Choosing a career path is something that everyone can feel pressured to do, and often from a young age. The truth is that many people never really know what they want to do “when they grow up” and can often change careers several times. But finding a path into a first career can still feel tough. By helping your child to find their way, you can encourage them to start with the right college choice.

Explore Their Interests

A career doesn’t have to be based around something that you’re extremely passionate about. However, exploring your interests and the things you enjoy can help you to find something that you would be good at. You can help your child to explore their interests and what careers they might relate to.

Research Potential College Options

Taking a look at available college options that might help your child explore their interests and their strengths can help them find their career path. You might consider colleges that have plenty of support for exploring careers and opportunities for work experience and internships.

Traits and Characteristics

Your child’s characteristics and personality traits can play a big role in their exploration of what sort of career might suit them. If they already have something in mind, it can help them decide whether it’s the right choice for them. Finding out what their personality type is can give them some good guidance on whether a certain industry or role could be a good idea. For example, some personality types are better suited to certain tasks in sales roles as explained in the infographic below.

Infographic Design By University of Alabama Birmingham