Career Development Model

Wondering where life will take you after graduation? The career question is one of the most frequently asked during your undergraduate experience both of yourself and by your friends and family.

Every time you think about and explore career options, you engage in the career decision making process. We emphasize the word process because making a career choice requires both time and a proactive approach. While this process may typically involve certain steps or stages, there is no specific, linear course that defines your unique career exploration and decision making path.

Career decision making is a developmental process that you will engage in during your college years and throughout the course of your life.

The Discover Myself phase of our model will enhance self-understanding by helping you identify interests, skills, values, and other personal attributes and understand the potential relationships these attributes have to career choices.

You will develop an awareness of a variety of resources to research and investigate in Explore Options.

When you are ready to connect with employers or graduate schools, we can help you prepare and Reach Your Goals.

And, once you are ready to embark on an internship or job, we have resources to help you Maximize Your Decisions.

Rethinking and reevaluating your choices is natural, and if you are proactive in exploring the career decision making process, you can choose the best alternative (for now) and lay a good foundation for future career changes. Use this website and come visit us at UCS -- we are here to help you navigate the process.

The Career Development Model was created by the University of St. Thomas Career Development Center. UCS would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to them for allowing us to modify and use this for U.Va. students. Thanks!