Yasmin Shirali/Pioneer
Energy major Beau Baurenschmitt and elementary education major Amanda Leatherbury share a romantic laugh during a break from class.

OCCC graduate Mary Shea said she loves working with students who come into Student Employment and Career Services looking for help in choosing a college major.

Shea and other assistants explain the DISCOVER test, which can help students choose a major geared towards their interests, abilities or values.

It’s a quick 15- to 20-minute survey on the computer, Shea said. The answers are completely personalized, as the students are the ones entering their likes and dislikes.

After signing up for the test, students are provided a username and password. The DISCOVER website also offers other useful information on careers, salaries, degrees and more.

Shea said it helps when students have someone who can assist them on deciding their future careers.

“It’s very fun to look at other careers and options,” she said. “It all depends on your goals, where you want to live and what’s important to you.”

About once a week, Student Employment and Career Services hold a workshop to help students with undecided majors.

Student Rene’ Rula said she has changed her major twice and is currently working on a degree in sociology.

She took the test and the results informed her she was interested in technical careers and social sciences.

After talking to Shea, Rula said she learned that careers involving the arts and social sciences were her best match. Rula said she agrees with these results.

Student Parker Smith said the test provided unexpected results.

“Right now I would love to be a firefighter but the interest test showed that I might be interested in a baking career which I thought was really funny because I can’t cook at all,” Parker said.

When students get results that don’t make sense to them, they can retake the test, Shea said. The user name and password are valid for 90 days.

“Some questions will require more thought,” Shea said. “Results can also display your true personality and other things you might not know about yourself.

“There are countless numbers of options to investigate, some of which you may not have even thought about.”

For more information, contact Student Employment and Career Services at 405-682-7519 or attend the next workshop from 12:30 to 1 p.m. on April 20 in room 1G7 in the Main Building. There is no need to register.