Like any project, you’ll need to take certain steps to start your plan. Here are a few to consider:
- Talk with your school counselor, teachers, family members, and other role models about careers in which you are interested.
- Visit your school’s career center and ask for assistance in using career resources. Complete an interest inventory, skill assessment, and/or personality inventory, and then once your assessments are done, seek out career center personnel or your counselor to help you interpret them.
- Match your personal interests, skills, and personality traits with possible career choices.
- Investigate a variety of occupations using the California CareerZone. Set up a free account and then you’ll be on your way to find occupations that might fit you well. You can also check out free videos on Roadtrip Nation.
- Consider the lifestyle you’d like to live. Will your budget, educational goals, and career options work together to support the lifestyle you want? Use your CareerZone account to access Make Money Choices and find out!
- Take high school classes leading to your desired career pathway.
- Plan for postsecondary education/training to reach your career goal.
- Add “real-world” skills through participation in school clubs and organizations, student body activities, sports, and local community organizations.
- Start a part-time or summer job to develop employment skills.
- Dream, be bold, your life will be what you make it so don’t hesitate to use all the information you gather to help you identify and pursue a life that matters.