Career Exploration

Tips for Exploring Careers

Career exploration is a very important step to help you determine your future goals. Choose a career goal that will help you focus on what you want to do for a living. It can be a specific job you want to do – such as doctor or teacher – or be a particular field you want to work in, such as medicine or education.

• Assess your skills and interests.
• Develop a career plan. Use the Career Planning Checklist at
  • http://www.educationplanner.org/students/career-planning/checklists/high-school.shtml.
• Research careers and interest-based career assessments:
  • http://career.missouri.edu/career-interest-game
• Research different careers and majors using the links below.
  • http://www.myplan.com/careers/index.php
  • http://www.mynextmove.org/
  • http://www.onetonline.org/
  • http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/a/career_briefs.html
  • org
  • org
  • http://www.bls.gov/ooh/
• View career videos:
  • http://www.careeronestop.org/Videos/CareerandClusterVideos/career-and-cluster-videos.aspx
  • http://careerwise.minnstate.edu/info/videos.html
• Select a college. When you identify your career goal, it will be much easier to choose a college or university that will provide you with the appropriate education. Check out “College Search” section on this website for further assistance.
• Prepare for college and be sure to take the right classes.

And the number one tip for career planning is to get an internship, either paid or unpaid. Getting a summer internship before you enter college will give you the opportunity to try your intended career to make sure you have made the right choice. It is also very beneficial while in college since in today’s economy graduates that have experience through an internship have a better chance at getting a job.

Therefore, once you have narrowed down your career choices, you will be able to plan accordingly by taking the right courses in high school, getting an internship, and choosing the college major that will help you reach your goal. Find “What can I do with a major in…” resources here.