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Choosing a career

Discover the careers that are right for you! A variety of career exploration tools are available at Pierce College and on the Web.

Once you've selected a career goal, match it to a program of study and work with your advisor to develop a plan.

Career Occupational Preference System (COPS)

Visit the Fort Steilacoom advising center to pick up free career assessment materials to help pinpoint your strongest areas of interest. An advisor who specializes in assisting students choose a major will review assessment results in a follow-up appointment and suggest appropriate career choices.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Campbell Interest and Skill Survey

These surveys will help you understand your personality, interests, and skills. Surveys are available through Continuing Education.

Washington Occupation and Information Service (WOIS)

You will need to log into this website - Please contact an advisor or someone in Job Connections or a librarian for the user id and password.

Also available in Job Connections and the Student Computer Lab, this is a wonderful tool to help students research major/career information:

• Identify current occupations, training programs, and schools of interest in Washington (info updated annually)
• Explore career paths through four different self-assessment tools with links to more free internet assessments
• Create education and career plans
• Keep an electronic career portfolio and educational information and research, resumes, and more.
• Compare schools side by side
• Access practical learning activities and career videos
• Find links to many career and education-related web sites, job openings in Washington and nationwide, and professional associations and occupational resources

Keirsey Temperment Sorter II

This Web-based survey provides immediate results using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicators. Gives good links to related sites.

Job Hunter's Bible

This site supplements the popular What Color is Your Parachute? series of books. Resources include interactive assessments, article and advice, and links to other job search resources.

O*NET OnLine

This interactive website helps you find occupations by skills or occupational groups. This search can be connected to your identified skills to match skills with occupation.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

The United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides this website that includes information about specific occupations, groups of occupations, or all occupations in alphabetical order. It is updated every two years and was last revised for the 2004-2005 year.

Creating Opportunities

The Creating Opportunities booklet (PDF) lists general categories of professional-technical programs and identifies the Puget Sound Community Colleges where degree and certificate programs in that field are offered. A hard copy of this booklet is available in the Advising Center. The booklet is produced and distributed by the State Board of Community & Technical Colleges.