Career Exploration

If you have taken a career assessment or interest inventory, you were probably matched with a list of potential career options that someone with your personality traits, interests and abilities might enjoy. The next step in the process is to do your research and explore what your options are and find a career path that will best for you.

Explore Careers using Focus

Once you have completed the Focus program assessment you can explore various career paths based on your results. This Program will help you to understand the basics of different industries and the level of education that will be required to be successful. Think of what is going to be important to you:

• Is this a career that sounds exciting to me?
• Would I be happy about going to work?
• What course of study is expected or preferred?
• Will you need to go to graduate school?
• What is the average salary?
• What is the future job outlook?

Informational Interviews

A great way to learn more about a specific career is to talk to someone who already does that job.  If you know someone who is in the profession you are interested in, set up a time to talk and learn more about what they do on a daily basis.  If you do not know anyone in the career you would like to pursue the Career Development Center can help you reach out to professionals and assist in developing questions to get the conversation started. 

Real World Experience

Sometimes the only way to know if a career is the right fit is to get first hand information or experience about the profession from someone who's done it. Steps every student should take when they are considering a career path include the following:

• Talk to people you know who do similar work.
• Set-up an informational interview or job-shadowing experience.
• Try to get an Experiential Learning opportunity in the field.
• Complete an internship that will get you hands on experience.