Career Planning
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
A simple question? For a few people, it is. They will have known what they have wanted to do from their earliest memories. Yet, for most people in high school, they tend to not know the answer to this question. Knowing what you want to do in life is a journey. What will be the best way to chart your course? While some will leave it to chance, the smart decision is to gather information from a number of sources and evaluate as you go. The first place to look is right in the mirror. By asking yourself questions regarding, your interests, values, skills, strengths and weaknesses, you begin to formulate ideas of what is important to you, what you are good at and what you need to improve upon. All of this is important information. Then you can build on this knowledge and begin to learn how certain occupational tasks tend to cluster into defined careers. With that, you are now putting yourself on the fast track!
Other helpful things to consider on your journey is to keep an open mind to opportunities as they present themselves. Take calculated risks. Do you know someone who is in a job that intrigues you? Ask them about what they do. Don't know much about an elective class that is offered? Take it and see what you think. Sometimes knowing what you do not like is as important as what you do like. What about volunteering or getting a job so as to get a better feel for the world of work? Perhaps the goal would be to strengthen skills like consistently showing up on time and improving communication skills. Or you can try a new extracurricular activity or club at school. The more information you have, the better!
Questions to ask at a Career Fair
Other Resources to Check Out:
Is a New York State career exploration and planning program. Modules include the Portfolio which assist students in identifying work interests, skills and values. In order to use the Portfolio, you must first create an account. This site offers direct access to detailed career and education information for more than 800 occupations.
This program is a multi-faceted tool to explore careers, occupations, post-secondary educational plans, financial aid, etc.
Log in is required: School ID: 8277767 Password: QWNVMP%9zf
An interest inventory sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Select occupations by pay, education, on-the-job training, projected number of new jobs and growth rate.
Highlights the 30 most popular careers and more, with job descriptions, salary stats, education and training information included.
What can I do with a major in...
Related career titles, major skills, job and internship search.