Major & Career Exploration

Connecting with a counselor is the best first step if you are undecided about your major or unsure about the career path you plan to follow. Everyone has a variety of talents and interests so understandably it is difficult to narrow it down to one major.

As you continue your career exploration, you may find a different career path that better aligns with your interests or will lead to the profession of choice. That is ok - it is ok to change your major, pivot your career path, or return to school to focus on a new career.

Counseling Services on campus are here to help guide you, assist with your Educational Plan, and ensure you achieve your academic and career goals.

Click on the links below to visit the different Counseling Services Departments at Oxnard College:

• General Counseling
• Career Counseling
• EOPS Counseling
• EAC Counseling
• Veterans' Center Counseling
• Transfer Counseling

Self-assessments are a perfect resource to see what types of tasks and duties are of interest for you. Since most professions have a regular set of tasks and projects you will perform in your job, it is helpful to determine if you are the type of person who prefers to work with your hands to construct or work on projects, the type of person who prefers working with other people to provide social services, or perhaps the type of person who prefers working independently on detail-oriented tasks or with machinery.

The Career Center offers Career Exploration workshops throughout the year, as well as follow-up individual appointments for further deep dives into the career exploration results to assist students with choosing the major and career of their choice.

Career OneStop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor as a source for career exploration, training and jobs.

This online resource provides search options, videos, toolkits and more for students to explore the various careers and associated training required in the U.S. job market.

During the Career Exploration workshop, students will be introduced to the Interest Assessment quiz available through Career OneStop. The 30 quick questions assessment is designed to help students see what type of tasks they are interested in, and the results will then generate a list of careers that might be a good fit for you.

The Interest Assessment is based on O*NET Center's Mini Interest Profiler. For a more in-depth assessment, visit the O*NET Interest Profiler on My Next Move. This quiz has 60 questions and will use your answers to give you a list of careers that might be a good fit.

As a friendly reminder, self-assessments do not have a right or wrong answer. Students can also take assessments multiple times if their interests have changed.

Meeting with a counselor after your self-assessment is essential -- the counselors can further discuss the results (are your scores higher in R, I, A, S, E, C) and do a deep dive to explore different careers of interest and the amount of education required.

The California CareerZone online resource uses innovative technology to provide an end-to-end career discovery journey. Their platform of services include:

• Self-assessment modules including interest, work-importance and skills profile tools
• Financial literacy tools including their popular "Budget Your Life" assessment
• Over 900 occupations, as well as information on U.S. colleges and certifications
• Personalized pathway recommendations based on student exploration

The California CareerZone Budget provides a toolkit for outlining a budget and avoiding debt. As a friendly reminder, starting salaries in a variety of professions will be a lower starting point as you work your way through to career advancement with training, experience, and continued knowledge in your profession. Meeting with counselors to discuss your interests will help guide you.

Roadtrip Nation is an online resource with informational interview videos, documentaries, and other materials to help students explore their career options.

Roadtrip Nation has made it their mission to talk with professionals of every kind and ask the questions that no one is asking—honest questions about their struggles, successes, and how they figured out the age-old dilemma, “What should I do with my life?”

From video game designers to lawyers, sports journalists to STEM professionals, and everything in between, Roadtrip Nation has sought out untold stories and shared them. These stories form the basis of their career exploration products.

Oxnard College students have access to this resource - simply click on this link for Roadtrip Nation and create a free account. Activation code: OC2019

If you are preparing to declare your major, or have already declared a major, it is pertinent to meet with your counselor to ensure your Educational Plan is in alignment with your academic goals.

Does your career of interest require a Proficiency Award? Or a Certificate of Achievement? Perhaps continuing your education to obtain a bachelor's degree or a Masters/Ph.D program is also required to reach your career goals.

Meeting with a counselor regularly is important. If you plan to transfer, meeting with a counselor a year before you plan to transfer is the right time to ensure you are transfer-ready. Attending workshops offered by the Transfer Center will also help you with your academic pathway and transfer process.

Created in partnership with ASSIST.org, Transfer Bound is an exploration tool to view the majors available at the 23 CSU campuses and 8 UC campuses.

Researching the programs and degrees offered at 4-year Universities (CSU, UC, Out-of-State, Private Institutions) will ensure you are on the right track path.

Once you have declared your major, it is a benefit to seek out internship and apprenticeship opportunities. Most internships will require some level of understanding in the career field, so being a declared student with educational experience is key.

If you are interested in searching for internship positions, please email occareer@vcccd.edu to connect with our Placement Project Specialist, Amanda Burwick. Talking with faculty to see how you can connect with internship or training opportunities is also available.

Please note: due to COVID-19 public safety precautions, internships may be temporarily suspended until further notice. Virtual internship opportunities are limited but may be available. Also, internships will often require submitting an application several months in advance, so be aware of any deadlines.

Virtual Job Search Strategies -

Whether you are searching for a temporary /seasonal job or exploring jobs in your chosen career, being savvy of job searching strategies is a learned skill. Many students may think searching for jobs when they are looking for employment is the only needed time to connect with these resources. The truth is everyone can benefit from knowing how to strategically search for positions so when you are ready, you are a pro!

Our Placement Project Specialist, Amanda Burwick, offers Virtual Job Search Strategies workshops throughout the year.

Resume Clinics -

Resume Clinics are also available throughout the year. Your resume is an important document that will highlight your job experience, skills, and education. Knowing how to format your resume (Functional vs. Chronological) and the key phrasing to use will help you advance beyond the computer screeners and move you to the interview round.

Mock Interview Assistance -

Mock Interview assistance is also available for students, once they have completed their resume. Many people find interviews to be stressful and try to avoid the experience until it is necessary. Being prepared and practicing for an interview can help calm any worries or concern. Formulate your elevator pitch, and practice how to answer the standard "Tell us about yourself and why we should hire you?" question. Email occareer@vcccd.edu to schedule your appointment or sign up for our Workshops.