Career Exploration
Choosing a Major & Career Exploration
Approximately 80% of students will change majors at least once before a degree is granted. Whether students entering HCC have a declared major or they enter as an undecided major, Career Services encourages all students to create a plan for academic and career success.
The process of choosing a major or career begins with self-assessment. Consider taking some of the assessments below to learn more about your interests, personality, skills and abilities. Be sure to contact Career Services to discuss the results and additional ways to get exposure to career areas of interest that will help you make a decision.
Focus Career Assessment - Online assessment tool used to determine a student's interest, values, skills, and personality. It also offers information on various careers based on a students assessment. Explore your options and save your favorites! To access Focus career assessment, e-mail Angie Watson for the access code.
Free Personality Test - Discover careers and occupations most suitable for your personality type and understand communication and learning styles of your type. Additional information.
Traitify - Scientifically backed visual personality assessment designed to be completed in under two minutes. Assessment available on any mobile, tablet, or desktop device with immediate results.
Get My Future - Quick interest assessment.
MySkillsMyFuture - based on previous work experience, it will help match other careers using same types of skills.
The Skills Matcher - helps you identify your skills. Use the Skills Matcher to create a list of your skills and match them to careers that use those skills.
ONET Online - Look up your strongest skills in O*NET to see which occupations match them best.
My Next Move This tool provides a short assessment as well as a portal to research careers and industries. My Next Move Assessment in Spanish
My Next Move for Veterans - helps you find a civilian career similar to your military job.
Explore Occupations
Occupational Outlook Handbook - Essential information about hundreds of occupations. U.S. Dept. of Labor
ONET - Find concise occupational information on over 950 jobs. Research careers and employment projections; identify your skills and generate lists of possible occupations. U.S. Dept. of Labor.
CareerOneStop - provides national, state and local career, labor market, and workforce information using online tools, videos, and maps to a range of local services. U.S. Dept. of Labor. Spanish version of CareerOneStop
Kentucky Career Information
KY Students' Right to Know - Dashboard powered by Kentucky Center for Statistics to help students make informed decisions.
Kentucky Future Skills - 5 year projected demand by local workforce area.
KY Career Center - Research a specific program of study, career or employer.
In Demand Careers - videos focusing on KY's high-demand career sectors – manufacturing, construction, business & IT, logistics & transportation and healthcare.
Gain information
Informational Interviewing/Job Shadowing - Gain information from professionals in your field of interest!
What can I do with a Major in? Think outside the box with your major!
KY STATS Career Explorer Find your future career based on a specific occupation you wish to explore.
Salary Calculator How far will your salary go in a new city?
University Headquarters Careers, Colleges, Degrees & Resources.
Learn How to Become - Find out more about different careers
Career Cornerstone - Detailed resource for Healthcare, Science, Math, Computing, Engineering and Technology.
Princeton Review of Careers provides a summary of various types of careers.
U.S. Department of State - Foreign Service and Civil Service opportunities.
Guide to Careers in Psychology and Top Psychology Careers
Counseling Career Guide , Social Work Career Guide, Addiction Counseling/Mental Health
Discover Data Science, Computer Science Careers , Careers with numbers, Math
Agriculture, Food and Biotechnology Related Careers
Gain information about yourself, careers of interest and be one step closer to making an informed decision.
Step 1. Complete the Focus 2 Career Assessment to identify your career interests. Select “Register” (below the login info) to create a new account. The Access code is The Hill. Complete the information and select "Fall 2024” as your status. Additional career assessments.
Step 2. Note the top 2 or 3 careers that most interest you and why. Begin researching careers in Focus 2 Assessment and HCC Career Services resources. Discuss your Focus 2 results with HCC Career Services staff, advisor, friends and family.
Step 3. Check the job outlook in the area you plan to live -Kentucky Future Skills Report & CareerOneStop. Through KY Career Center, research a specific program of study, career or employer.
Step 4. Review your career ideas with your academic advisor. Discuss the academic majors and the educational requirements (certificate, diploma, degree) related to your career interests. If a four-year degree or more is required, discuss options with the HCC Transfer Coordinator, Josh Baldwin in the Start Center.
Step 5. Research job posting descriptions. Even if you’re not currently looking for a job, you’ll better understand the local job market and you’ll learn the specific responsibilities of the career and be better prepared to develop a targeted resume. Use your Set up email alerts on Indeed. Check out employers' openings on your HCC Handshake Account!
Step 6. It’s vitally important that you get as much exposure to your profession of interest as possible. Experiential activities help confirm choice of major, clarify career goals, develop self-confidence and earn valuable experience needed for today's competitive workplace.
- Observe by Job Shadowing / Informational Interviewing. Sample questions to ask.
- Volunteer with local agencies and local non-profit organizations. It pays more than you think!
- Work part-time - Students and alumni can check out HCC's Handshake for employers' job postings. Contact Angie Watson with HCC's Career Services with any questions.
- On-campus work study student employment – Must be receiving a Pell grant. Check with the financial aid office for eligibility. Application
- Inquire about an internship – extremely valuable experience whether paid/unpaid, academic credit or not. Business Administration & CIT AAS degree programs are eligible for co-op/internship credit. Check with your academic advisor & HCC Career Services for details.
- Ready-To-Work Program. If receiving K-tap, contact the Ready-To-Work Coordinator at 270-831-9631 for eligibility information.
Step 7. Create or update your resume. Get assistance and a resume review plus schedule a time to practice interview with HCC Career Services.
Step 8. Build your professional network. Join a club on-campus, a professional organization (as a student member) or a community organization that supports your career interests.
- Check out the HCC organizations on campus
- Gain local employer information from Henderson Chamber of Commerce
- Community organizations such as United Way of Henderson County
- Volunteer Information Center.
- Rotary Club of Henderson, KY offers Rotaract that is a service club for young professionals 18-35 years old and excellent way to get involved with the community and reap valuable relationships.
- Political involvement – Young Democrats and Young Republicans of Henderson, KY
- Set up a free LinkedIn account to research and connect with professionals & follow companies.
Step 9. Each day ask yourself…. What am I doing today that will get me where I want to be tomorrow?
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Goal of Experiential Activities:
Experiential Activities may include:
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