Post-Graduate Options Matrix Tool

By: Cathy A. Enz Ph.D. and Gary M. Thompson Ph.D.

Executive Summary

The post-graduate options matrix is a decision-making tool designed to help individuals evaluate various job offers or future plans. This life-planning tool allows students and other job seekers the opportunity to explore different employment or educational options, by applying important decision criteria to various possibilities. Working through a series of steps, a job seeker can establish criteria for the assessment and comparison of different jobs or post-graduation life choices and then systematically rate and compare choices. The options matrix is self-explanatory and designed for easy use. This future-planning tool is a simple way for individuals to weight and explore employment options.