Seeking Advice
Purpose: Self-perception and the perception of those who know us best are often two very different things. Students who are struggling to figure out what they are interested in, or might be good at benefit greatly from seeking counsel from the people they are closest to. This activity consists of inviting other people to weigh in on what they think the you would be good at/what job they see you in. It is intended to have you pick out specific advice from a very specific group of mentors or friends.
As a result of the activity you will be able to:
- Describe in detail some activities you have enjoyed in the past and why you have enjoyed them.
- Explain the role that others play in helping to shape your future.
- Recognize some themes about what you are interested in that you have not noticed before.
- Prepare to verify with your advisor if the careers and majors that you consider match the attributes described by those you survey.
Process:
- Decide what you would like to know.
- Consider what questions you wish you knew the answer to about yourself (i.e. what am I good at, what has interested me the most in the past and why? What opportunities should I pursue in the future?).
- Organize your questions.
- Write a list of 3-8 of the people whose opinions you most trust with whom you are most connected.
- Decide on a way in which to deliver the survey to these people - electronically, on paper, etc. Make sure that these people answer your questions specifically, or write I don’t know so the responses are as legitimate as possible.
- Respond to the same questions yourself in the most honest way that you can. Simply writing ‘I don’t know’ should be avoided - dig and ponder to decide upon responses.
- Share the responses with your advisor.