To help you get the next best thing, we have gathered the 40 best online tools for occupational therapists. They can help you learn the latest developments in the field, new tips and tricks, expert opinions, and even a few options to turn your smart phone into one of your most important tools.

Best Educational Online Tools for Occupational Therapists

1. The American Occupational Therapy Association
   The AOTA is committed to helping both therapists and patients live life to its fullest. They have loads of online tools for doing just that, including two publications on occupational therapy. You can also find resources for practitioners, educators, and students.
2. National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
   Learn more about certification in occupational therapy with a visit here. The NBCOT has loads of tools for those seeking or who are interested in becoming certified. They also have an online community and resources for international visitors.
3. Advance
   Stop by this site that has loads of information for those in occupational therapy. There are loads of headlines, features, and even an app of the month with more. There is even a special section for students and new graduates.
4. Meta-OT
   Get tools and discussion on occupational therapy here. The active community consists of many practicing occupational therapists and their thoughts on the profession. You can also get a glossary and assessment database.
5. Today in OT
   Jobs, continuing education, and news greet all visitors at this site. In addition to viewing jobs, occupational therapists can also post their resumes here. They even have a market place and blog spot with more.
6. Occupation Outlook
   Get all the stats on occupational therapists from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. They include job outlook, education required, and salary. You can also get projections for the career with a visit.
7. Real Life OT
   Read about the real life experiences about those who work in occupational therapy here. How to become one, daily duties, and more are all discussed. Dawn Rosenberg McKay is the career planning expert at About.com and has more.
8. Barbara Smith
   She has loads of resources for occupational therapists on this site. In addition to her books, you can find guides to OT in pediatrics, geriatrics, and more. She also includes fun and games on the site.

Best Free Apps for Occupational Therapists

9. Tap to Talk
   Get just what the app promises in its title. Patients can simply tap on what they like to get a voice. There are apps for iPhone, iPad, Kindle, Android, and many others at no charge. There is even a free web tool.
10. Verbally
    This is an easy-to-use, comprehensive Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app for the iPad. It brings speech to those without and enables real conversation with its simple, intuitive design. Available for free, simply tap on the image to get Verbally to say it for you.
11. Small Talk
    Get an app designed specifically of the population that need specific and functional phrases paired with simple yet engaging illustrations. Each illustration–minimally colored and simply yet effectively drawn–accompanies a short, functional phrase often needed (and used) by clients with aphasia. Available for free, you can get both a male and female version.
12. Eye Chart Pro
    Turn your iPad into a virtual eye chart with the help of this app. It has loads of customizations to make your very own eye charts. There is both a free version and paid with more options.
13. Siemens Hearing Test
    The app was created by audiology experts at Siemens to help you determine whether you have hearing impairment. This revolutionary application has been scientifically developed and carefully tested to ensure the most precise results possible. Get your very own hearing test app at no charge with a download.
14. How to Protect Your Eyesight
    Have your patients try out this eye exercise app as part of their visual occupational therapy. It uses simple games which can reduce your visual fatigue and protect your eyesight. Also a good choice for occupational therapists who spend lots of time reading.
15. Autism Express
    Use this simple app to get feelings listed as pictures. Simply have a patient point to a face to describe their current mood. Available at no charge, it is intended for autism patients.
16. Dragon Dictation
    Finally, if you have a patient that can speak but not write, check out this app. It is a free voice recognition app available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. The bloggers at OT’s With Apps have more on this and other apps.

