Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking to several high school students and their parents. A common question during the day was, “what resources are available to us now?”
The Office of Career Development offers a variety of online and in person resources for students once they arrive on campus. However, I recognize career exploration conversations happen years before a students arrives on campus. So, what should families do prior to arriving as SD State students?
Below are some “do’s,” and “don’ts,” for current high school students thinking about college.
Do:
- Utilize resources your high school offers. Many counsellors and teachers do a wonderful job in guiding students through initial career exploration questions.
- Network, think about who you know. Write down a list of the adults in your world and ask them questions.
- How did they get into their occupation?
- What education or training is required for that occupation?
- What do they wish they knew when they were your age?
- What questions do they wish they asked their adults in their life when they were your age?
- Explore, “A Day in the Life” videos on Indeed’s YouTube channel. There are many different videos on a wide variety of occupations.
- Explore career pathways on our website! You can gain a lot of insight by seeing current job postings in different career paths and resources we provide.
- My Next Move. This website is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. It provides information on specific occupations and a free assessment. Take the assessment, then explore the different types of occupations suggested in the domains from the assessment.
- South Dakota Department of Labor – Career Exploration. This website contains a lot of information on how to approach career exploration, and highlights “Hot Careers.”
Don’t:
- Consider TikTok research. It is important to consult multiple sources to verify information on careers, job search, and resumes.
- Follow what your friends are doing just because. Your friends are trying to figure out their own path.
- Assume you only have 1 option. There are many ways to gain more education and experience for different careers. Education is never the wrong answer, but there are wrong ways to go about it. Your goals should drive your decision process. Do you want to go into a trade for work? You might only need a certification rather than a bachelor’s degree. Do you want to stay close to family? Do you want to be a part of a small campus or a large campus?
