specific goal to work toward!
I am very excited that I have learned decision making skills and had opportunities that will help me be successful in my future career. I plan to use these skills and continue to have successes with them in the future. I know that my plan can change as I learn more, and I plan to re-evaluate and revise it often.