For faculty members integrating career development concepts into their curriculum at Oregon State University (OSU), Career Exploration Tools Available Include Focus2, a comprehensive online platform designed to aid students in their career journeys.
Starting summer 2025, incoming OSU students will engage with Focus2 Career Self-Assessments as part of the Transitions course. However, recognizing that career paths evolve, revisiting these assessments throughout their academic tenure can offer students invaluable insights. Faculty can leverage this by encouraging students to utilize Focus2 repeatedly, even reflecting on previous results to track their evolving career aspirations and academic needs.
OSU provides all faculty and staff with full access to Focus2. This allows educators to explore the platform’s diverse features, familiarize themselves with its resources, and effectively guide students in utilizing these tools.
Key Career Exploration Assessments in Focus2
Focus2 offers a suite of assessments tailored to different stages of career exploration:
My Career Planning Involvement Assessment
This initial assessment prompts students to evaluate their proactive engagement in career preparation. It encourages self-reflection on actions taken towards career readiness, helping students identify areas where they are already active and areas needing further attention.
Am I Career Ready? Assessment
Aligned with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) career-readiness competencies, this module assesses students’ development across crucial skills sought by employers. For each competency, Focus2 provides actionable suggestions, empowering students to strategically strengthen areas requiring improvement and enhance their overall career readiness.
The Four Career Self-Assessments: Unveiling Interests and Personality
Delving deeper into personal attributes, this section of Focus2 utilizes self-assessments focused on personality, interests, and values to guide career exploration. It incorporates user-friendly versions of well-established instruments like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory. Notably, the work interest assessment integrates Holland Codes, categorizing job interests to provide a structured framework for exploring relevant career fields.
By utilizing these career exploration tools available included within Focus2, faculty can effectively support students in their career development journey, fostering informed decision-making and proactive career planning throughout their time at OSU.
