Tuesday, February 28, 2012

ISEEK: Minnesota’s Career, Education and Job Resource: Career Exploration

What is ISEEK?  ISEEK is an online database sponsored by ISEEK Solutions, a Minnesota partnership formed of workforce development and education authorities in 1999.  The ISEEK database aims to provide career planning, education, e-learning, and workforce development information to people in Minnesota.

How can I access ISEEK?  ISEEK is located at the following website address: 
www.iseek.org

What information will I find at ISEEK?  At ISEEK you can explore careers, plan your education and find a job. It is a very extensive website.

Career Exploration on ISEEK

Just one of the many components of the ISEEK database, career exploration involves assessing your skills, setting goals and researching careers.

1.       Skills Assessment:  The ISEEK database offers an online skills assessment that allows you to rate yourself on 35 different skills.  It takes about 5-10 minutes at the end of which you will see a list of occupations that are a good match for your skill profile.

2.      Setting career and lifestyle goals: Establishing these goals early can help you make the necessary plans you need to realize them.  The academic steps you will need to make to advance toward the career you wish to pursue, and the amount of money you will need to support the lifestyle you envision will follow from your career and lifestyle goals.

3.      Research your future career.  If you are in school and have not already done so, it is a good idea to investigate which careers are related to the program you are enrolled in at school.  Researching careers using the resources on ISEEK and conducting informational interviews are both recommended.  It is possible to identify employers who hire people in your career of interest using the Employer Locator tool on ISEEK.  Tips for establishing and conducting successful informational interviews are also provided.  This information is very helpful if you are interested in changing careers.

There are many career resources available on the ISEEK database to help you find out more about careers.  Career clusters include 16 job categories that are further broken down into detailed information about the industries, careers, fields of study and businesses related to the cluster. 

4.       Augment your coursework, school achievements and resume. You can improve your chances of finding employment in your chosen career by adding some practice experience to your resume.  Volunteering, and work-based learning programs such as internships, mentoring and apprenticeships also offer the opportunities to learn about a job first-hand.

The ISEEK database is available free of charge via the Internet at the Northfield Public Library. 
For more information call the reference desk at 507-645-6608.