Learn Where You May Thrive

Career Assessment is a process to aid you in zeroing in on career options and a major that is right for you. Career Services offers several assessment options that focus on assessing your interests and abilities. You’ll learn more about yourself, your options and which careers you may find most rewarding.

In addition to using the Focus 2 assessment and other tools below, we encourage you to call or email Career Services and arrange a meeting with a staff or student coach in Career Services to help you navigate this important process.

Focus 2 — A System for Career Planning

Focus 2 an internet-based program offering individual assessments that can help you decide on a career, major or graduate program that is right for you. It provides information about salaries, hundreds of occupations and job market trends.

How to Access

  • BSU Students:  Log into MyBSU and click “Focus 2” in the left navigation.
  • Prospective Students: If you are not a BSU student, contact Career Services at (218) 755-2038 or career@bemidjistate.edu for instructions on how to access Focus2.

Career Planning

Assesses students’ involvement and introduces activities that support career and education decision making. Includes the student’s self described career and educational goals, academic strengths and weaknesses, career planning status and personal development needs.

Self-Assessment

Five reliable and valid assessments guide the career exploration process. Students can combine the results of multiple assessments to get more refined results. Students can review their answers and retake any assessment as often as they like. The full battery includes:

  • Work Interest Inventory
  • Skills
  • Values
  • Leisure Activities
  • Personality Assessment

Career Exploration

Our extensive database includes current detailed information on 1000+ different occupations. You can compare two occupations side by side, search for occupations by industry and much more.

What Can I Do With a Major In

Focus 2 incorporates the areas of study offered at your school. Allows students to explore potential career options for each of your programs of study.

StrengthsFinder

Developed by the Gallop Organization, StrengthsFinder uses an assessment to inventory your innate top five talents and offers online resources to assist students in using their talents in career exploration. Students who enroll in BSU’s First-Year Experience seminar can participate in StrengthsFinder and be given an opportunity to meet with a career counselor to interpret the results.

Other Assessments

CareerWise Education: This website has an online assessment where students can “Match Your Skills to Careers” and an “Online Assessments” section.

CareerOnestop: Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, has tools for job seekers, students, businesses and career professionals.

MCIS: The Minnesota Career Information System assessment is free.

The GPS Lifeplan: Helps students set goals and design plans that will lead them to a satisfying life. This program has the flexibility to be used by people of all ages and at all stages. Explore the website to learn more about the 5 Plans: Career, Education, Finance, Leadership and Personal to discover how they might help you.