What do you want to do with your life?  Can you answer that question?  Is your reponse more general "I want to live a happy and productive life?" or very specific "I'm going to be a pediatrician."  

Planning your career involves several steps.

• If you're not sure what you want to do, your first task is to identify your career goal.  Try taking a career interest inventory to get a list of possible careers that match your skills and interests.  Talk to people in the careers you are considering.  Find out what they really do on the job, what skills they use, how they like the work on a daily basis.  The CIC resource collection has many helpful materials on career topics 
  
  
• Find out what kind of education and training is needed to enter your selected career.  Will you need a two year degree, four year degres, graduate or professional school?  
  
  
• Talk to professionals in the field.  Take advantage of any opportunities to 'shadow' local professionals in careers that interest you. Attend career fairs and ask questions. Request information from the professional association affiliated with the career.  They may also know about any special opportunities for students to participate in interenships to learn more about the career.  
  
  
• Be creative and look for interesting ways to combine your skills and talents.  Maybe you really love working with numbers and see an accounting degree in your future.  But you also like the arts.  Maybe your goal is to be an accountant for a arts organization, museum or theatre.  
  
  
• Seek help when you need it.  High school students should take advantage of career guidance services offered by the guidance counselor or career specialist. Most Colleges have Career Counseling offices that help students with careeer decisions as well as with finding jobs and internships. 
  
  
• Utilize Existing Resources.  The College Info Center has a comprehensive print collection of career resources to help you learn more about career opportunities. Many web sites provide resources about specific careers or offer short career searches that match your interests with career options.  Check the CIC's schedule of workshops for information about upcoming sessions on career topics.  
  

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