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Career Resources

Choosing a Career

The first step in determining what career you want to pursue, is determining what you want and like to do. When choosing a career path, it can be helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

  • What kinds of skills do I have?
  • What am I good at?
  • What do I enjoy doing?
  • What kind of environment would I like to work in?
  • How important is money vs. having a job I enjoy?
  • What can I see myself doing in 5 years?
  • What are my professional and personal dreams and goals?

Thinking outside the box...

It's hard to know if you might want a job if you don't know it exists. Explore unusual careers any way you can. Try this podcast as a start.

Occupations is an interview-style podcast series, created by Andy Jagolinzer, owner of Linzer Productions, that takes a fascinating, inside look at what it takes to get and hold specific, unusual jobs. The first two episodes focus on a narrator/driver with Boston Duck Boat Tours, and the Morning Show Host for WXLO.  (Click on the image below to learn more)

Logo for the Occupations Podcast of an old time microphone with the head of it making the "O" in the word "Occupations"

Tools for Matching Interests to Careers

To match your skills and interests to potential careers or jobs, you might use one of these self-assessment tools. The sites listed below are free, however there are many tools like this that charge a fee such as Myers-Briggs and other personality assessments and skill profilers. The library tries to provide access to open resources wherever possible.

Another way to determine what career you want to pursue is to volunteer or shadow a person in the career you're interested in. Both of these options allow you to try out a career without a long-term commitment to see if it's something you'd like to do. Check out the resources below to get started volunteering and/or job shadowing.

Volunteering

There are numerous ways that volunteering can help you on your career path including opportunities to learn and practice work skills and job searching skills, learning about a career or industry, expanding your network for mentors and references, as well as learning about yourself (likes, dislikes, skills & interests) and building your confidence.

Ways for Students to Volunteer

Read: 7 Volunteer Opportunities for College Students This link opens in a new window (Vault)

  • Charitable Organizations
  • Campus Organizations - On-campus clubs/organizations; Online clubs
  • Youth Organizations
  • Political Campaigns
  • Tutoring - on campus at the Wolak Learning Center, or at local schools
  • Think Locally - Local soup kitchen, food bank, 5K race, road trash clean-up, local library, etc.
  • Alternative Spring Break - Look at the Chandler Center site listed below

Resources for volunteering

SNHU-based opportunities

Other Volunteering Resources

Volunteer Directories

Job Shadowing

Job Shadowing is one way to learn more in-depth about a job or career, by connecting with someone who actually does that work and "tagging" along to see what a day or a week looks like, what the job actually entails, and get your questions answered by an expert!

Resources for job shadowing:

Books on Choosing a Career

The following books are a sample of our library books and eBooks on choosing a career. For more books and eBooks please search the Online Library Catalog or ask a librarian for help.

Are you an online student who can't get to the library in person? Request a print book be mailed to you!