Explore Career Ideas

• Make a list of topics that interest you and consider how you like to learn (through reading and writing or more hands-on?). Then, prioritize the topics that are of most interest and you could see yourself studying for several years.
   
• Clarify your values to help you identify what’s most important to you, understand how that impacts your worldview and help you make a decision. The Career Values Card Sort is a simple, free and fun self-reflection tool for anyone to use and apply to their own careers at any time. 

• Connect with alumni that have a similar degree program or are working in jobs of interest.
   
• Utilize the online free resource Challenge Cards to clarify the challenge(s) you’d like to help solve.
   
• Research possible careers using tools such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, O*Net or IBISWorld. 
   
• Conduct informational interviews with people who are working in the same jobs or industries that you are considering to get a better idea of what it’s like to actually work in the field.
   
• Use this job search tracker to keep track of jobs and internships of interest.
   
• If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to work in a specific job role or at a specific company, job simulations offer that opportunity. The Forage is a platform that offers 6-7 hour virtual roles where you can explore what it’s like to work at some of the largest companies in the world. You can practice doing the actual work of a company and submit your results to their staff to review. If they like what they see, you may just hear back from them about an internship or job opportunity.
   
• Request a report from Lightcast on the top occupations for your major.
   
• Check out the “What Can I Do with This Major?” resource to see a variety of career options common to your major. Highlight any career ideas that you might want to learn more about.
   
• Your major doesn’t always equal your career. There are broad applications for any major to many possible careers. Instead focus on your skills, interests and values, and how those align with potential career choices.
   
• You may be interested in a career that does not relate to your major and that’s okay. 46% of recent CU Boulder alumni indicated that their current position was not related or somewhat related to their major. 
   
• Review VirtualJobShadow videos. You’ll need to create a free account and can then watch short videos for a wide variety of occupations. 

Think back on your most meaningful experiences and take note of what you enjoyed, what you disliked and what you learned. Reflect on who you are as a person and what makes you unique. A few prompts to get you started:

• How do you want to interact with other people?
• How do you best take in new information?
• How do you make decisions? 
• When was the last time you were doing something you enjoyed so much that you lost track of time?
• What topics or subjects did you most enjoy learning about?
• What kind of academic and/or work projects are you eager to work on?
• What activities (professional or personal) do you find most enjoyable?
• What do I want a typical day to look like in my future?
• What will professional success look like for me?

Are you ready to decide? If not, that’s OK. Meet with your career advisor to review your reflections and experiences as they can help you identify the themes and how to take the next step.

Know that it’s not a one and done deal! Numerous sources indicate that individuals will have anywhere from 10-18 different jobs spanning several different career fields.