Career exploration is exactly what it sounds like -- investigating the world of work before deciding which goals to pursue.
Start with
self-assessment as the basis for career exploration. This will help you learn more about yourself and clarify your
goals.
Next, seek to discover what kinds of work your find rewarding and satisfying. This involves doing
research to gather information from many sources about fields, companies and industries.
Informational Interviewing is another way to learn about career fields and trends by talking to professionals and other contacts about their experiences.
Perhaps the most hands-on way to explore careers is by getting experience through
internships,
summer and
term-time work, and extracurricular activities. This "reality-testing" can help you hone in on the qualities you like and don't like, as well as learn the language and skills of the industry.
Make sure you stay abreast of social, political, and technological trends that might impact your chosen line of work. Where will the new opportunities be and where will there be shrinking demands?
Seeking to discover what kinds of work you find rewarding and satisfying is an investment in your future and it will make other parts of the career development process, like goal setting and job searcing, easier and more successful.
