1. Check yourself.
What lights you up? What do you look forward to doing? How do you interact with people? What are your strengths? Identifying these things can help you find your major. How do you identify these things? Free, easy assessments or tests (without grades).
Try these:
Ferguson’s Career Assessment
16 Personalities Test
2. Take a look at your grades and classes.
Literally, look at your report cards or remember the classes in which you received the highest grades.
That tells you one of two things.
1. You have skills and interest in that area.
2. You charmed the teacher.
(If so, consider a career in politics or sales)
On the flip side, it’s easy to identify the classes you dread. Stay away from entering a related career. (Hint: You walk slower to get to the class, prop your eyes open during class or try not to throw up when you work on assignments or take tests.)
3. Listen to your heart and look around.
When you watch movies, see certain people, or think about specific things, you have probably felt the “goosebumps”. That’s a sign your heart is connecting to that experience on a deep level. But, you have to be present and become aware of those things. Look around. Pay attention. Are you smiling a lot or curious about certain things? Those are signs. So, when you get the goosebumps, smile a lot or are curious, proceed to # 4.
4. Ask questions.
Maybe you smile a lot when you are around kids. You notice that you get the goosebumps when you read stories about other people overcoming obstacles. You admire people who give back to their community. What careers involve children? Who helped those people overcome obstacles? How did they decide to give back and why? Find out who they are, their job titles and the experiences led them to that career. How do you do that? Read #5.
5. Stalk someone.
Not literally. But if you have checked yourself, looked at your grades, listened to your heart and asked questions, now take action. Ask someone you know or someone they know if you can job shadow them for a couple hours, or a day. What exactly does a social worker do all day? Do nurses see as much blood as you think? Are accountants really stuck behind a desk? No other way to find out than to watch them while they work.
