Whether you have in mind one career idea or twenty, the most important thing is to take action of some kind that puts you directly in touch with the areas that most interest you. Many career seekers do way too much thinking and reading, and way too little actual exploration. Exploring careers is an ongoing process. Get started and take some action today!

Gather information from people in your favorite fields

Unclear about what you would do if you worked in certain occupations or studied certain fields? Gathering information from people already in your favorite fields can quickly help you get informed and do your homework about what the actual daily work would be like. Carleton's career exploration programs (varying in length from a few minutes to a full winter or summer break) will help you break the ice with professionals, make useful connections, gather real-world information and try out options first hand. The result: greater career goal clarity (something that all job seekers, employers and parents appreciate).

A good place to start is to search the Carleton Alumni Directory for the job field or workplace you're interested in and see how many alums are in the area where you want to live.

Connect your major to potential careers

Learn about the typical career areas and the types of employers that hire people with each major, as well as strategies to make you a more marketable candidate. Visit the "What Can I Do With This Major?" website to explore the connections.

Not sure what interests you?

If you're not sure what sort of work really interests you, you're not alone. There are multiple strategies for developing career goal certainty: reflection and conversation, inventories and books, and a host of trial-and-error strategies such as volunteering/service, leadership, and strategic use of Carleton's extended winter and summer breaks. Career counselors call this "assessing your interests, skills and values" and it's a lot different in the 21st century than the outdated "what's your career path/rut?" approach.

Get more help

Torn between equally attractive career options? Not sure what skills you've developed as a liberal arts student that are transferable to employment, service, or grad school options? Career assessments can help you narrow your focus. See the Career Assessment Resources page for more information.