Best Paid Apps for Occupational Therapists

17. Kandy Fish
    The app centers around a group of brightly colored fish and can be utilized for those who need help in the motor skills department. Colors, stories, and more are all used as teaching tools. See for yourself for only $0.99.
18. ABC Pocket Phonics
    Click here to learn more about this application that targets letter sounds for the 20 letters of the alphabet and letter diagraphs. Therapists can use this app to target the following skills: literacy, phonemic awareness, letter identification, sound symbol relationships, diagraphs, and more. It sells for $2.99.
19. Dexteria
    Fine motor skill development is the goal of this app. It is a set of therapeutic hand exercises (not games) that improves fine motor skills and handwriting readiness in children and adults. A good choice for parents, as well as occupational therapists, it currently sells for $4.99.
20. Medical Spanish
    Have patients who don’t speak English? Then try out this app made specifically for medical professionals who need to communicate in Spanish. The blogger at iMedical Apps has more on the $4.99 app.
21. Smart Oral Motor
    This app is designed to help those engaged in speech therapy, particularly children with Down syndrome or apraxia of Speech. Animations and exercises help them learn. The price was also recently dropped down to $4.99.
22. Fluency Tracker
    If speech therapy is part of your practice, check out this $8.99 app. It is designed for individuals who stutter and parents of children who stutter. Fluency tracker complements the services of speech therapists in making progress towards a more fluent speech, positive feelings about speech, and reducing avoidance behaviors that are associated with stuttering.
23. Look2Learn
    The app helps kids with visual skills and assists in verbalization of needs and wants. In addition to using included images, the app allows you to use your own voice and images as part of the learning. Selling for $15.00, the app was rated number one by Autism Plugged In.
24. Grace
    Picture exchange for non-verbal people is the focus here. The app is the winner of the 2010 Irish Web Awards and United Nations World Summit Award Mobile. Now in its second version, it has loads of updates and costs $37.99.
25. Proloquo 2 Go
    Get a highly sophisticated communications app here. It was designed specifically to take the place of complex computers to help disabled children communicate that can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. Real life users of the $189 app discuss it further here.

Best General Online Tools for Occupational Therapists

26. Stories
    Part of The Occupational Therapists Daily, they feature the real life stories of practice here. Visitors can both read and send in their own stories. The site also has sections on health, education, business, society, and technology.
27. Therapy Fun Zone
    The tagline of this site is “keeping the fun in function.” They have tons of activities and ideas for occupational therapists with all sorts of patients. There is also an online community and job board with more.
28. Pediatric Occupational Therapy Tips
    Dr. Anne Zachry is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 18 years’ experience providing quality OT to children. In her blog, you can get loads of tips and online tools for helping your own pediatric patients. She recently shared stories for children with autism and Asperger syndrome.
29. Occupational Therapy Student Info
    For those still studying or who need some refresher OT tips, click here. The site offers educational sections such as anatomy and physiology. You can also get items on the occupational therapy process and case studies.
30. Gosh, That’s Neat
    This blogger keeps track of all the online tools on the web for occupational therapists on this blog. Get reviews, recommendations, and much more with a visit. Popular posts include “Words of Wisdom” and an app review.
31. OT Plan
    Stop here to get activity ideas and treatment plans for all sorts of occupational therapists. It matches the skills you want to work on, with the materials you have, to a detailed OT treatment activity. Simply scroll down to get the latest, or choose from skill, material, or plan.
32. OT Connections
    Finally, if you can’t find anything in the above, stop here. It is an online forum for occupational therapists. It contains loads of member created blogs, forum discussions, and more.

Best Online Blogs for Occupational Therapists

33. ABC Therapeutics
    Chris is an occupational therapist and owns a private practice in Western New York. His blog is an ongoing experiment in a mostly open-source exploration of occupational therapy. Stop by for expert views on everything from insurance to school based practice.
34. (B)e(LO)n(G), OT
    Karen is an occupational therapist that now works in a school district in California, after spending a year practicing in the rural Deep South. She loves the work and hopes to help others in the career. It is also a stand out choice for blogging during the school years.
35. Complete Rehab
    They are an occupational therapy practice that provides professional and compassionate care for patients in British Columbia. A recent blog series was on occupational therapy in nursing homes. The main site has more.
36. Official Therapist Blog
    Visit here for the blog of Travelforce Staffing, which specializes in therapist placing. They have loads of tips and information on the career on the blog. You can also get more tools for therapists on the main site.
37. Occupational Therapy Notes
    Cheryl shares the musings of an occupational therapist at the profession. Other topics include the future, school, work, and everyday successes. She recently blogged about working in the school system.
38. TechnOT
    From Alberta, Anita is both an occupational therapist and a teacher in the area. Her blog specializes in the role of technology in OT education and practice. One of her latest posts was on a robot that can help.
39. OT Tools for Public Schools
    Stop here for a spot to share ideas for working with students in exceptional education in public schools. The blogger enjoys sharing the experiences of those who have had breakthroughs, particularly with young children. Ideas for your own practice are also shared.
40. Salford University Occupational Therapy Education Blog
    They are a team of Occupational Therapy Educators who work at the University of Salford in the United Kingdom. Throughout the blog, they have shared ideas, experiences, and photos on occupational therapy. You can also get other resources on the blog such as a network and presentations.

