Spread the word → Share this article!

Career Exploration Made Easy for Students

June 25, 2024

10–14 minutes

Career exploration for middle school students can be a wild ride! This is often the first time students are really exposed to the idea of exploring their future careers. The reality is that the exploration process does NOT have to be complicated. It should be fun, rewarding, and insightful.

Your Cliff Notes

Start learning more about the process of career exploration with online tools and what you see around you.
Explore your passions, strengths, and values when defining your unique path.
Prepare for your future and start to unlock your potential through skill-building.

As you’ve grown older, you have probably noticed that grown-ups like to ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s hard to think about something that seems so far away, but here’s the thing: It’s never too early to start thinking about your future career journey. Consider your favorite video game, where you get to create your character (ahem- Sims we see you!). In the context of exploring careers, this is like choosing the skills and powers your character will have on their adventure. Exploring careers helps you discover what you love to do and what you’re good at. Plus, it opens your eyes to the amazing opportunities waiting for you down the road. When you use technology to explore careers, the possibilities become even more exciting. For example, with technology on your side, you can watch videos, take quizzes, and even chat with professionals in different fields, all from the comfort of your home.

If you are still thinking, “it’s too soon to decide!” hear us out on this. In fact, continue reading to see why you are actually at the peak of your career exploration phase!

Yes Please!

How To Begin Career Exploration

The first step of career exploration is all about testing the waters and discovering different paths that catch your eye. Yes, it’s that simple.

Begin by talking with the people around you. Your family, parents, friends, teacher, mentors, and more. You’ll be surprised to learn about their past (or current) careers. Storytelling is powerful. Listening to stories often guides you on where your exploration should go
Venture out in your community. What do you see that interests you? It could be anything from what caught your attention at a store to something you saw in the city. This is another way to guide your career exploration.
Next, think about your own interests, likes and dislikes! Do you have hobbies that can turn into something you could see yourself working on as a career? Is there a particular task or job you do that you absolutely cannot stand? Take inventory of your likes and dislikes. It will help narrow down what careers you want to explore further after reading through those job responsibilities.
- Special note: your likes and dislikes will 100% change as you get older. Make sure to revisit this list and adjust as needed. Don’t forget that if you make adjustments, you’ll need to factor this into your career exploration too!
Explore fun career websites and apps designed to help you.
Take your time to read about different jobs, how much they pay, and what skills you might need.

This is just a beginning list of how to approach those initial stages of career exploration, which can often be the most confusing part of this entire process. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and consider jobs you’ve never heard of before. That will likely come from your interactions in the community with people or your own family, friends, etc. The important thing right now is to gather clues, ignite your imagination, and start dreaming about the amazing things you could do one day.

Some Virtual Assistant Support

Career exploration should not be a complicated thing to do. We often make it that way when we have the tools right at our finger tips to help us. One of those tools includes career counseling support. On your device, you have a personal career counselor right in your pocket, ready to guide you through the maze of career options. Such sites are designed to make discovering your passions and talents not only easy but also incredibly informative. So, what can you expect from these career exploration apps and sites? Here are some of our top recommendations on how to use these online options:

Career Assessments: Get to know yourself better with interactive quizzes and assessments that match your interests, strengths, and values to potential careers. Check out quizzes on CareerExplorer.
Industry Insights: Curious about what it takes to succeed in different industries? Find insider knowledge and use tools to uncover industry secrets with the app CareerOneStop.
Job Shadowing Opportunities: Ever wondered what it’s like to be a doctor, engineer, or chef? With virtual job shadowing features, you can step into the shoes of professionals and experience a day in their lives. Try exploring experiences on Roadtrip Nation.
Virtual Internships: Ready to dip your toes into the professional pool? Virtual internships allow you to gain real-world experience and build valuable skills from the comfort of your screen. Look into job simulations on Forage or find internships on Letsintern.

With these educational sites for career exploration, the possibilities are endless. Remember, they are just additional tools to help shape how you explore the wide variety of careers out there. There is no one size fits all when it comes to this process.

Defining Your Unique Career Path

Once you’ve dipped your toes into the world of careers and explored different options, it’s time to take the next step: defining your own unique career path. This means thinking deeply about what excites you, what you excel at, and what values are close to your heart. That like/dislike list you likely already have will be useful for this part of career exploration.

Let’s say you love animals and spending time outdoors. You might realize that a career as a veterinarian, marine biologist, or wildlife biologist could be a perfect fit for you. Or, if you enjoy solving puzzles and helping others, a career in engineering or healthcare might be calling your name.

But how do you get to this point of clarity? Let’s break it down:

Exploring What Makes You Tick: Start by thinking about the things that bring you joy. What games do you love to play? What stories captivate your imagination? These are like secret clues pointing towards your future career. Whether it’s building with LEGO bricks or crafting stories with friends, these activities offer hints about what careers might make you happiest.
Unleashing Your Superpowers: Consider things you’re good at, almost like superpowers. Are you a lightning-fast runner or a master problem solver? These skills are your special abilities that can guide you toward the perfect career path. If you’re great at helping others with homework or spreading laughter, there’s a career out there waiting just for you.
Discovering Your Heart’s Calling: Reflect on what matters most to you. Do you dream of saving the planet, helping animals, or showcasing your art at a venue? Your values act as guiding stars, leading you towards a career that feels just right. Whether it’s exploring the ocean or inventing life-changing solutions, your values can point you towards a career that aligns with your dreams.

