HDS - Career Resources - Vocational Discernment

Career Services

Vocational Discernment

Note: Online inventories can be enjoyable and helpful, but they are also limited. If you have tried inventories, but continue to have difficulty with a sense of professional direction, simply trying more inventories will likely only frustrate you. It is generally helpful to include all of the following in your discernment process:

Concrete experiences that you can reflect on, such as field education, an internship, volunteer work, job shadowing, or temporary employment.
Professional counseling, such as the career counseling offered through the HDS Office of Career Services, or by certified career counselors, pastoral counselors, and spiritual directors.
Research on career fields, which may be done by perusing job announcements and position descriptions; reading professional journals and resources; conducting informational interviews; or scanning web resources, such as the professional field research sites we've identified.
Reflection, through spiritual practice and/or reflective exercises, such as the ones provided in the HDS Career Guide.

For help getting started with any of the above, please contact us to arrange a consultation.

Ask the Question A United Church of Christ site created to assist people in considering the question of vocation to various types of ministry. Stories of call, images for meditation, prayers, essays, information, and advice.

Career Key A fun, quick, and often helpful test from Lawrence K. Jones, PhD, North Carolina State University. You will end by linking to summaries of possible careers from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Explore Ministry Designed to assist individuals considering Christian ministry as a profession. Contains information, biographical information on ministers, answers to frequently asked questions, assessments, links to resources, and more. Maintained by the Fund for Theological Education.

MAPP Quiz "Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential" identifies motivations as they relate to possible career fields. Requires about 20 minutes, and yields a narrative analysis of motivations at no charge. You will be offered additional services for various fees. We have not assessed the paid services.

Occupational Information Network Analyzes skills as they relate to potential fields. This site is also a good resource for researching careers.

Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation An initiative of the Lilly Endowment, Inc. The bibliography is an especially helpful resource for persons exploring the question of vocation theologically.

Spiritual Gifts Inventory Developed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, this site may be helpful for those who seek to discern a vocational direction through the lens of Christian faith.

Vision Guide Information and many resources on vocations in Roman Catholic religious life or priesthood. Also has some resources with more broad applicability, including a spiritual-type inventory.

Harvard Divinity School

Career Services

Vocational Discernment