What is Self-Assessment? - Choosing a Major or Career

What is Self-Assessment?
Self-assessment is the process of learning more about yourself – personality type, interests, skills, and values – to help you make a wise decision when selecting a major and/or a career path. The term self-assessment is also used in reference to career tests and inventories.

Who can help me with Self-Assessment?
The Career Planning office is available to help any SEU student or alumnus with Self-Assessment:

• Meet one on one with a career counselor
• Take the CPAM 1110 (www.stedwards.edu/Career Planning/cpam1110.htm ) independent study class
• Use self-assessment computerized interactive tools
• Review career literature and books

There are also other resources at St. Edward’s:

• Academic and Faculty Advisors
• Academic Exploration Program (website being developed) for traditional undergraduate students. Talk to your academic advisor about this program.
• Psychological Services
• Education: classroom based, experiential, and self-assessment workshops
• Books and Internet self-assessment tools

Who needs Self-Assessment?
Take the following inventory. If you check ANY item, schedule an appointment with a Career Planning counselor.

How does self-assessment work and how long does it take?
Formal and informal assessment tools are the primary means to learn more about yourself, combined with ongoing interview and reflection meetings with a career counselor, your academic/faculty advisors, and your psychological counselor. You can do self-assessment one on one with a career counselor/advisor, or you can do it through more structured programs like the Academic Exploration Program for traditional undergraduate students, or the CPAM 1110 class which is offered to traditional undergraduates and New College students.

In Career Planning, testing does not begin immediately. The career counselor will first interview you to determine your individual needs. Then you will be given a battery of formal and/or informal self-assessment assignments. Some testing may take place in the first meeting, some tests you will do on your own at home, and some tests will be mailed out for interpretation. BE SURE TO DATE AND SAVE ALL TEST RESULTS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE!

The key word here is PROCESS! One or two tests, workshops, or meetings with a counselor/advisor is not enough. You will need to spend at least one semester or more learning about yourself.

Am I the only person who doesn’t know what I want to do?
Absolutely not! Many people enter or re-enter college “undecided” about what they want to study. Deciding on a major/career does not come to most people like a bolt of lightening. Career development is an ongoing process. As a matter of fact, even college students who enter school with a declared major will sometimes change their minds once or twice before graduating. Also, college graduates and graduate students sometimes change their courses of study and/or career paths. St. Edward’s does not want you to feel isolated about not knowing what you want to study in college or what career you want to pursue. That’s why the Career Planning office and other areas in St. Edward’s have people and programs available to help you make these decisions.

So, it’s okay to be “undecided” when you’re in college?
There is nothing unusual about being “undecided”, BUT, if you don’t take advantage of Self-Assessment resources as soon as possible, you are hurting yourself in the long run, academically and financially. Students who have gone through the self-assessment process will tell you “the earlier, the better”. If you don’t know what you want to major in, if you don’t know what career path to pursue, if you can’t decide between a couple of academic/career paths, visit Career Planning as soon as possible and make an appointment for Self-Assessment. If you’re an undergraduate or New College student, you may also be interested in the CPAM 1110 independent study class offered at St. Edward’s University.

What is the best career self-assessment (test/inventory) for me to take?
There are many self-assessment tools available. Areas that are usually tested are: personality type, interests and skills, and values. No one test is “the best”. And no one test can make your major and/or career decision for you. The Career Planning office recommends that you take a battery of tests. By doing this, you’ll see repeating patterns in your major and career choices.

How can career self-assessment inventories help me?
For some students, you will learn new things about yourself that will help you make wise decisions about a major and career path. For other students, the tests will confirm what you already knew and make you feel more secure about your major/career choices. Sometimes for “older” and “more experienced” students the career counselor will suggest informal self-assessment methods so you can learn new information about yourself beyond what you probably already know.

On the other hand, self-assessment tests will not do the following: They can’t tell you a specific major or career to select. Only you can make that decision. And, most will not tell you what particular area within a field to pursue (for example, they will not tell a Communication major to select advertising or TV/media). This type of information can be learned through Information Interviews and thorough exploration of a specific major or career field.

Can I take self-assessment tests on-line?
Yes, some are available on-line, but almost all charge a fee. Search through google.com and type: “career self-assessments on-line”.

Are the self-assessment tests free through Career Planning at St. Edward’s?
Yes they are free for all students and alumni who meet with a career counselor for self-assessment. Career Planning also has a computerized interactive program in the department called SIGI. SIGI allows you to take several self-assessments as well as research majors and careers.