Ever since you can remember, people have asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” a countless number of times. Even well into college, you might still be asking yourself the same question. Careers are not as linear as many think! Here are 7 practical steps you can take to start building a career you enjoy.

Written by Mark K. Wendel

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STEP 1: Start Asking yourself Different Questions

Move from “what do I want to do with the rest of my life?” to “what careers have always been interesting to me?”

Reflect on moments when you’ve been at your best.

  • When do I get so engrossed in an activity that I lose track of time?
  • What experiences do I leave feeling more energized than when I started?
  • When do I feel like I’m really in a groove or flow?
  • What am I known for/what do people come to me for?

Follow up with

  • What makes it that way?

STEP 2: Field Friends, Family, and Trusted Advisors

Think of 2-3 people who know you well and who will give you honest feedback.

These people often see things in us we can’t even see in ourselves.

Ask them questions to gain insight into your strengths, natural tendencies, skills and interests. Specific questions might include:

  • What are three words that come to mind when you think of me?
  • In what types of activities do I seem to thrive?
  • What do I contribute that’s different from those around me?

STEP 3: Get Googling

Do some creative Google research. Keyword ideas include:

  • What other job titles are used for xx profession?
  • What jobs are similar to xx?
  • What are the best and worst parts of xx career?
  • What every xx wishes they knew before they got into the field.

With a little curiosity, you’ll quickly gain more perspective on those careers

STEP 4: Meet with a Career Counselor or Career Coach

Career coaches offer much more than just resume reviews (although we do that, too!).

These career experts can help you make sense of your ideas and concerns and offer an objective perspective that is quite different than speaking to a friend or family member.

For college students, career advisors are often a free resource available right on campus.

STEP 5: Talk to People whose Work is Interesting to you

The formal term for this is informational interviewing: it’s an information-gathering tool to inform your understanding of a field.

Contact your university alumni office for potential leads, or ask family and friends if they know anyone who does xx job.

If you don’t already have a LinkedIn account, get one.

Use LinkedIn to research contacts who are alumni of your school, friends of friends, work at target companies, and more

STEP 6: Get Out There and Do Something!

You can have all the ideas about career paths in the world, but until you build some related experience, you usually won’t fully know whether that career is a good fit for you.

There are several ways you can start testing the waters through experience:

  • Take a class that has an experiential learning or service-learning component
  • Get an internship
  • Volunteer in a related role

STEP 7: Connect the Dots

Through reflection, online research, conversations with professionals, talking to a career counselor or career coach, and getting experience, take time to evaluate what you’ve learned.

Consider high points, low points, and make note of what you still want to learn more about.

What steps might you want to repeat to be confident choosing and launching a career?

Source: Parker Dewey