Assess Your Interests

The first step to finding the right program and type of school for you is to evaluate your interests. A self-assessment will help you examine your interests and goals, and offers ideas on fields of study and careers that might be right for you.

Identify Your Accomplishments

We all have past accomplishments, from past work history to other experiences. Reflecting on these accomplishments gives us a sense of where we've been - and where we'd like to go.

• Make a list of all your important career events. Group them by categories like tasks, responsibilities, awards, and accomplishments.
• Think in chronological order, taking the most recent job you had and working backward. Identify tasks, responsibilities, awards, and accomplishments for each job.
• Review your education accomplishments like earning acceptance to a program or school, grades, extracurricular activities, and special projects.
• List your volunteer activities and community involvement. Were you a member of a committee? Elected to an office or board? Helped facilitate a social or fundraising event?
• Use your own strategy to identify important career events. What skills and experiences do you have that would interest an employer? Write down any situations in which you gained or used those skills.
• Think of opportunities to gain new accomplishments. It's never too late to enroll in school, start a project at work, find a volunteer project that uses your skills, or find other activities that will add to your resume.

Create Your Career Goals

Career goals help you focus on the accomplishments that matter most to you. There is no limit to the number and types of career goals you can have. And it's likely that you will change career goals often.

Use the following ideas to create career goals:

• Think about your interests and skills. Complete some assessments to get more detailed information. Consider goals that expose and enhance your interests and skills.
• Think about occupations that you might like and research them by creating customized occupation profiles.
• Think about goals that might involve raises, promotions, and increased responsibility.
• Try new experiences before making them part of your career goals. Take classes, volunteer, intern, and job shadow.
• Think short- and long-term. Make a list of all possible goals and then prioritize.