Where are you right now?

Evaluate Your:

Interests: Matching interests to job-related tasks will help to ensure your interests are well matched with the career you choose. Examining your interests helps to better identify the kinds of activities and work tasks you will find enjoyable. As a result, it is likely that you will find the work you do more satisfying and rewarding. Consider:

Do you enjoy helping people?

Do you enjoy art?

Do you like to fix things?

Do you like to organize items in a food pantry?

We all have varied interests and the questions above are only meant to get you started thinking. If you want more information about identifying your interests, visit the following Web sites:

Values: It is important to consider your values related to work before entering a career. A union of your work values with your career will help to ensure success. Some examples of work values are as follows:

How important is salary?

What is the level of creativity you desire?

Are you comfortable with competition in the workplace?

What level of public contact do you prefer?

How much freedom do you require?

Do you prefer change and variety in work or stability and security?

Visit the following Web sites for more assistance with work-related values:

Experiences: Take some time and make a list of your past job experiences, including volunteer positions in the community and household responsibilities. For example, if you have had baby-sitting jobs think about all the activities you have had related to child care. If you have worked as a clerk in a store think about the different tasks you have performed. Your list should include experiences you have had regardless of their simplicity or difficulty. For help making such a list, visit:

Abilities: Once you have a list of your past and current experiences, consider your current abilities or skills. To get started thinking about your abilities, review these general categories:

Leadership

Working with People

Communication

Artistic

Mechanical

Working with Numbers

The above categories are only examples and meant to help you start thinking about your abilities. Keep in mind that you can always develop and acquire new skills and abilities for a particular occupation or career through education and training. For further assistance with examining your abilities visit these Web sites:

Assistance: There are numerous ways in which you can receive assistance and help as you examine your interests, values, experiences and abilities. Talk with your school counselor, college counselor, career planning and placement counselor or career consultant. These professionals can assist in career exploration and help to identify opportunities for your career search. Some resources that may also prove useful:

Paper and Pencil Career Assessments and Inventories: There are numerous inventories and assessments available to help examine your interests, abilities, experience and values.

Computer-Assisted Career Guidance Programs: Computer-assisted career guidance programs are available in many high schools and on many college and university campuses. Two often-used computer programs are "Discover" and SIGI-PluS." Many University of Wisconsin System campuses use career-assisted software programs to help students through the career planning process. Also available in many high schools and colleges is the Wisconsin Career Information System (WCIS) software, "Career Visions."

Public Library: You will find a wealth of information in libraries. There are countless career information books and guides which may include activities and exercises to help guide you through the self investigation process and help to identify possible occupation choices based on self information.