Exploring Careers – Where do I start?

Not sure what career is right for you? That’s okay! Many students start with what they enjoy, not a specific job title.

Use these questions to explore careers from different perspectives and discover possibilities you may not have considered. Explore on your own or have the answers ready for your next appointment with Career Services.

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Your major opens doors to many career paths, not just one.

Ask yourself:

  • What careers are common for my major? 
  • What careers might I not know about? 
  • What graduate programs do students from my major pursue? 
  • What industries hire graduates with my degree? 

Helpful Resources:

  • What Can I Do With This Major? 
  • LinkedIn Alumni 
  • Career Coach appointment 
  • Faculty members 
  • Alumni 
  • Career Dreamer

Think about the skills you’ve developed through classes, research, clubs, athletics, work, and volunteer experiences.

Examples include:

  • Communication 
  • Leadership 
  • Teamwork 
  • Problem-solving 
  • Research 
  • Data analysis 
  • Creativity 
  • Technical skills 
  • Organization 
  • Public speaking 

Ask yourself:

  • Which skills do I enjoy using? 
  • Which skills do others compliment me on? 
  • What skills do I want to continue developing? 

Think about what naturally grabs your attention.

Do you enjoy:

  • Science and discovery? 
  • Technology? 
  • Healthcare? 
  • The environment? 
  • Animals? 
  • Business? 
  • Design? 
  • Education? 
  • Politics? 
  • Sports? 
  • Writing? 
  • Working with people? 
  • Building things? 

Questions to consider:

  • What topics could I spend hours learning about? 
  • Which classes make me excited to attend? 
  • What do I enjoy reading, watching, or talking about? 

The type of work environment you enjoy can be just as important as the work itself.

Would you rather:

  • Work indoors or outdoors? 
  • Work independently or on a team? 
  • Travel frequently or stay local?
  • Have a structured schedule or something different every day? 
  • Work with people, data, technology, or ideas? 
  • Work in a laboratory, office, hospital, classroom, field site, or manufacturing facility? 

There is no right answer, understanding your preferences can help narrow your options.

Your personality can influence the environments and roles where you’ll thrive.

Think about questions like:

  • Do I enjoy leading others? 
  • Am I energized by meeting new people? 
  • Do I prefer working behind the scenes? 
  • Do I enjoy analyzing information? 
  • Do I like creating new ideas? 
  • Do I enjoy organizing projects? 
  • Do I like hands-on work? 

Helpful resources:

  • Career assessments through Career Services 
  • Career Dreamer 
  • Reflection exercises with a Career Coach 

Research consistently shows that values are one of the strongest predictors of long-term career satisfaction.

Ask yourself what matters most in your future career.

Examples include:

  • Helping others 
  • Continuous learning 
  • Financial stability 
  • Creativity 
  • Flexibility 
  • Job security
  • Innovation 
  • Leadership 
  • Work-life balance 
  • Independence 
  • Collaboration 
  • Service 
  • Adventure 
  • Recognition 

Questions to consider:

  • What motivates me? 
  • What would make me excited to go to work each day? 
  • What would make me unhappy in a career?