Faculty Guide: Using PathwayU Results in Advising

PathwayU provides students with insights into their interests, values, personality traits, and workplace preferences. Faculty can help students interpret these results, reflect on them, and connect them to academic and career planning. The goal is to support self-awareness, goal-setting, and meaningful conversations about future opportunities.

Key Messages to Share with Students

PathwayU is about exploration, not prescription

Results provide guidance and insight, not a fixed career path.

Self-awareness is a foundation for career planning

Understanding personal strengths and preferences helps students make informed decisions about majors, experiences, and careers.

Reflection leads to action

Encourage students to consider how the results resonate with their goals and what next steps they might take.

Guide Students Through Their PathwayU Insights

Below are suggested approaches and questions faculty can use to help students interpret their interests, values, personality, and workplace preferences.

Faculty Tips

  • Emphasize that interests are about motivation and enjoyment, not limits.
  • Encourage students to explore careers aligned with what energizes them.
  • Use results to help students reflect on classes, extracurriculars, or projects they enjoy.

Conversation Prompts

  • “I see that Realistic and Investigative are your top interests. Can you tell me about any experiences you’ve had that reflect these?”
  • “How do these interests show up in your coursework or activities?”
  • “Are there classes or experiences you haven’t tried yet that align with your interests?”

Optional Reflection Exercise

  • Ask students to complete: “I am someone who…” based on primary and secondary interests, then discuss how that shapes academic or career choices.

Faculty Tips

  • Values help students prioritize what’s important in their work and life.
  • Encourage students to rank values and consider which ones matter most in their future career.
  • Remind students there are no right or wrong answers—values are personal.

Conversation Prompts

  • “Your top value is Independence. How might that show up in the types of work environments or projects you pursue?”
  • “Which of your values could guide your next internship, research opportunity, or career exploration?”
  • “Have you noticed any conflicts between your current activities and your values? How might you address them?”

Optional Reflection Exercise

  • Ask students to complete: “For me to be satisfied at work, it is important that I…” and discuss alignment with career planning.

Faculty Tips

  • Discuss personality as a framework for understanding behavior, not as a limit.
  • Highlight that personality insights can help students navigate teamwork, leadership, and work environments.
  • Encourage students to articulate their strengths in ways that align with their personality traits.

Conversation Prompts

  • “You scored high in Conscientiousness. How does that affect your approach to projects or deadlines?”
  • “Your Extraversion score is moderate-to-low. How do you recharge or collaborate effectively in group settings?”
  • “How could understanding your personality help you choose courses, roles, or internships that fit you best?”

Optional Reflection Exercise

  • Have students write statements like: “Someone with my score in Conscientiousness contributes to a team by…” and discuss practical examples.

Faculty Tips

  • Discuss personality as a framework for understanding behavior, not as a limit.
  • Highlight that personality insights can help students navigate teamwork, leadership, and work environments.
  • Encourage students to articulate their strengths in ways that align with their personality traits.

Conversation Prompts

  • “You scored high in Conscientiousness. How does that affect your approach to projects or deadlines?”
  • “Your Extraversion score is moderate-to-low. How do you recharge or collaborate effectively in group settings?”
  • “How could understanding your personality help you choose courses, roles, or internships that fit you best?”

Optional Reflection Exercise

  • Ask students to draft 2-3 questions to ask a potential employer about their workplace values and culture.

General Faculty Strategies

  1. Start Advising Conversations With Results:
    • “I noticed your PathwayU results show a strong interest in Artistic and Social areas. Let’s talk about how that might fit with your academic or career goals.”
  2. Connect Results to Action:
    • Suggest courses, student organizations, research opportunities, or internships that align with students’ results.
  3. Use Worksheets as Discussion Tools:
    • Encourage students to complete reflection worksheets before advising meetings and use them to guide conversation.
  4. Normalize Growth and Change:
    • Remind students results are a snapshot, not a fixed identity. Encourage exploration and flexibility.
  5. Follow-Up:
    • Encourage students to revisit PathwayU results periodically as interests, values, and experiences evolve.

Campus Resources to Share

Point students to helpful Career Edge resources, such as the Resume & Cover Letters resource page. See below for more details.

Students can log in through Career Edge under Quick Links or directly at: stthomas.pathwayu.com.

Faculty & Staff can request administrator access by contacting career@stthomas.edu. Administrators can access additional resources, view student accounts, and download reports.

Note: PathwayU is a required part of FYEX 100 within the Career and Vocation module, so all students should have an active account.

Advisors can help students interpret their results, explore related careers, and identify actionable steps. Appointment times with career educators can be found via Handshake.