Uncover Your Interests

No matter what your post-high school plans look like, career exploration is your first step. The goal isn’t just to get into college or get a job. Your goal is to choose the right career for you and set yourself up for success through education or training. And to be successful, you need to know yourself.

Spend some time thinking what you’re good at, what you love, and what you don’t. Talk to people close to you for more ideas. This can help you narrow your options and identify careers that might work for you. Then you can learn about the education you’ll need. This approach can help you save time, stress, and money.

Grab a piece of paper, or open a note on your phone or computer. Find a quiet space to sit and ask yourself these questions:

1. What are my strengths? What am I naturally good at?
2. When am I happiest?
3. What are my favorite subjects in school? Which subjects do I dread?
4. Am I introverted or extroverted? (Not sure? Take PsychCentral’s ‘Am I an Introvert or Extrovert?’ quiz and find out!)
5. Where and how do I work best? With people or independently? On a computer or with my hands?
6. What kind of environment do I prefer? Structured with expectations, or loose and self-driven?
7. What do I need to thrive?

Now that you have a sense of what makes you tick, you might want some help figuring out careers that fit you. Talk to family, friends, teachers, and your high school counselor. Keep an open mind. And use Granite Edvance’s resources. We offer an online aptitude and interest assessment tool, free for New Hampshire students. This tool can help you identify your strengths and match you to careers where you’re likely to succeed. Make an appointment today to start your journey!

Once you’ve identified possible careers based on your skills and interests, you’re ready to think about the job market. Do some research to find out:

• Will there be job openings when I’m ready to graduate?
• Where in the state (or country) am I most likely to find work?
• What is the long-term projection for this field? Will I still have a job in 10, 20, or 30 years?
• Which colleges or programs offer strong job placement rates in my field?

Granite Edvance can help you figure all this out. Contact us today.

Now that you have a better sense of your career goals, it’s time to decide how your choice of degree or credential path can get you there.

Choosing an education path is an important step in the college selection process. This is because some schools are geared towards certain disciplines (for example, business, nursing and engineering schools).

Still not sure? That’s okay! You don’t have to declare your major before you get to campus. Include schools with a wide variety of majors in your list so you can keep your options open.

Once you’ve chosen your area of study, it’s time to build a list of schools or programs. Focus on schools and programs that provide the education and training you’ll need to be successful. Check out Consider Your Options and Decide Where to Go for more information on choosing the right program and school for you.