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Where is a good place to start when it comes to looking for things that interest me?
I am a sophomore in high school, and I really have no idea what I want to do career-wise.
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5 answers
Updated
Pamela’s Answer
Hi Natalie,
Sophomore year is a great time to start thinking about what career path to take. Kudos to getting started!
My advice is to begin with taking a career assessment test. This will help you narrow down what interests you career wise. I've included 2 links below to get you started. Truity has fun one with just pictures of various careers. There are many other assessments, so try them out and see if you get the same answers. There are no right or wrong answers. These tests are meant to be fun so do not stress. Use your instinct and go with your first choice.
Also consider what you like to do for fun or as a hobby. Then research to see if there are any career fields in that area or similar to it.
Remember once you find an area of interest, do some research. Contact companies to see you can take a tour, conduct an informational interview with someone in the position or job shadow.
This is a fun and exciting time. Good luck!
https://www.mynextmove.org/
https://www.truity.com/
Sophomore year is a great time to start thinking about what career path to take. Kudos to getting started!
My advice is to begin with taking a career assessment test. This will help you narrow down what interests you career wise. I've included 2 links below to get you started. Truity has fun one with just pictures of various careers. There are many other assessments, so try them out and see if you get the same answers. There are no right or wrong answers. These tests are meant to be fun so do not stress. Use your instinct and go with your first choice.
Also consider what you like to do for fun or as a hobby. Then research to see if there are any career fields in that area or similar to it.
Remember once you find an area of interest, do some research. Contact companies to see you can take a tour, conduct an informational interview with someone in the position or job shadow.
This is a fun and exciting time. Good luck!
Pamela recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Melody’s Answer
Hello Natalie,
There are many counseling and career websites that try to help you learn about your interests and possible career choices. You can easily goggle: 'interest and career', 'my best job fit' or 'interest inventories/surveys'. Here is one: https://www.careeraddict.com/identifying-career-interests. The article has a table of contents, so click on those topics that interest you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Think about your general interests
Consider what you’re good at
Forget about the money
Think about your hobbies
Talk to a career counsellor
Take an online career assessment
Think about what’s important to you
Consider your childhood dreams
Identify your professional hero
Review your work history
Research different careers
Use your network
Ask family and friends for feedback
Try it out
There are many counseling and career websites that try to help you learn about your interests and possible career choices. You can easily goggle: 'interest and career', 'my best job fit' or 'interest inventories/surveys'. Here is one: https://www.careeraddict.com/identifying-career-interests. The article has a table of contents, so click on those topics that interest you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Think about your general interests
Consider what you’re good at
Forget about the money
Think about your hobbies
Talk to a career counsellor
Take an online career assessment
Think about what’s important to you
Consider your childhood dreams
Identify your professional hero
Review your work history
Research different careers
Use your network
Ask family and friends for feedback
Try it out
Updated
Martina’s Answer
Hi Natalie! This is a great time to think about career choices as well as a major in college. Please do not put too much pressure on yourself. If you decide to attend college, normally the first 2 years you are taking electives. This will allow you time to figure out your interests.
I would suggest starting with the following link that will assist you in determining your interests. It is a comprehensive quiz that will give you a pretty good idea on what piques your interest.
https://play.howstuffworks.com/quiz/this-comprehensive-quiz-will-determine-your-ideal-college-major
I would suggest starting with the following link that will assist you in determining your interests. It is a comprehensive quiz that will give you a pretty good idea on what piques your interest.
https://play.howstuffworks.com/quiz/this-comprehensive-quiz-will-determine-your-ideal-college-major
Updated
Clark’s Answer
No easy answer for this one, but you need to put yourself out there and try different areas of interest. What interests you at school? Are you more of a science or humanities type? If science or maths is your thing, maybe consider a more technical professional life, like being an engineer or analyst. When it comes to careers, it’s best to find someone is in the career you’re thinking of (like a doctor or nurse) and ask them what their daily routines are and how they got there. Best of luck!
Updated
Jeannette’s Answer
Dear Natalie,
You are not alone.
In fact, what is not at all apparent to us when we are sophomores is that many many people have no idea what they want to do. It only looks like they do, because they are doing something. Because one has to do something, or else one will starve, our pet will starve, it's no fun, etc.
Or, we make up something to do because it seems good, it seems like what other people do or what our parents will approve of.
My advice to you is:
(1) Please do not worry about the not knowing. Please!
(2) Do things that you enjoy, and try out activities that you think you *might* enjoy, or anything you are remotely curious about. Experience these things.
(2) Read. Read widely – go mooch around the library and just look until you start discovering. The library is good because it is free and has books that are no longer in print.
(3) If you get freaked out, remind yourself: a direction will come. You will know it when it does. Trust that it will find you and you will find it.
(4) If there's one single other thing that you can do for yourself, which will yield numerous benefits in addition to helping with the situation you came here with, it is to meditate. There are many apps with free content -- try Headspace, try Calm (I have no affiliation with any of them). Through meditation you will begin to know yourself, the nature of your mind, and believe me, this is going to make all the difference.
Best of luck to you !
Jeannette
You are not alone.
In fact, what is not at all apparent to us when we are sophomores is that many many people have no idea what they want to do. It only looks like they do, because they are doing something. Because one has to do something, or else one will starve, our pet will starve, it's no fun, etc.
Or, we make up something to do because it seems good, it seems like what other people do or what our parents will approve of.
My advice to you is:
(1) Please do not worry about the not knowing. Please!
(2) Do things that you enjoy, and try out activities that you think you *might* enjoy, or anything you are remotely curious about. Experience these things.
(2) Read. Read widely – go mooch around the library and just look until you start discovering. The library is good because it is free and has books that are no longer in print.
(3) If you get freaked out, remind yourself: a direction will come. You will know it when it does. Trust that it will find you and you will find it.
(4) If there's one single other thing that you can do for yourself, which will yield numerous benefits in addition to helping with the situation you came here with, it is to meditate. There are many apps with free content -- try Headspace, try Calm (I have no affiliation with any of them). Through meditation you will begin to know yourself, the nature of your mind, and believe me, this is going to make all the difference.
Best of luck to you !
Jeannette