Transcript Making Decisions By Dr. David Agnew and

Making Decisions
By
Dr. David Agnew
and
Mr. Jim Wendell
Arkansas State University
Objectives
• Define “New Career Terms” 3.1
Explain the need to study decision- making processes .
3.2
• Explain why decision making can be difficult
• Explain the importance or career decision making
• List and describe the seven steps in the decision-making
process
• Give an example of how someone can use the decisionmaking process to make career decisions
• List and describe seven hints for making wise decisions
Terms and Definitions
• 1. Compromise -- to give up something to resolve a conflict
• 2. Conflict -- clash of ideas or values
• 3. Decision -- the choice between two or more
possibilities
• 4. Decision- making process -- the steps one takes to
make the best decision
• 5. Evaluate -- to look at closely and judge
• 6. Plan -- the course of action one decides to take at the
end of the decision- making process
• 7. Resource -- anything a person has or uses to reach a
goal
• 8. Tentative -- a decision or plan that can be changed
New Career Terms
• Needs - things you must have to survive
• Wants - things you would like to have, but
don’t have to have - luxuries
Decisions
• Nothing more than making a choice between two or more
options.
• Life is full of decisions - you make hundreds during the
course of a day !
• Most are simple to decide and require very little time or
effort to complete.
• Others are important and may require selecting from
many choices.
• Choosing will usually take more time and thought on your
part because every time you make a decision you are
saying “NO” to all the other options.
Ways to Decide
• Do you fear making the wrong decision ?
Supposed you have only enough money for one
item, but you would like to get many other items
also:
• Do you close your eyes and point ?
• Do you ask a friend which they would choose ?
• Do you choose the least expensive or most
expensive item ?
• Do you become frustrated and leave without
making any choice at all ?
Why Make Decisions?
• What would you do if you had to drive to
Alaska without a road map and weren’t
allowed to look at any signs for help ?
• You would be lost most of the time
• You may or may not even reach Alaska
• For the majority of your trip, you would feel
confused, unhappy, and frustrated
• You would never know if you were making
progress towards your goal
Why Make Decisions? (Cont.)
• Most people would laugh at the idea of starting a journey
to Alaska under these conditions.
• Yet, many people use this same planning technique with a
much more important journey - THEIR CAREER JOURNEY.
This is the main reason why so many people are unhappy
with the way their lives turned out.
• The decisions you make now concerning your career
choice is like pushing over the first domino in a long line.
As each domino falls, it knocks down the next in a chain
reaction. So it is with career decisions. Each one impacts
the next throughout your life and for many years to come.
Decision Making Process
• Decide what you need or want.
• Look carefully at your resources.
• Identify your choices by writing down:
–
–
–
–
•
•
•
•
the decision you are making
the time frame allotted for completion
every option you know about
places to learn of other choices
Gather information on all your options.
Evaluate and compare your options.
Make an tentative decision.
Develop plan and begin.
Making Career Decisions
• Never to early to make a tentative career decision
• This is not your final choice, but the best choice
for you at the present time
• Make an educational plan for your decision:
Is a four year college degree or more needed ?
Two year degree or Vo-Tech training needed ?
Is high school training adequate ?
What high school courses are needed as a
foundation ?
7 Tips for Career Decisions
• Even though they want to be helpful, family and
friends may try to pressure you to do what THEY
want you to do.
• Don’t be afraid of failure.
• Pay attention to all everyday decisions.
• Decisions can have both good and bad outcomes.
• Accept all outcomes.
• Don’t depend on luck.
• If you are unsatisfied with any outcome, you can
change a decision.
In Summary
• Life is full of decisions.
• Some large, some small, some important,
and some unimportant.
• Most have several choices which
complicates the decision making process.
• An organized method of approaching
decision making can help to make difficult
choices easier to complete.
The End