Career Interests

Most students do consider their career interests when picking a career but many people make the following mistakes:

  • They only look at the occupations they know and they likely know only a few. Many people say “There is nothing out there that appeals to me.” What they really mean is “I don’t like any of the career options I know”. This is very different!
  • They only look at what courses they’re interested in. They do not consider their entire life and what grabs their attention in life. For example, what do you like to read about? What do follow in world news? What are your hobbies? There may be good career clues that you’re not considering!
  • They let others tell them what to be interested in.
  • They disregard their interests.

Interests are important because it is much easier to study something that is appealing and this will help you do well which, in turn, can help you get into a competitive education program (e.g., Pharmacy) or help you get the job you want. Also, it is easier to do some of the extras (e.g., volunteering) that can help you get where you want to go if you have interest in the area.

Working with Interests

  • If you have interest in a career field, specific career, study area, think about what you like and get as detailed as possible. We can help you identify more options based on this information.
  • If you’re interested in a specific career, do all you can to engage this idea. That is:
    • Learn as much as you can about the career – get facts!
    • Talk to someone working in the career – check out our Career Mentor Program
    • Volunteer and/or work in a the field – check with us if you’re unsure how to do this.
    • Look at related careers for additional ideas.
  • Consider using your interests and the internet to generate possible career options. For example, try a search for “careers with____________”  - you fill in the blank (e.g., “Careers with animals).
  • Try the following if you’re unsure of your interests: