Career Planning

Career Action Plan

The University of Montevallo Career Development Center provides comprehensive assistance and resources to help students with their career planning, professional development, and job market strategies. Through career counseling and a variety of professional tools, we will help to ensure your career success.

We are committed to assisting students with developing a career plan and also finding meaning and purpose in life through their chosen vocation. Students are encouraged to discover and identify their personal traits while exploring their career options.

"Until you truly know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, what you want to do and why you want to do it, I promise you, you can't succeed in any but the most superficial sense of that word. You are your own raw material. When you know yourself, you are ready to invent yourself."

Warren Bennis

Career Testing

Typically, students are very much helped in the process of self discovery by taking a personality test or career inventory. These assessments, questionnaires, and checklists can be extremely effective in identifying one’s interests, skills, and values. They provide insight into how one’s personality is defined and understood. They facilitate the first step in learning what activities are the best match for one’s personality traits. These tests should always be administered and interpreted in consultation with a career counselor.

Holland Code Career Quiz
My Plan Values Assessment
O*Net Interest Profiler

Explore | Engage | Execute

Career planning is integral to the overall educational experience. It is an intentional process of self-discovery, exploration, decision-making, planning, and preparation that is best conceptualized by the following model:

EXPLORE | Freshman & Sophomore
Explore your options and choose a career path. Students begin to engage in a process of self-awareness, exploration, discernment, and design. Research your options and finalize your career path.

ENGAGE | Sophomore & Junior
Get involved in worthwhile activities and gain experience in functions, tasks, and projects relevant to your chosen career. Students engage in co-curricular and professional activities that support their career path.

EXECUTE | Junior & Senior
Pursue and obtain a meaningful career opportunity. Students assemble the tools and resources needed to enter the job market and launch their career campaign.

Passion | Talent | Purpose

What kind of mindset do you have regarding your future? For you, is it all about employment or advancement? Are you job-oriented or career-oriented? Are you simply hunting for a job or are you planning your career? Are you seeking a career that is in line with your calling?

How will you know you’ve made the right choice regarding your career path or your academic major? Typically, successful people (who are happy, satisfied, and productive) engage in careers that match their personality. They choose a profession that aligns with their passion, talent and purpose. Their career choice matches their interests, skills and values.

PASSION | Does my career path match my interests? Am I engaged in tasks that I love to do? Do I enjoy my work? Does my work energize and enrich my life?

TALENT | Does not career path match my skills and abilities? Am I engaged in tasks that I am good at? Does my work make the best use of my strengths. Does my work give me a sense of success, achievement, and accomplishment.

PURPOSE | Does my career path match my values, principl.es and beliefs? Am I engaged in tasks that I consider to be important and essential? Does my work satisfy my needs? Is my work meaningful?

Station 6262
Farmer Hall | Second Floor
(205) 665-6262
career@montevallo.edu