Be sure and consult a licensed occupational therapist before making any major health decisions or following the advice read in the above 40 best online tools for occupational therapists.

General Career

There are a number of career tests and quizzes. By helping you explore your likes and dislikes, and by helping you pinpoint what you are good at, you can learn what career is likely to suit you best.

1. Free Career Test: This career test from Quest Career Services can give you an overview of your natural motivations and talents, and help you discover what career might be a good fit.
2. The Free Career Test: Create a profile and learn more about possible careers that match your work personality.
3. Career QUIZ: This Facebook application helps you figure out what career is most likely to fit you, and provide for a solid future.
4. Smart Career: Use this Facebook app to connect you with career choices that make sense for you.
5. CareerPath: This free career test, powered by CareerBuilder, can help you find different career options and possibilities. You can also take a job satisfaction quiz to determine whether you are really suited for your current job.
6. CareerFitter: Take a quick free version of the career test offered by CareerFitter. You can also take a full version and get more complete results when you pay a fee.
7. LiveCareer: Learn about what career might fit you best when you take this career test that looks at what you enjoy, and your work personality.
8. Job Diagnosis: You can receive a complimentary job diagnosis after taking this free career test, which helps you match position, and provides a job outlook for your career.
9. Similar Minds: Take this simple and straightforward career test to get an idea of what career might work best for you.
10. What’s Your Career Personality?: Take this career test to determine your work personality and match you with you a job that works for you.
11. Free Online Career Profile: This career tests helps you find your true career and create a direction for yourself.
12. Career Finder Test: Take this career test to figure out what is best for you.
13. Queendom: There are a number of different career tests here, which can help you pinpoint whether you would be good in certain jobs.
14. MAPP: You can get a free personal potential appraisal that can help you determine what career is most likely to help you reach your personal life mission.
15. Common Careers for Personality Types: Use this quiz to help you determine what career suits your predominant personality type.

Personality

Your personality has a lot of bearing on what kind of jobs you are most likely to be happy doing. Learn more about your personality, and what kind of person you are, to help you figure out your true career.

16. Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS-II): Learn about your own temperament and personality in order to help you get acquainted with the types of jobs you are likely to excel at.
17. 41 Questions. 1 Personality.: Take this quiz to learn more about yourself.
18. Personality Test: This Facebook app provides you with information on your personality, and what you might be suited for.
19. Dr. Phil’s Personality Test: Learn more about yourself with a little help from Dr. Phil’s Facebook application.
20. HumanMetrics: This test is based on the Carl Jung and Isabel Briggs Myers typology, and can provide you with insight into your personality.
21. Advanced Personality Test: Get a more in-depth look at your personality, and learn about your options with this application.
22. My Personality: Yet another helpful Facebook application that can help you determine what sort of personality you have, and whether it works with different careers.
23. LearnMyself Personality Test: Get a handle on who you really are. You can’t find your true career if you can’t find your true self.
24. ColorQuiz: Spend five minutes and learn more about your personality — by color.
25. What Color is Your Personality?: Learn about what color your personality is, and what that represents with this fun application.
26. Personal DNA: Find out what kind of personality you have before embarking on your true career.
27. Know Your Own Mind: Free personality analysis that can help you get to know yourself as you look for your true career path.
28. Free Personality Test: Use this to determine what kind of person you are.

College Major and University

One of the starting points on your career path is choosing the right college major, as well as attending the right university. There are a number of helpful quizzes, tests and online applications that can point you in the right direction so that you get the education and training you need to excel in your true career.

