Choosing a Career
Here are five ways you can learn more about your career interests while you are in high school. A great time to focus on these activities can be when classes are not in session, such as over the summer or during school breaks.
Choosing The Right Career Workshop Part 1: Presentation
School of Visual Media and Performing Arts Majors Playlist
School of Humanities and Social Sciences Majors Playlist
Koppelman School of Business Majors Playlist
School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Major Playlist
School of Education Majors Playlist
Take an online assessment
Here are our favorites:
- MySkillsMyFuture
- MyNextMove
- O*NetOnLine
- Use the Self-Discovery and Career Section in Naviance (account required).
Gain experience in the field
Keep a career journal
Use it to answer the following questions:
- If you could do anything and money was no option, what would you do?
- What do you like to do with your spare time?
- What do you like to learn about outside of school?
- What are your favorite subjects? Least favorite subjects? Why?
- What is important to you?
- What are your hobbies and what do you like about them?
- What jobs, school activities, or volunteer activities have you done? What did you enjoy and what did you not enjoy?
- What areas do others (friends, family, teachers, etc.) say you excel in or come to you for help?
Do your research
Make a list of careers that interest you and a list of careers that don’t interest you, then learn more about them by doing the following:
- Check the LinkedIn profiles of professionals based on their major or career.
- Review the career section of company websites.
- Look at career videos on YouTube. (You can start by searching “What can you do with a ______ degree?)
- Interview people about their careers. Informational interviews are a great way to learn about a career to decide if it is right for you. Even if their career doesn’t interest you, you can learn about the pros and cons and the decision process.
- Shadow someone at work.
- Go to events that expose you to careers/majors, such as Mt. Sinai Med Start, NYU’s ARISE, or Columbia’s Splash Educational Outreach. Learn more about free programs in New York City.