Phase 1: Discovery

1. Self-Discovery

Map your Work Values, Activity Interests, and Skill Levels. Reflection here is the fuel for the rest of the process.

2. AI Synthesis

Translate your DNA into 10-15 specific career paths using deep-linked AI prompts. Refine these results with Russ.

3. Career Deep Dive

Validate your ideas by researching "Day-in-the-Life" profiles and macro industry trends for your top choices.

4. Making Connections

Move from theory to reality by finding 5 local professionals in Des Moines for shadows or interviews.

❤️ Work Values

Identify the core motivations that drive your career satisfaction. What matters most to you in a job? (Select up to 3)

🎨 Activity Interests

Think about the types of tasks you genuinely enjoy doing. What activities leave you feeling energized rather than drained? (Select up to 3)

🛠️ Skills Confidence

Assess your current comfort level with essential professional skills. Honesty here helps identify growth opportunities.

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Next Step: We will take your values, skills, and reflections above and put them into a Career Consultation AI prompt in Phase 2. This turns your personal data into a list of real-world career matches.

Phase 2: Career Thesis

📩
Ready to Synthesize: Your selections and reflections from Phase 1 are ready to be added to the AI Career Consultant prompt below.

Step A: The AI Consultant

Click below to build the custom DNA prompt for ChatGPT.

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Checkpoint: Reflect with Russ
Sit down with Russ to discuss which 2-3 job titles from your AI results actually "click" before starting research.

Coming Up in Phase 3: You will transform those job titles into a "Day-in-the-Life" profile and an Industry Deep Dive.

Phase 3: Deep Dive

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Reality Check: Use LinkedIn, news articles, or professional association sites to see what the daily tasks and tools look like for your chosen role.

Deliverable 1: Day-in-the-Life Profile

Open a New Google Doc. Create a snapshot of actual tasks, tools, and challenges.

Software Engineer Day-in-the-Life:
Morning
8:30 AM: Coffee and "Stand-up" meeting. Team discusses what we coded yesterday and bugs we found.
Mid Day
10:30 AM - 2:00 PM: "Deep Work" session. Writing code for a new login screen.
Afternoon
3:00 PM: Pair programming. Working with a senior dev to find why the app is crashing on iPhones.
Tools
VS Code, GitHub, Jira, Slack.
Challenges
Dealing with "Legacy Code" (old code someone else wrote) and meeting tight sprint deadlines.

Deliverable 2: Industry Deep Dive

Open a New Google Doc. Research a major trend changing this specific field.

Trend: AI in Healthcare Diagnostics
The Trend
AI models are now analyzing 10,000+ X-rays per minute to flag potential pneumonia before a doctor even sees them.
The Impact
Radiologists spend less time "scanning" and more time consulting with patients on complex cases.
The Future Skill
You don't just need to know medicine; you need to know how to "verify" and "audit" the AI's suggestions to ensure they are accurate.
Tools
EHR Systems, AI-imaging software, Data visualization dashboards.
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Checkpoint: Reflect with Russ
Share your Google Docs with Russ. Discuss the "Challenges" you found—is this still a path you want to pursue?

Phase 4: Local Connections

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Making it Real: Research is great, but talking to humans is better. Use LinkedIn or the Waukee Chamber to find local pros.

🔍 Local Networking List

NameCompanyNotes/Role
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Checkpoint: Reflect with Russ
Review your networking list with Russ. He may have direct contacts at these companies to help you get a foot in the door.