29. College Major Assessment Test: Use this test, found on About.com, to figure out the best college major for you.
30. Counselor-O-Matic: The Princeton Review offers you some help in choosing the right college and major.
31. What College Major Should You Have?: This Facebook application helps you discover what college major would work best for you.
32. College Major Quiz: Learn about different majors, and figure out which works best for you, and your career path.
33. College Major Quiz: An application that can help you pinpoint your best major choice, as well as find a minor.
34. Decide College Major Test: This free test can help you decide on a college major that best suits your career aspirations.
35. What College Major Should You Take?: This quiz helps teenagers decide on a college major by what they are interested in, and by career aspirations.
36. College MatchMaker: The College Board offers a helpful hints related to finding the right university for you, depending on your personality and career hopes.
37. The Honest College Matchmaker: Get help choosing the right college for you, and get on the right career path.
38. What is Your Perfect Major?: Get helpful hints and insights into which college major you should consider choosing.
39. Which College Major Should You Be?: Consider your personality and career path, and take this quiz to help you choose a major.
40. What Should You Study In College?: Find out what you should study in college to fit your personality and your true career.

Physical

One of the most obvious ways that occupational therapists others is through physical therapy. This includes helping patients learn to walk, or grasp small items, or any number of other tasks.

1. (B)e(LO)n(G), OT: Follow the exploits of this occupational therapy practitioner as she helps others increase their ability to perform tasks.
2. ABC Therapeutics: This blog has a focus on hand rehabilitation, but also addresses other issues related to occupational therapy.
3. Kara’s OT Blog: Get a good perspective on life and occupational therapy with insights from this therapist.
4. Chronic Pain Blog: Learn how to cope with chronic pain, and work through it on a daily basis.
5. Your Therapy Source: Learn more about occupational therapy, with a special emphasis on pediatric therapy.
6. Gosh, that’s neat!: An enthusiastic look at occupational therapy, and helping others.
7. WiiHab: An interesting look at using the Nintendo Wii as a tool in occupational and rehabilitative therapy.
8. Occupational Therapy Notes: Learn more about different approaches to occupational therapy, and get an account from a practitioner.
9. Meta-OT: Get an interesting look at occupational therapy from different bloggers who are knowledgeable about the subject.
10. HealthSkills: This is about chronic pain management and healthy living, allowing you to overcome the physical problems of pain, and functioning as a professional.
11. Prolotherapy: Learn more about this interesting therapy, and see how it might be able to help you in your life, in terms of ligament and tendon therapy.
12. GrandCare Systems: This blog looks at technology and advancements in elder care and therapy. A helpful way for seniors to remain independent as they age.
13. Occupational Therapy: This site offers insight into occupational therapy ideas, jobs and more.
14. MikeReinold.com: Helpful information on physical therapy, and how it can help you improve your ability to perform every day tasks.

Mental

Sometimes we forget that there are can be mental aspects to certain issues and conditions. An occupational therapist can also help people learn how to do non-physical tasks like balance a checking account or interact in a socially appropriate manner with others.

15. kat.blog: This blog is mainly about dealing with stroke.
16. Stroke: A look at the issues associated with stroke, and the therapy that can be used for recovery.
17. Counselling Resource: An interesting look at how to deal with real life on an emotional and mental health level.
18. change therapy: Helpful blog that focuses on eating disorders and other issues. Great way to learn how to improve quality of life.
19. Children’s Speech Therapy Corner: Learn about speech therapy for children, and how they can enhance their communication skills to put them in a better place for every day activities.
20. In Therapy: Learn about interacting with the world more effectively from this psychology perspective.
21. Everyone Needs Therapy: A look at how you can work through your issues to get the therapy you need to improve your life and function well.
22. Notes from a Therapist’s Chair: Helpful hints on therapy you can do at home. A great way to learn more about counseling, and how it can help you function at a better emotional level.
23. The Autism News: Information on autism, and information on occupational therapy related to autism.
24. Autism Blog: A great blog about autism, occupational therapy, and more.
25. NYC Therapist tells all…okay some: An interesting look at mental health and therapy, and a look at how to cope on a daily basis. Also includes a dash of humor.
26. ADHD Blog: Learn more about ADHD and ADD, and the therapies that can help those who live with it focus and perform daily tasks.
27. Online Therapy Institute: This blog offers insight into bringing technology together with mental health.

News

Learn about the latest developments in occupational therapy, and stay on top of what you should be learning about the field. These blogs provide helpful insights and the latest headlines in occupational therapy.

