Guide to Good Decision Making

Guide to Good Decision Making Exercise1

You may download a PDF copy of this guide here

A cycle can be used to show the steps in making a career choice. Use the blank spaces below to note your thoughts and feelings about your career choice.

Communication - Knowing I Need to Make a Choice

Events- things that happen to me
Example: "I need to choose a major by next semester."

Comments from my friends and relatives
Example: "My roommate said that I'll have problems if I don't make a decision soon."

The way I feel
"I'm scared about committing myself."

Avoiding my problems
"I'll get started next week."

Physical problems
"I'm so upset about this, I can't eat."

CASVE Cycle

 

Analysis - Understanding Myself, Options, DecisionMaking, and Thoughts

Understanding myself

My values
Example: security

My interests
Example: working with people

My skills
Example: using a computer to plan a budget

My employment preferences
Example: limited travel

Understanding my options

What I know about the occupation, program of study, or job
Understanding specific occupations, programs of study, or jobs

Understanding how occupations, programsof study, or jobs are organized

Example:

  • Realistic Occupations
  • Investigative Occupations
  • Artistic Occupations
  • Social Occupations
  • Enterprising Occupations
  • Conventional Occupations
Understanding how I make important decisions

Example:
Thinking, feeling, and/or getting advice from others

Understanding thoughts related to my decisions

Self-talk
Example: "I'll never be able to make a good career choice."

Self-awareness
Example: "I'm getting very scared about this."

Monitoring and controlling my self-talk
Example: "I can't really predict the future and imagining failure is not going to help me find a good job."

 

Synthesis - Expanding and Narrowing My Options

Identify occupations, programs of study, or jobs that fit my values, interests, and skills Pick the 3 to 5 best occupations, programs of study, or jobs using what I learned from "Understanding Myself and My Options"

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Evaluing - Prioritizing My Options

Benefits to myself? My family? Friends? Cultural group? Community? Society?

Costs to myself? My family? Friends? Cultural group? Community? Society?

Occupation, program of study, or job

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Prioritize my occupations, programs of study, or jobs

My first choice:
My back-up choice(s):

  • 1st:
  • 2nd:
  • 3rd:
  • 4th:
  • 5th:

 

Execution - Implementing My First Choice

(Complete the sections below that apply to you)

  • Plan - My plan for getting education or training
  • Try Out - Get experience (full time, part-time, volunteer) and take courses or get training to test my choice
  • Apply - Steps to apply for and get a job or pursue further education

 

Communication - Knowing I Made a Good Choice

  • Have events changed?
  • How did my family and friends react to my choice?
  • How do I feel now?
  • Am I avoiding doing what needs to be done?
  • Am I satisfied with my choice?
  • Am I confident with my choice?

1 Adapted from Sampson, J. P., Jr., Peterson, G. W., Lenz, J. G., & Reardon, R. C. (1992). A cognitive approach to career services: Translating concepts into practice. The Career Development Quarterly, 41, 67-74.

 

Legacy Sort
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Legacy Priority
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