It's never too early to start thinking about a major. Although you do not have to declare a major until you reach 61 credits, the process of choosing a major is not easy and requires careful consideration. These are some of the things you need to do when choosing a major:

• Learn about yourself: your skills, interests, values, aptitudes, and personality characteristics;
• Explore the world of work; and
• Gather information about academic programs offered at Brooklyn College.

Learning about Yourself

• What courses have I enjoyed most? least?
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?
• What kinds of job settings would I enjoy?
• What satisfactions am I looking for in a career?
• How much money do I want to earn?
• How will I get along with my supervisor? co-workers?
• How will my personal style influence my career choice?

Before deciding on a career path and/or major, it is important to develop a true understanding of who you are. Career Services has several programs to help you:

Discover - A computerized career guidance system designed to help you create your own career profile.

Career Counseling - Can assist you with creating a personalized career plan. Counselors can add invaluable insights to the career planning process and can help you to better define your interests, needs, aptitudes, values and personality characteristics.

Resource Library - Has many books that can help you assess your interests, skills, and values. Two very popular books on this subject are:

• What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles.
• Not Just Another Job by Tom Jackson.

The World of Work

Most of us have a limited knowledge of the world of work. There are over 27,000 job titles in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. It is therefore important to identify a smaller number of career options which may be a good match for you. Career Services programs designed to assist you with career exploration include:

Discover - Includes a section to help you gather extensive career information.

Resource Library - A variety of books and articles on different career fields. A good starting point for basic information on the most popular career choices is the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

Internship Program - An excellent way to learn about a career field through hands-on experience. Internship experience is also a good way to build your resume for later employment. Hundreds of current internship listings are available at our office. Sign-up in room 1305 James

Alumni Mentor Program - Matches you with an alum in a particular field of work. This program is now being established at the college. In the future, alumni will be volunteering to speak with Brooklyn College students about their career fields and their own career paths.

Videotape Library - Tapes of alumni and other professionals working in a variety of career fields.

Brooklyn College Programs

In order to complete the process of choosing a major it is extremely important to be aware of the courses and majors offered at Brooklyn College. Your primary source for this information is the Brooklyn College Bulletin. The Office of Academic Advisement can answer most questions that you may have about college requirements and policies. If you are interested in a particular program, you should speak with the department advisor in that area. When you're ready to declare a major, go to the department and fill out a "declaration of major" form.

Don't wait until the last minute to make a decision. Take advantage of the services available to assist you with your career and academic plans today at: