Help students get the most out of the many online career resources that are available.

One of the greatest motivators for apathetic students is finding a way to turn them on to a possible career choice, and then to make a connection between a potential job and the academic preparation they are completing now that can make that job a reality. That task is even easier these days thanks to the many career exploration programs that are available online. These programs allow kids to learn about a variety of career options quickly, easily, and conveniently.

Identify Career Interests and Aptitudes

Most of these sites have some sort of “Interest Inventory” that will help kids hone in on jobs that interest them. These usually take the form of a short quiz or questionnaire that asks students about the types of activities and jobs they are interested in.

For example, Education Planner is a free site that offers a Career Assessment that aligns with the 6 Holland personality types (based on John Holland’s theory of vocational choice). These types are Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. The Career Assessment will help students identify which type(s) fit them the best. Personality type can then be used to identify a variety of careers that may be a good match for the student.

Research the Details

Once the student has located some possible career options that sound interesting, he can start getting the particulars. These programs provide tons of information about hundreds of jobs. Kids will probably enjoy surfing around and checking out careers that may be a good match for them, as well as discovering jobs they may not have ever heard of before. Some questions to keep in mind:

• What kind of educational prep is needed for this job?
• What kind of growth can be expected in this field?
• What kind of salary does this job pay?
• What kinds of duties would be performed in this position?
• What kinds of skills and experience would be required for this job?
• The more a student learns about a potential career, the better.

Set High Academic Goals

Once a student has identified interests in specific areas, he may be able to look at his current educational program with renewed interest. Forging a connection between what students are doing now and where their life may lead them may help spark motivation and commitment. Learning what they will need in terms of education to pursue these fields can also encourage them to develop challenging academic goals while they are still in middle and high school.

Take advantage of these programs to help kids start to think about these things now so that the decisions they make will have a positive impact on their future goals.

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