3 Steps to Kickstart Your Career Journey in High School

Whether you’re early in your high school journey or are heading towards whatever is next, now is a critical time of exploration and change.

You’ve probably been asked for years “what do you want to do when you grow up?” And while you don’t need to have that answer – or a specific job – in mind, it’s important that you begin to decipher potential career paths and begin taking the steps to work towards finding that answer.

So, what are some things you can be doing in high school or college to help you figure out that next path? Here’s how you can think about the future without being so worried about deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life. Here are 3 low-pressure steps you can take in high school to start laying the foundation for future career decisions.

Step 1: Self-Reflection

One step you can take in high school to start laying the foundation for future career decisions is to reflect on your interests and strengths. This can be as simple as asking yourself a few questions and jotting them down in a notebook or having a conversation with your parents, teachers, or other people in your network.

What are your interests and hobbies?

What excites you? How do you like to spend your time? Which school subjects do you enjoy the most? What do you like to learn about?

Questions like these can help you discern potential career paths, without tying you down to a specific job title or industry. High school should be a time for opening the door to more options, not narrowing down your options.

Your interests, whether they come from your favorite classes, hobbies, or other activities, can offer important clues about career paths you may enjoy. Here are a few examples of how you can start connecting the dots:

• If you enjoy math or problem-solving, you may be interested in pursuing a career within engineering, statistics, data analysis, scientific research, or logistics management.
• If science is your favorite subject, think about what aspects excite you most. Love doing experiments? You might be drawn to laboratory work, pharmaceutical research, or biotechnology. Fascinated by discovery? You could explore careers in environmental science, agbioscience, or even forensic science.
• If you love playing video games or working with computers, there are many ways to turn that passion into a career in technology, like coding, cybersecurity, software development or designing systems that power advanced manufacturing.
• If you’re always organized and love planning, whether it’s keeping a detailed planner or coordinating group projects, you might thrive in a career in project management, event planning, supply chain management, or logistics operations.
• If you enjoy reading, writing, or storytelling, strong communication skills are needed everywhere, including Indiana’s advanced industries.
• If you’re an athlete or passionate about sports or fitness, consider how you could work in life science fields like kinesiology, sports medicine, biomedical device development, or health tech innovation.
• If you love art, design, or creativity, industries like technology and advanced manufacturing need designers for product development, UX (user experience) design, or branding and marketing.

Emily Kitterman, Director of Careers in Tech at TechPoint, recently joined the See Yourself IN podcast, where she shared her advice for navigating the career exploration process. She encourages students to keep their eyes open to any opportunity that comes their way, and to always go back to the areas that excite you. “If you do something that excites you, that’s going to inspire continuous learning. That will drive you into those interest areas and you can build upon that in so many different ways.”

What are your skills and strengths?

In addition to exploring your interests, you should also reflect on your strengths and natural gifts. As guest Olivia West shared on the See Yourself IN podcast – a successful career journey begins with finding your gift. Think about what you truly love, and what other people affirm you for, and use that gift to serve others.

For example:

• If people often comment on your organizational skills, you may excel in careers like project management, operations, or supply chain management.
• If you’re a natural problem solver, you might find fulfillment in advanced manufacturing, engineering, or tech innovation roles.
• If you have strong communication skills, whether in writing or speaking, you could thrive in marketing, technical writing, or public relations roles that help bring complex ideas to life.
• If others comment on your analytical mind or ability to dig into the details, fields like data science or biotechnology research could be a good match.

Coupling your interests and your gifts can help you open your eyes to career possibilities or opportunities you may not have previously considered.

Step 2: Career Exploration

Another step you can take as a high school student beginning your career journey is to explore different roles. Career exploration doesn’t mean picking a job and locking it in forever. Instead, it means getting curious and learning about what’s out there.

What kinds of jobs exist? What do people actually do every day? How do your skills and interests align with different paths?

Here are some easy, low-stress ways to start exploring:

• Read or watch videos about careers that interest you to gain some insights on some of the roles and responsibilities associated with the jobs.
• Job shadow someone in your community, even if just for an hour or two, to get a real sense of what the work is like.
• Talk to adults you know about their jobs. Ask them what they like, and what challenges they experience.
• Follow companies or organizations you’re curious about on social media to see how their teams work or what kinds of work they do.

See Yourself IN makes career exploration even easier for Hoosier students like you. Through the See Yourself IN program, you’re able to explore podcasts, videos, articles, and other media that spotlight the various career opportunities available, specifically in Indiana’s advanced industries.

Step 3: Take Some Small Steps Forward

A career may seem far off, but there are ways to begin taking small, intentional steps forward. You don’t have to map out your entire future but now is a great time to start testing out what you’ve learned about yourself and from the adults in your life.

Here are a few ideas that can help you move from reflection to action:

• Sign up for a class or club that aligns with a potential interest – like a STEM elective, robotics, FFA, health sciences, or even speech/ debate.
• Try a short-term project, like building something or volunteering with an organization or opportunity in a field you’re curious about.
• Set one short-term goal, like talking to a professional you’re interested in exploring or researching a new career each week.
• Keep a journal where you track what you’re learning about yourself, for example what excites you (or what doesn’t!), or what strengths keep showing up.

What’s one small thing you can try this month to learn more or build a skill?

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Ready to kickstart your career?

You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do with your life right now. Honestly, most people don’t at your age. But what you can do is start exploring. By taking time to reflect on your interests and strengths, learning about different careers, and trying out a few things along the way, you’re setting yourself up for success later.

The steps you take now don’t have to be big or final. They just need to help you learn a little more about what excites you and where your talents might take you. Whether it’s listening to a podcast, shadowing someone at work, or joining a new club, each experience helps you move forward.

See Yourself IN is here to help — with resources, real stories, and events that make career exploration a little easier (and more fun). Keep being curious, keep asking questions, and remember: it’s okay not to have all the answers yet. You’re just getting started.