28. ADVANCE Outlook: OT: Get the latest from the field of occupational therapy, and learn about issues in the field. An interesting and news-based approach.
29. Rehabilitation/Physical Therapy News: Get a look at the latest headlines regarding occupational therapy from Medical News Today.
30. Ang Therapist: Get information about seminars, findings and the latest headlines in a number of therapy subjects, including occupational therapy.
31. TodayinOT: Learn about what is happening in occupational therapy, following headlines, and getting specific information about areas of interest and specialty.
32. Physical Therapy: Keep up with the latest news in therapy, and learn about job openings.
33. TodayinPT: Learn more about the latest developments in physical therapy, and occupational therapy.
34. Therapy Times: A variety of news sources and bloggers who share the latest headlines in therapy, including occupational therapy.
35. MentalHelp.net: Learn about different therapies related to mental health, including therapies that can help you get on with everyday life.
36. Counseling and Therapy News: Quick overview of news headlines in the world of therapy.

Academic, Professional and Career

Get access to professional and academic organizations and publicans about occupational therapy. Helpful blogs that can help you find the strength of organized occupational therapy, and maybe even network.

37. Occupational Therapy – educational issues: Get a handle on the issues associated with occupational therapy in New Zealand.
38. RehabCare: This blog focuses on college recruiting. A great way to get your start in an occupational therapy career.
39. Salford University Occupational Therapy Education Blog: Learn about the latest in OT education in the U.K.
40. TechnOT: Learn about using technology for occupational therapy, from this college teacher who knows about the subject.
41. The Public Occupational Therapy Journal: Learn more about issues and professional practice from the articles highlighted by this journal.
42. Rehabilitation: Medline Plus offers a wealth of information, articles and more about occupational therapy and more.
43. Therapy Jobs: Read articles on career information, and look at job listings for occupational therapists.
44. The American Occupational Therapy Association: Professional organization for occupational therapists. Read the latest news, find events and look for jobs.
45. OTworks.ca: A helpful resource for Canadian occupational therapists.
46. APTA: The American Physical Therapy Association offers news and articles of interest to those who work in therapy.

First Hand Therapy Accounts

One of the ways you can gain inspiration as an occupational therapist is to learn what others have to say about their experiences. Learn about what people go through in therapy, and gain greater insight into how you can help.

47. StrokeSurvivorBlog: Learn, first hand, about how a stroke can affect lives, and what goes into therapy.
48. Vicarious Therapy: Follow the therapy sessions of “Aqua”, who hopes to learn how to cope and live life with Chronic Major Depressive Order.
49. Tales of a (Recovering) Disordered Eater: Learn what it’s like to be recovering from an eating disorder, and re-establishing a more normal relationship with food.
50. Fuzzy Pink Slippers: Follow the efforts of this blogger who works to become more functional.

This list of 40 free open courseware classes focuses on those tools, from human development and barriers to that development to workplace conditions to classes on how the brain affects adaptation after injury.

Human Development and Barriers

1. Anatomy and Physiology: This four-week course covers all the basics involved with the various body systems, including respiratory, nervous and digestive systems [Western Governors University].
2. Health Across the Life Span: Frameworks, Contexts, and Measurements: This course covers several themes, including contributions of biological and environmental factors to health and human development [Johns Hopkins].
3. Health and Fitness: This course sets a baseline for ‘normal’ human fitness, including nutrition, emotional health and disease and body systems [Western Governors University].
4. Health Assessment and Promotion: This course focuses on the complete health assessment, the nursing process, and its relationship to the prevention and early detection of disease in clients across the life span [UMass Boston].
5. Health Issues for Aging Populations: Introduces the study of aging, its implications for individuals, families, and society, and the background for health policy related to older persons [Johns Hopkins].
6. Human Growth and Development: One can follow various developmental “tracks” longitudinally from birth to death, following the development of motor, language or cognitive capacities and skills from the beginning of life to its end [Tufts].
7. Managing Long-Term Care Services for Aging Populations: This course considers long-term service delivery programs designed to meet the special needs of seniors [Johns Hopkins].
8. Musculoskeletal Pathophysiology: Become familiar with the immunology and pathophysiology of autoimmune diseases that may predominantly affect joints but also affect multiple organ systems of the body in some diseases [Tufts].
9. Parkinson’s Disease Workshop: This six-week summer workshop explored different aspects of PD [MIT].
10. Special Care in Dentistry: This course focuses on dentistry, but it also broaches special needs dental patients who often need physical therapy [Tufts].
11. Substance Abuse and the Family: This course focuses on families with members who are substance abusers, and the ways in which these families function [UMass Boston].

