Advising Students Who Need Help Making Choices
Advising and Decision-Making
Part of advising is helping students when they are struggling to make a decision. You may find that some students "get stuck" when the topic of choosing a career or a major comes up. They may simply feel overwhelmed by all the possibilities or what they perceive as a lack of possibilities. Sometimes all it takes to help these students is reminding them that their choice for a major does not determine their entire future. There is always room to change and modify choices.
While some students feel a sense of freedom from this reminder, others may remain stuck, unable to make a decision. This may be due to weak decision-making skills. Assisting the student in wise decision-making will enable your advisee to be intentional about his or her choice to be proactive rather than reactive. The steps below outline a systematic approach to any decision:
1. Define the problem.
- State the real problem, not the surface one.
- State the problem in specific terms.
- State the problem as a question.
Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Sensitive
3. Collect information.
- What kind of information do you need?
- Where can you obtain it?
- Is the information relevant to the problem?
4. List alternative solutions.
- What are the safe alternatives? Risky ones?
- How do they reflect your personal values and beliefs?
- What are the outcomes of each solution?
5. Choose one of the solutions.
- Check back to Step 2 to see if this choice is consistent with the goals you stated.
6. Take action on your choice.
- How can you implement this choice?
- What action can you take now, if any?
- What action will you need to take later?
7. Review your choice periodically.
- Remember, you may have to go through the process a number of times before a final decision is made. For example, a first-year student may come to you without any clear goals. In this case, instead of trying to help him or her choose a career path, begin the process by defining the problem and continue from there.
1. Define the problem.
- State the real problem, not the surface one :
- Student is unaware of what he or she wants to do after graduation.
- State the problem in specific terms
- Student is unclear about goals because he or she has not explored personal strengths and weaknesses.
- State the problem as a question :
- "How can I learn what I'm good at?"
2. Help the student to clearly state goals.
- "I will determine my academic strengths and weaknesses. Once I do that, I will schedule classes based on the results of what I learn."
3. Collect information.
- What kind of information is needed?
- Student needs personal information, i.e. information regarding his or her preferences.
- Where can it be obtained?
- Holland
Self Directed Search; personal journaling; talking
descriptively to an advisor or counselor.
- Is the information relevant to the problem? Yes
4. List alternative solutions.
- What are the safe alternatives?
- Choosing
classes based on what looks interesting; taking the
Holland SDS; going to the Career Center; talking with
friends, family, roommates, advisor.
- What are risky alternatives?
- Waiting until the last minute; waiting for something to "hit you."
- How do they reflect your personal values and beliefs?
- What are the outcomes of each solution?
5. Choose one of the solutions.
- "I want to take the Holland Self Directed Search."
- Check back to Step 2 to see if this choice is consistent with the goals you stated.
6. Take action.
- How can you implement this choice?
- Make
an appointment to take the assessment.
- What action can you take now, if any?
- Take
the assessment and discuss results.
- What action will you need to take later?
- Choose classes and ultimately a major or classes appropriate to my career goal.
7. Review the choice periodically.
- Once I decide about classes, I will journal about what I like and dislike about the classes. I will also review my class choices with my advisor and we will go through the decision-making process again regarding my choice of major or career goal.
Advising Undeclared Students and Major Changers
The Office of Undeclared Students enrolls approximately 36-38% of all first-year students. These students, who are advised by volunteer faculty, administrators and staff, must declare their majors in their third semester. In addition, 50% of Shippensburg University students will change their minds about their majors at least once before they graduate. Therefore, it is important for advisors to know how to work with students who change their minds, as well as with those who are selecting a major for the first time.
Using the Holland Theory and Self-Directed Search in Advising
Often career advising becomes an extension of academic advising. Although no one expects faculty to be career counselors, John Holland's Self-Directed Search (SDS) is an easy tool to administer, use and interpret. It can assist students with career/major decision-making. A copy of an assessment instrument is included in the appendix.
According to John Holland, individuals can be categorized into six types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Each person will undoubtedly be a combination of types, resulting in a three letter "code." This code helps determine what type of working environment the individual prefers.
Assuming that individuals search for environments which are compatible with their skills, abilities, roles, values, and attitudes, the Holland code can be useful in assisting students in their decision-making process. It may help students focus on some of the areas in which they excel, open doors for students to recognize patterns in their lives, and provide validity for choices already made. Additionally, it can act as a catalyst for discussion between the advisee and advisor.
When to Use the Holland Assessment
It seems helpful to use Holland's Assessment when a student feels "stuck." Students may not know how to evaluate strengths and weaknesses or likes and dislikes, and taking a self-assessment test, such as the Holland SDS, may be beneficial. The assessment instrument is available in the Division of Undeclared Majors office and the Career Development Center. It consists of a series of brief questions that help students identify their "type."
The following is an overview of the characteristics in Holland's typologies.
Realistic:
"Hands-on" experience
Rather work with tools/machines than ideas/people
Enjoys outdoors and athletics; good physical skills
May prefer to work alone
Investigative:
Enjoy activities related to science and mathematics
Work alone
Prefer to work with ideas and words; problem solving
Analytical, curious, independent
More oriented toward thought than action
Artistic:
Artistic inclinations even if they don't feel they have a specific "talent"
Prefer creative and imaginative settings
May enjoy work where there is little structure, few regulations, and much freedom
Expressive
Social:
Strong concern for people
Value helping others problem-solve
Little interest in working with machinery
Enjoy work in groups
Enterprising:
Good persuaders and influencers
Enjoy talking to others, using words to sell product or idea
Clever at convincing
Enthusiastic, confident, energetic
Goal-oriented
Conventional:
Prefer to know what is expected
Organized, practical, loyal
Data-oriented
Precise, efficient
How to Interpret Holland's Code
Each person is unique. It would be unfair to categorize individuals, assuming that each one in a particular category is the same. Yet, patterns can emerge and can be useful in determining the type of environment in which certain "types" of people find satisfaction and success.
When interpreting results with a student, it is important to recognize that this is just one test. It is not an exhaustive determination of who the student is and cannot account for important facets of his or her personality. If the student disagrees with something the test shows, it is helpful to discuss why and how the student might see him or herself. Many students are looking for a quick answer or for an authority figure to make their decisions, but the purpose of this assessment is to simply provide information for discussion and allow the advisor and advisee to explore a little more deeply.
A brief SDS assessment instrument for advisor use is included in the appendix. In addition, Shippensburg University's majors are listed by Holland's Code. For more information about the Holland Self-Directed Search, contact the Division of Undeclared Majors or the Career Development Center.
Sources:
______ (1995). Training Manual for New Advisors. The Commission on Academic Advising. Shippensburg University.
Adapted from Gordon, V., Academic Advisor's Pre-Service Training Manual. The Ohio State University.
Sukiennik, D. Bendat, W., & Raufman, L. (1998). The career fitness program, exercising your options. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Prentice Hall.
