DISCOVER - Helpful Tips

DISCOVER is a tool for career exploration and development.  The program allows you to learn about yourself, what types of careers match your interests and abilities and what educational path you’ll need to take to pursue those careers.

General Tips and Information:

• To print any information remember to first click on the “Printer-friendly Report” button.
• If you get “timed out” during the process you can begin where you left off when you login again. You’ll be able to access DISCOVER and your assessment results later using your User ID and Password.
• There are instructions on each screen of DISCOVER for your reference.
• For all three inventories (Interests, Values, and Abilities) click the “Take Inventory Online” option.  After you answer all the questions your results for each inventory will be shown on the World of Work Map along with the career clusters that are suggested.  Your complete results from the three inventories will be shown on the World of Work Map, click the “Inventory Summary” button.
• After completing all three inventories, you can click on “List Occupations in These Career Areas” for your list of occupations.  You will be prompted to select a “Level of Education.” The list of occupations you receive will be based on the education levels you choose here (you can select more than one). Remember to choose the level(s) of education you are striving to obtain, not what you currently have.
• “My Portfolio” contains a summary of all of the information you entered in DISCOVER, which you may update at any time.
• You may also search occupations, majors, and schools in a variety of ways whether or not you have completed the inventories.  Click on the appropriate button (Occupations, Majors, or Schools) and choose the method by which you’d like to search (Complete Alpha List, Keyword, and others).
• You may also learn about job-search strategies by clicking on “Job Search.”
• When you are finished click on the “Finish” button.  You may complete the survey information or just logoff.

To Start DISCOVER:

• Log on to the Internet and go to http://www.act.org/discover/login
• Next, enter your User ID that was provided by the Career Center - don’t enter a password the first time you log into DISCOVER - and click “Submit.” You will be prompted to create a password and complete your personal information.
• After completing your personal information section you will see the Main Menu.  DISCOVER provides instructions on each page that we recommend you read carefully. 
• Click on “Plan My Path” and choose one of four ready-made paths – these paths are flexible and you may return and select other paths later:
• Find occupations that fit me
• Plan more education or training
• Prepare for job search
• Do everything
• Or, you can make your own path by choosing the steps you want to do by choosing “Make my own path”  

Career Counseling Follow-up for Students

Below, you will find an outline of the career decision-making process outlined by your career counselor.  Follow these steps to guide you through the career decision-making process.  If you have any questions about this process, please contact your counselor. 

Step 1:  Review your DISCOVER results. 

• The results from the Abilities Inventory will help you identify your strengths.  Remember, there is usually a relationship between liking what you’re good at and being good at what you like.  Use your strengths to narrow down options, but keep in mind that skills and abilities are learned.
• The results of the Interest Inventory reflect the Career Areas that fit your interests.
• The results from the Values Inventory will identify key work-related characteristics and how you prioritized them.  This information is especially useful because it identifies which characteristics you will need for a satisfying career (the characteristics identified as “very important”).  As you research specific careers and compare them to the values that are very important to you, you will be able to narrow down and eliminate careers that don’t “fit” well. 

Step 2:  Explore your results.  As you identify potential career areas and specific occupations, you will want to explore them by researching and learning more about them.  You will want to research the following areas, as well as other areas you would like to know more about:

Resources to use for your research:  (All sites linked from http://career.boisestate.edu/joblink1.htm) - also remember to use DISCOVER to research career information!

·  The Boise State University Albertsons Library contains career related resources in the reference area.  

·  The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) provides detailed descriptions of approximately 250 of the most common occupations in the United States.  It is produced by the U.S. Department of Labor and is available in the Boise State Career Center, the Library, and on the Internet: http://www.bls.gov/oco/. 

·  America’s Career Info (ACINet) provides information about typical wages and employment trends across occupations and industries, lists knowledge, skills and abilities required for most occupations. http://www.acinet.org/acinet 

·  The O*NET provides interactive occupational descriptions for approximately 3,000 occupations. http://online.onetcenter.org

·  The Boise State University Career Center Resource Room contains books, magazines and other resources to research careers and occupations. 

·  Idaho Salaries are available from the Idaho Department of Labor, including Boise specific salaries. http://www.labor.state.id.us/lmi/wage-survey/TOC000.htm 

·  The Boise State Career Center Web Site contains many additional web links for searching careers. http://career.boisestate.edu

·  Match Occupations to Boise State Majors lists specific occupations related to majors offered at Boise State.  http://career.boisestate.edu/major-match.htm  

Step 3:  Take action.  Once you’ve researched and learned about your career possibilities, it is time to do something.

·   Talk to as many people as you can about what it’s really like working in that career. 

·   Conduct an informational interview.  Take 15 to 20 minutes to interview someone working in a career of interest and ask them about their job. Some questions you might ask include: What do they like best about their career?  What do they like least?  What kind of educational background do they have?  What advice do they have for you to explore this career area?

·   Talk to the university department of the major you’re considering, look at the classes you would need.  

As you complete these steps, you will gain new information and insight into yourself that will help you make your career decision.  If you would like to meet with a counselor as you go through this process, contact the Career Center to set up an appointment or feel free to phone or e-mail if you have questions.  Remember, we are here to help.

For more information or to meet with a counselor contact us:
Boise State University Career Center
(208) 426-1747 or career@boisestate.edu