How to know what career is best for you is no easy task. There’s a lot to consider from your strengths and weaknesses to your passions, and some people don’t know what they want to do when they graduate high school. That’s perfectly okay! There’s time to figure it out – many schools don’t need you to select a major until the end of sophomore year or the beginning of the junior year!
But what if it’s time to figure it out? Well, these tips will help you get to the bottom of the best career for you.
1. Consider Your Strengths and Weaknesses
First up, you should think carefully about your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to your education and skill base, and personality. These can help you narrow down the career field to start with.
For example, if you tend to struggle in math, a career in engineering probably won’t be a strong choice for you. But if you happen to work well with kids, you might want to consider a job in teaching.
Think outside of your classes, too, as there are other factors and skills that can come into play that go beyond your high school grades. If you’re allergic to cats, you should probably steer clear of a career as a vet tech! And if you’re short on patience, a job as a driving instructor may cause more harm than good.
Consider taking a personality test like Gallup Strengths Finder or 16Personalities and try brainstorming some careers that fit into your strengths!
2. List Your Passions
You absolutely want to select a career that fits your interests. Going into accounting when you can’t stand the work is a good way to get a severe case of burnout in the near future and is a sure way to know that career is NOT best for you. But entering English when you love writing and reading can be a great option!
Make a running list of your interests, passions, and loves. And don’t think anything too trivial to write down! If you love video games, write it down. It could help you enter a career in gaming. If you love going for walks, write it down. It could help you enter a career in forestry.
You may very well discover that this list of your passions combined with your strengths and weaknesses points you to the answer.
3. Visit Your College’s Career Center
If you’re still unsure about a career or want more information, make sure to visit your college’s career center. They offer a ton of resources including resume writing, mock interviews, and networking opportunities. However, they can also help you determine a career!
Talking with an advisor, for instance, will help you lay out your passions, strengths, and weaknesses more clearly if you’re struggling with them. And the advisor may actually throw out some careers that you haven’t even considered before. Many career centers also have career tests that have you answer questions to determine the best fields for you.
In addition, career centers can help you partner with various organizations to get you shadowing opportunities. This is where you follow an employee for a day or a week to get an idea of their day-to-day. For many of us, what we envision in a career is rarely the truth of it. Forensic science is a great example. Students enter the field believing it will be like the TV shows, but quickly discover it’s nothing like they’ve been told or imagined!
Shadowing, therefore, can be an amazing asset to your career search – even if you feel you’re set on your job path!
4. Take Classes That Call To You
One good thing about college is the fact that you’re allowed (and supposed) to take electives in anything you wish! This is a fantastic way to explore different areas of study that are not directly related to your currently declared major or general education requirements. If a class on basket weaving interests you, take it! If an anthropology class on witchcraft is calling your name, take it! You might just find the perfect major and career for you in these classes. They’re also extremely memorable and widen your horizons. Some of these classes may even work as general education requirements, too.
And you don’t technically have to wait until junior year to take electives, either. Some of these classes may even work as general education requirements. Schedules usually allow some wiggle room for electives during your first and second years of college, too.
Selecting a career that is best for you can be daunting, especially if you’re only 18. However, taking the time to lay out all the information about yourself, talk to a career advisor, and broaden your horizons in your college experience can all work wonders in helping you make a decision. What will you be pursuing?
College Raptor’s Career Search also can help you make the decision! Each career has a page that lists out expected salary, the best majors for the job, expected job growth, and more! You can use it for free right here.
