How to: Find career ideas

Choose focus

Narrow down your career list to your best options.

Review your worksheet or notes from Step 4 and ask yourself the following about each career:

• Do the work activities seem interesting, or even fun? Do many of the work activities seem unpleasant, or boring? 
• Reflecting back on your interests, skills, and work values, does the career seem like a good fit for you?
• Consider the Outlook - are job openings likely in the future?
• Look at Hourly Wages - are they appropriate for your income needs or goals?
• What Education is needed? Would you be willing to obtain the required education?

As you review, eliminate careers that have red flags (salary too low, education requirements too high, boring, etc.) Is there one career that stands out as a great match? Or a few? You may have found the career you want, or you may have narrowed your list down to just a few good options for your next steps.

To do: Use your worksheet or notes to evaluate the careers still on your list, and narrow down to the career ideas that fit you best.

Back

Congratulations, you’ve completed the steps to find career ideas that work for you!

Next steps

To find in-person help for your career planning, visit your local American Job Center.

Ready to start looking for jobs in your new career area? Search for local openings on the Job Finder.