Occupational Health Topics

12. Action Research for Educational, Professional, and Personal Change: This course covers techniques for and critical thinking about the evaluation of changes in educational practices and policies in schools, organizations, and informal contexts [UMass Boston].
13. Collaborative Consultation and Larger Systems: How do individuals and families interface with larger systems, and how do therapists intervene collaboratively? [UMass Boston].
14. Confronting the Burden of Injuries: This course is intended to guide students interested in working on injury control in areas with little to no tradition in injury prevention from a public health perspective [Johns Hopkins].
15. Changing the Face of American Healthcare: This seminar invites the student to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of our health care system [Notre Dame].
16. Disease and Society in America: This course examines the growing importance of medicine in culture, economics and politics [MIT].
17. Introduction to Clinical Pain Problems: This course introduces the general principles of biomedical evaluation and management of common clinical pain problems [Tufts].
18. Introduction to Mental Health and Disaster Preparedness: This presentation introduces the topics of disaster mental health services, mental health surge capacity, and psychiatric first aid [Johns Hopkins].
19. Measuring Health Disparities: Measuring Health Disparities is designed to be accessible to a broad audience of practitioners across all sectors of the public health workforce [Open Michigan].
20. Medical Product Quality Systems: Learn about the essential elements of Quality System Regulations (QSR’s) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s) [University of California at Irvine].
21. Nutrition and Medicine: This course teaches basic nutrition principles that are relevant to other medical courses such as pathology, growth and development, and pharmacology [Tufts].
22. Occupational Health and Vulnerable Worker Populations: This course focuses on strategies for identifying and removing barriers that affect health and work performance [Johns Hopkins].
23. Physical Intelligence: This course takes an innovative, hands-on approach to explore the kinesthetic intelligence of the body as applicable to a wide range of disciplines [MIT].
24. Population Medicine: The purpose of this course is to shift your attention away from the pathophysiologic effects of disease on individuals and refocus it on the health of the public [Tufts].
25. Principles of Industrial Hygiene: This course provides an introduction to the field of industrial hygiene and to occupational health in general [Johns Hopkins].

Behavioral and Brain

26. Abnormal Language: Discussion of specific language impairments, autism, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, normal aging, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, hemispherectomy and aphasia [MIT].
27. Brain Mechanisms for Hearing and Speech: An advanced course covering anatomical, physiological, behavioral, and computational studies of the central nervous system relevant to speech and hearing [MIT].
28. Cognitive & Behavioral Genetics: How genetics can add to our understanding of cognition, language, emotion, personality, and behavior [MIT].
29. Introduction to Social Psychology: The goal of this class is to provide students with a working knowledge of social psychology [Notre Dame].
30. Marriage & Family Relationships: This is an introductory course on marriage and the family, intended to present a more balanced understanding than your own personal experience might give you [Utah State University].
31. Masculinity, Sexual Behavior & Health: Reading seminar focusing on male adolescent health and sexual issues and explores the meaning of masculinity and the impact of masculine beliefs on men’s health and health care use [Johns Hopkins].
32. Neural Basis of Movement: This undergraduate course is an introduction to the field of motor control and motor learning [MIT].
33. Psychosocial Aspects of Visual Impairment: Learn about the psychosocial aspects of vision loss. Coping techniques and issues of self-esteem are explored, along with principles of self-determination [UMass Boston].
34. Sensation And Perception: This course provides an introduction to important philosophical questions about the mind, specifically those that are intimately connected with contemporary psychology and neuroscience [MIT].
35. Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health: This course is designed to help students develop basic literacy regarding social concepts and processes that influence health status and public health interventions [Johns Hopkins].
36. Social and Behavioral Foundations of Primary Health Care: This course aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to diagnose (understand) community, individual, and organizational behaviors and change processes in developing countries and in cross-cultural settings [Johns Hopkins].
37. Social Attitudes and Public Opinion: This course examines the nature of attitudes, beliefs, and values, and the influences which individuals’ attitudes have upon their behavior [UMass Boston].
38. Statistical Methods in Brain and Cognitive Science: This course emphasizes statistics as a powerful tool for studying complex issues in behavioral and biological sciences, and explores the limitations of statistics as a method of inquiry [MIT].
39. Stress Management: This is an introductory course focusing on the causes of stress, recognizing personal stressors and life change management for stress control [Weber State University].

