Explore Careers
There are many ways for students to explore careers including some ways that also allow you to network or gain experience. Through exploration, you have the opportunity to identify which careers may be a good fit for you, but also which aspects of career fields may not be a good fit.
Career Exploration Resources
There are many great websites where you can start exploring careers. Links to start with are listed below. These resources allow you to learn information about careers such as the nature of the work, education required, pay, job outlook, work environment and related occupations. You can also follow companies and organizations related to your career on social media. LinkedIn, facebook, twitter and pinterest are good resources for you to learn about companies and keep up on current trends in the career fields you are exploring.
- CAREERwise Education
- Explore Health Careers
- Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*Net
- Spotlight on Careers (Username: spotlightaccess, Password: liberalarts2015)
- What Can I Do With This Major?
Vault is a great resource to explore careers and employers!
Informational Interviews
Job Shadowing
Interim Career Exploration
Volunteer
Join a Student Organization
Additional Information
Informational Interviews
A great way to explore careers and begin networking is through informational interviews. Informational interviews are an opportunity to connect with a professional in the career field you are considering. The interview is a chance to ask questions about duties and tasks, work environment and career path.
Job Shadowing
Job shadowing is an opportunity for you to see first hand what a typical day or week can be like in the career field you are interested in. It is a time to spend a few hours, days or weeks following around an individual or multiple individuals as they perform their everyday tasks and duties. Job shadowing can be benefical in exploring career fields and employers, in networking with professionals and in deciding if a career is or is not a good fit for you.
Interim Career Exploration
Our Interim Career Exploration program allows students who have sophomore status to receive Interim academic credit for job shadowing. Students job shadow full-time for the four weeks of January. For more information on how to receive academic credit, visit our Internships and Career Explorations webpage.
Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to help others and give back to your community, but it is also a way to learn about yourself, the organizations you are volunteering for, and the work others do at the organization. It also allows you to network with individuals in a career field that may interest you.
Join a Student Organization
Involving yourself in student organizations is a way to meet peers, gain leadership skills and learn about careers. Many student organizations are built around career or major interests.
Additional Information
LinkedIn: Using the Alumni Tool to Explore Careers
Gustavus LinkedIn University Page