Choosing a career path is an important part of your life - and it may not be an easy decision. It's okay to be sure unsure what you want to do. Below are some helpful tips on how to explore career options that may be a great fit for you.

 

Online Career Research

Firsthand (formerly Vault)

First year student exploring your options? Recent graduate looking to break into your field of study? Firsthand has resources and information for you! A one stop shop for all your career journey needs!

The Library

  • Vault Guides
  • Explore Careers
  • Getting the Job Resources
  • Thriving at Work

Careers

  • Vault Rankings
  • Company Profiles
  • Professions
  • Industry Profiles and Outlook Information
  • Internship Information

Go to Firsthand
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Candid Career

Candid Career currently features a video library of 6,000+ career clips.

Go to Candid Career

 

WOIS

Use WOIS/The Career Information System to explore careers, create goals for your future, make educational plans to reach your goals, and find the training programs and the right schools to help you achieve your dreams.

Don't know which careers to explore? A career interest survey is a great way to begin. It helps you see how your interests, skills or values fit with potential careers.

Go to WOIS
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O*NET Online

O*NET Online has detailed descriptions of the world of work for use by job seekers, workforce development and HR professionals, students, developers, researchers, and more!

Find, search, or browse across 900+ occupations based on your goals and needs. Then use comprehensive reports to learn about requirements, characteristics, and available opportunities for your selected occupation.

Go to O*NET Online

Informational Interviews

Informational Interviews are a great tool for exploring career options. The structure is different from a regular interview.

  • Interviewer: You
  • Interviewee: Someone who works in a job/industry of interest

Purpose: There are several reasons for someone to do an informational interview:

  • To learn more about a job/career to see if it matches your interests
  • To gain insights/advice from someone in your desired field/career on how to be a competitive candidate for roles in the industry
  • To build your network in a field of interest
  • To explore options for a career transition

Preparation:

  • Have a list of questions prepared.
  • Respect the time of the person you are interviewing! Pay attention to the time and don’t go beyond the scheduled timeframe.
  • Follow up with a thank you email.
  • Informational Interview Sample Questions

Volunteer

Participating in volunteer work is a great way to explore career options and gain experience in your major area of study while helping your community. There are many opportunities for college students (and graduates) to gain work experience. A volunteer job can provide you with the opportunity to put into practice the theories you have learned in school while providing valuable community service. The trick is to match your interests to a volunteer work position. Examples:

  • Interested in marketing? Gain experience by helping to promote a blood drive.
  • Want to work in tech? Practice programming skills by building a website for a non-profit.
  • Interested in urban planning or construction? Volunteer to help build a house for a charitable cause.

Job Shadow

Setting up a time to "shadow" a professional is a great way to learn more about the field and to experience working life. So what's the best way to go about becoming a job shadow?

Sometimes, you can set up shadowing experiences on your own, with family, friends, or acquaintances -- or by contacting a company or organization that you know offers the sort of experience you're seeking. But generally, it's best to work through Career Development & Education, where Career Coaches can provide guidance and opportunities. Husky Landing and LinkedIn are excellent places to start locating contacts.