1. Choosing an Occupation is Easy

Putting some thought and research into your eventual livelihood is important. Discovering the pros and cons of an occupation will help you find something that is a better fit.

2. Job Experts and Career Counselors Have All the Answers

While an expert may be able to offer insight as to a particular industry, ultimately it will be up to you to choose your career path.

3. A Job Cannot Be Fun

Spend some time ascertaining as to how your skills and passions could be profitable, and you may have found your calling in life.

4. Choosing a “Cutting-Edge” Job is the Way to Go

A job labeled as the “wave of the future” may not necessarily last. As technology and culture change so does the job market. Do not settle for something trendy, but rather something sustaining.

5. Money Equals Job Satisfaction

In the short-term, money can definitely be a great motivator. Ultimately, though, other factors such as the work environment, self-actualization and pride in one’s work can lead to a greater sense of fulfillment.

6. A Career is Forever

You will always have the option to start over if you so choose. If your profession is not a good match, you owe it to yourself to find another one.

7. My Current Job Skills Are Not Applicable to Getting a New Job

Every job has transferable skills that can be relatable to your next career move. It is up to you interpret how your experience can be an asset to your new company.

8. Once I Find my Career I am All Set

Choosing your career is just the beginning. Setting goals for yourself is equally important to make sure that you are growing as an individual and striving to meet your potential.

9. Having On-the-Job Experience is a Must

Researching trade magazines or interviewing those in the field can give you a foot in the door you may be seeking, especially when job posting requires a certain amount knowledge or experience.

1. What kind of work turns you ON? – Think about it and you could be surprised at the answer that emerges from the depths of your thought processes. Think about the kind of work you look forward to now and the things that inspired you as a kid in school. You will definitely see a connection here.

2. What are your hobbies? Rare is the man that does not have a hobby. We’ve all had one at some point in time and many of us still strive to take time out for it. Our hobbies are our connection to what could have been… Very often a hobby is an expression of release for suppressed desires; aspirations that didn’t take wings fully.

3. What’s your talent? – There is not a man in the world that is totally bereft of some skill that he takes pride in, something that he would be the best at in a group of ten friends. That talent, perhaps, is your real calling. It can be anything – having the gift of gab, painting, a good voice, good looks, or great acting skills. The difficult part is to have the guts to pursue the talent through the various ditches and thorn bushes till you arrive at your destination.

4. What if you won the lottery? – This is a great exercise to objectively decide what you would really wish to do with your life if your financial needs were taken care of. It works for me. It clears away the mist and I can see myself doing social service, no seriously I mean it. After all, what’s a retired businessman that does not give back to society?

5. Take corny online tests – One wonders how they come up with the questions; the neat part is that some of questions asked in the tests are sensible and you can detect a pattern in the questioning. Try your luck with a few of these and then match their answers to your own conclusions.

6. Share the thought in a group – It can be a good idea to stir up a debate on the matter. Ask your friend what he was born to do and then play the devil’s advocate to his sincere answers.

7. What turns you OFF? – Find out what you don’t like about your work. Be objective, don’t draw up a litany of woes and include everything from the office coffee to your mother-in-law.

8. What if your time on earth was limited?- Another nice thinking / visualization idea to really get some clarity on what we would truly love to do with our time so that when it runs out we can have some satisfaction of having lived fruitfully.

9. Where are your thoughts when you are at your workstation? – This one is a dead giveaway and will surely tell you the bare facts of what you’d love to do, though it may not necessarily be the same thing as what you were born to do.

10. What if you were made dictator perpetuo? – How would you use unlimited power? What changes would be first on your agenda? What greater good would occupy top priority for you?

11. What are your most beautiful childhood memories? – The luckiest guys are those that enjoy their work and look forward to it. A lot of these people have early exposure to the kind of work they come to love. If your favorite memories are of wandering in the field collecting rocks and insects, then you were a cinch for a geologist’s or entomologist’s job.