JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

Careers

One of the main reasons students decide to go to college is to get the jobs they want. Some may already have an idea of what they'd like to do. If not, there’s no rush to decide while in high school. Though, if a student does know which direction he/she would like to go, it might help them become better prepared by starting to develop the skills now. Check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook to start reviewing careers today.

Skills and interests will play a major role in the career decision process. If someone enjoys math now, perhaps they’d like to continue using math in their career. If a student likes to play music, they may want to see how to further their talents for a career in music. Or perhaps he or she likes to lead student organizations and would like to continue being a leader in the future.

Have your students think about and write down 10 different skills, talents, activities, interests or personality traits that are unique and important to them. The list can be used to determine possible career opportunities that utilize those skills and talents, and that will be enjoyed. As their counselor, your help will be invaluable to students researching careers and matching their interests and personality to different jobs, even jobs they may not know exist.