It can sometimes seem like everyone around you is exerting tons of pressure on you to know what you want to be when you “grow up.” This could mean that you might need to go to college, a trade school, or just enter the workforce. Nonetheless, these are big decisions and they can sometimes be difficult to make. Because we (your school counselors) know that, we have provided a list of resources for you to use to help you in your career planning process. The first set of resources is a collection of websites that offer career exploration exercises. Some of them include assessments so that you can match your interests and abilities to careers that might work best for you. Other websites simply allow you the ability to delve deeper into what some of the career options entail. In any event, use these resources to your advantage. If you would like to discuss results with your counselor please feel free to do so!
The second set of resources is a small collection of career planning worksheets. These will help you to narrow down career options, career goals, and map out some of the decision making details. These are also tools you can bring to your counselor for help or to talk through your career path. We are here to help!!
Online Resources for Career Exploration:
1. The Career Zone website is a program designed for high school students. Once you create a username and password you can take assessments that match your interests and abilities to some great career options. The other side of this tool is to explore those career matched further. Please note that the inventory you take is meant to match you to possible career options. This does not mean that if you get “plumber” as a career option that you are destined to be a plumber. This resources is meant to help you explore possibilities
2. Career Explorer is another website that offers a free career interest inventory so that you can match you career interests and abilities to possible career options for your future. This is another great tool to assess yourself. It could open up possibilities that you have not considered before.
3. The online Occupational Outlook Handbook offered by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great site that offers information about a variety of different careers. After taking some of the above career assessments, this tool could really help you flesh out your options. You can find information about the education levels needed, job prospects, working conditions and much more for each occupation you are considering.
4. Learn More Indiana Career Interest Inventories is a website that offers five different tools and assessment instruments that could be useful in career exploration and planning.
5. Careership is another career interest website that uses the O*NET profiler to offer you information about what career options might interest you. Again, Please note that the inventory you take is meant to match you to possible career options. This does not mean that if you get “plumber” as a career option that you are destined to be a plumber. Have fun with this one- it is a great resource!
6. Career Focus 2000 Interest Inventory is another great tool that helps you assess your interests in certain aspects of the world of work. This is a simple and relatively short assessment.
7. Job Profiles is a great online tool. You will be able to learn about a variety of different career options. This is a great resource, but please note that it does not note all career options. You may want to look at the online Occupational Outlook Handbook for additional information.
8. Career Path is yet another great online tool that offers a variety of assessments. These assessment tools will further aid you in your quest to finding a career path that is right for you.