Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Learn more about yourself

The first thing to do is imagine all the careers that might be a good fit. The key here is to create a long list – at least 15 different jobs to start with. Create that list now, and also consider taking a career test to further expand your career options.

Take a career test

A fast, simple way to create your starter list is to use a career assessment – an online quiz that matches you to jobs. Get into a good mindset before answering questions:

• Be yourself: be honest about what you like and don’t like.
• Be open: right now is the time to be curious and explore possibilities!

Your starter list

After taking the quizzes, you’ll get a report of careers that might fit you. Now add to this list any additional occupations you want to explore.

Add to your list:

• What do you enjoy doing?
  Think about activities that you enjoy, like building kitchen cabinets or playing the guitar. Think of related jobs and add these to your list.
• Have a passion for a subject in school?
  If there’s a subject that you love, you can work backward by using a “What can I do with this major?” tool. Find job titles that sound interesting, and add them to your list.

A good starter list will have jobs you’ve always been curious about, plus jobs you’ve never heard of. Don’t be afraid to add something to your list – now is the time to expand your options. Plus, you’ll need something to eliminate later!