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Discovering the Right Career for YOU!

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Duke chapter.

Although I’ve only met with my advisor twice, I already feel like I’m learning more about myself and where I’ll succeed most in the “real world”. The Career Center offers appointments and “drop-in” advising sessions that help students develop their interests in order to find a job they’ll enjoy in the future. Located in Smith Warehouse Bay 5, second floor, the Career Center is easy to access for students, so there’s no excuse not to go. From helping you to discover opportunities for employment to helping you further uncover your values, strengths/weaknesses and interests, the Career Center focuses on YOU as an individual.

 I have so many different interests that make trying to find the “perfect job” impossible. But, the Career Center has helped me to find the commonalities between my different interests, which allowed me to broaden my search. So, if the picture below describes you, like it describes me, don’t worry! There’s a reason you’re attracted to so many different things, and having a wide range of interests isn’t a bad thing! One way to help make sense of everything and find the commonalities is by writing down certain traits that are important to you personally and in the work force. 

            The “Nine Domains to Find Your Fit” is an exercise in the Career Guide that will help to guide you on your journey to finding the right career. If you have some time, write down answers for each of the nine domains, which will help to show what’s really important to YOU. The domains include: knowledge (what do you enjoy learning), skills (what are you good at and what do you want to learn next), goals (long and short term), values (personal and work related), environment (good and bad), relationships (what type and with whom), compensation (amount of money/benefits/what you want to learn), location, and challenges/barriers (what’s difficult for you).

            Start the process of planning your future early because the more thought you put into it, the more accurate you’ll be. Don’t be afraid to ask for help because the Career Center is on your side and will do whatever they can to help you achieve your goals. Just don’t forget to stay true to yourself and your values throughout the whole process, and to be open to new suggestions that may help you discover more about yourself.