Sample Career Decision Balance Sheet

Here is an example of a decision balance sheet completed by a person thinking about joining the Peace Corps:

Option: Join the Peace Corps

Gains

Losses

Self:	Challenging work	Low pay
	Live in another country and culture exciting!	Away from friends and family.
	Opportunity to teach and travel.	May have trouble adjusting; may be lonely.
	Chance to test myself and grow as a person.
Significant Others:	My students will learn some of my skills and knowledge so they can better themselves and their country.	Family and friends will miss me.

Approval

Disapproval

Self:	Helping others	Will not be able to pay off college loans as soon as I said would, and I may feel disappointment in myself because of this.
	I will help make this a better world.
	I can share with others, in a small way, the advantages I have had by my birth in the U.S.
Significant Others:	Parents will be proud of me.	College advisor wants me to go graduate school at his alma mater.
	My minister will be pleased.	Brother thinks I'm stupid; I'm just a phony do-gooder, that I should think about my future.

He also completed decision balance sheets for the two other choices he was considering: go to graduate school and work as a teacher in local school.

For your own use, print a blank decision balance sheet.

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