If self-reflection isn’t your thing, you can try career-focused websites as your digital encyclopedia of careers, packed with valuable insights and resources to help you navigate the vast landscape of professional paths. Check out these awesome websites to kickstart your career exploration journey:

Career Profiles: Dive into cool career profiles on websites like CareerOneStop. You’ll find all kinds of information about jobs—like what you’ll do, what skills you need, how much you can make, and if the job outlook is bright. It’s like peeking into the future to see what your dream job could be!
Salary Data and Job Outlooks: Ever wondered how much money you can make in different careers? Head over to My Next Move or the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find out. These sites give you the scoop on how much you can earn and how likely it is that you’ll find a job in your chosen field.
Educational Requirements: Ready to plan your path to success? Check out websites like the College Board’s BigFuture or Peterson’s. They’ll tell you everything you need to know about what classes to take, what certifications you might need, and what training programs are available to help you reach your goals.

Are you seeing just how powerful technology really can be to help guide your exploration? With career-focused websites at your fingertips, you have all the tools you need to make informed decisions about your future.

Unlock Your Potential Through Skill Building

You started the task of figuring out where you want your exploration to begin – check! You dove a bit deeper by taking inventory of what you like and don’t like for each of these careers – check! Now you are at the phase of reading through job responsibilities and requirements. So.many.details to digest – is a valid argument at this step. Plus, you might be checking out all these different jobs and thinking, “How do I even get there?” Let us repeat: career exploration is not meant to be complicated; let’s simplify this a bit: start with a very useful life tool we call skill building. This is about identifying your skills and thinking of what needs to be done (over time) to get you ready for that future job. A few things to keep in mind with skill building:

This is not just about having fun (though it totally can be!); it’s also about preparing for the future.
It is a critical step towards getting you career ready (which happens after career exploration). When bosses are hiring, they are not just looking for someone with technical skills. They want people who can solve problems, communicate effectively, generate innovative ideas, and think creatively. We call those latter skills, soft skills.
These are the skills that make you stand out from the crowd. By connecting your skills to different careers, you will be able to highlight key areas about yourself that others may not be able to during the job application process.

You can start strengthening these skills right now, no matter how old you are or what you’ve done before. Take a look at the following chart, which lists some skills (mainly soft skills) and how they connect to specific careers.

Skills	Careers
Creativity	Graphic Designer, Animator, Museum Curator
Problem-solving	Software Developer, Engineer
Critical thinking	Data Analyst, Researcher
Communication	Journalist, Public Relations
Collaboration	Project Manager, Team Leader
Coding	Computer Programmer, Game Developer
Artistic expression	Illustrator, Art Director
Leadership	Entrepreneur, CEO
Adaptability	UX Designer, Product Manager
Scientific inquiry	Biologist, Environmental Scientist

We’re not here to stress you out about the future job world – instead, we want you to see it as a chance to get more prepared. By using technology to guide your career exploration on top of learning new things, you’re getting career ready. Just remember, becoming super skilled takes time, but every little step you take now is like adding another superpower to your toolkit for the future.

We couldn’t end this blog without sharing a few more tech tools that may help with skill building. Explore these websites offering downloadable apps and multi-platform games designed to help you develop those soft and technical skills:

Apps:
- Duolingo: Want to learn a new language? This app makes it feel like playing a game!
  SoloLearn: Ever thought about coding? Dive into interactive lessons and challenges to master coding languages.
  Elevate: Test your transferable skills daily with personalized exercises that focus on memory, focus, and problem-solving.
  Khan Academy: Explore tons of free lessons covering everything from math to history in a fun way.
  Memrise: Turn language learning into a game with flashcard-style exercises.
Games
- Minecraft: Build and explore epic worlds while developing creativity and problem-solving skills.
  Chess: Challenge your problem-solving skills and strategic thinking with this classic game.
  Scribblenauts: Solve puzzles using your imagination and language skills – the possibilities are endless!
  Monument Valley: Dive into beautiful puzzles that boost your spatial reasoning and critical thinking.
  SimCity: Create and manage your own city, learning about planning and decision-making along the way.

Let’s Recap

Start your career exploration journey with fun websites and apps, quizzes, virtual job shadowing, industry insights, and recommended skill-building tools.
Define your unique career path by reflecting on your passions, strengths, and values, and utilize career-focused websites for guidance and resources to navigate your journey.
Skill building can be fun with recommended online tools and games to enhance problem-solving, communication, and creativity.

Resources We Trust and Like

HiHo Kids, 100 Kids Tell Us What They Want to Be When They Grow Up | 100 Kids | HiHo Kids. Why we like this: Discover how fellow young minds are contemplating their futures; some with clarity, others still finding their way. Remember, you’re never alone on this journey of self-discovery!
Nitche, Find the right college for you quiz, Why we like this: Nitche’s “Find the right college for you” quiz empowers your journey of college and career exploration by providing personalized recommendations tailored to your selected individual preferences and goals.
Career test, holland code career quiz. Why we like this: The Holland Code Career Test is a great resource for you because it helps identify your interests and preferences, which are crucial for making informed career decisions. By understanding your Holland Code results, you can gain insights into potential career paths that align with your strengths and interests, ultimately helping you make more confident and fulfilling career choices.

In need of custom learning content (i.e worksheet, lesson, etc.) for your learner?

Let us help. We have a team that can bring your idea to life.

Contact To Learn More