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How did you decide your career?
What are ways a Junior in highschool can upon to figure out what career path they want to take in life with all the pressure from family and school?
7 answers
Updated
George’s Answer
Hi James,
Deciding on a career can feel very stressful, especially when you are still in high school. Many students feel pressure from their families, teachers, and friends to pick the “right” path quickly. However, the truth is that most people do not fully figure out their careers when they are teenagers. Choosing a career is usually a slow process that involves learning about yourself, trying new things, and being open to change.
One important step in deciding a career is understanding your interests. A junior in high school should ask themselves simple questions: What subjects do I enjoy the most? What activities make me curious? For example, a student who enjoys science classes might explore careers in healthcare, engineering, or research. A student who enjoys writing might think about careers in journalism, communication, or education. Your interests are often a good starting point because people tend to do better in areas they naturally enjoy.
A useful tool that can help students learn about their interests is the **O*NET Interest Profiler**. This free career assessment helps students discover what kinds of work activities they enjoy most. It asks questions about things you might like doing, such as solving problems, helping people, building things, or creating art. At the end, it suggests careers that match your interests. This can help students see career options they may have never heard about before.
Another helpful step is exploring different careers. Many students only know about a few common jobs, like doctors, teachers, or lawyers. However, there are thousands of careers that most people never hear about in school. Students can explore careers by reading online, watching videos about different professions, or talking to adults who work in different fields. Websites, career fairs, and school counselors can also provide useful information. Learning about many options can help students discover careers they might not have considered before.
Trying new experiences is also very important. Sometimes students think they will enjoy a career, but their opinion changes after they try something related to it. Joining clubs, volunteering, part-time jobs, and internships can help students see what different types of work feel like in real life. For example, volunteering at a hospital might help someone decide whether they enjoy working in healthcare. Working a small job can also teach important skills like responsibility, communication, and teamwork.
Students should also think about their strengths and personality. Some people enjoy working with numbers, while others enjoy helping people or being creative. Understanding your strengths can help guide you toward careers where you are more likely to succeed.
However, it is also important to understand something very practical about careers: passion alone is not enough. Many students are told to “follow their passion,” but a career also needs a market. In other words, someone must be willing to pay for the work you do. A good strategy is to find something you enjoy doing **and** that people or businesses are willing to pay for. For example, someone might love drawing, but they may need to learn skills like graphic design or animation so companies will hire them. The goal is to find a skill that you enjoy and that solves a problem for others.
It is also important to remember that pressure from family and school can make career decisions harder. Families usually want the best for their children, but sometimes their expectations may not match the student’s interests. A good approach is to listen to advice while still thinking carefully about your own goals and happiness. Talking openly with parents, teachers, or counselors can help reduce stress and create better understanding.
Finally, juniors in high school should remember that a career choice is not permanent. Many adults change careers several times during their lives. College majors can change, and new opportunities can appear later. The goal in high school is not to decide your entire future, but to start learning about yourself and the world of work.
In the end, choosing a career takes time, patience, and exploration. By learning about their interests, using tools like the O*NET Interest Profiler, and making sure there is a real market for their skills, students can slowly discover a career path that fits both their interests and their future goals.
Please let me know if this is helpful at all and/or if you would like additional guidance. Please feel free to connect with me on linkedin.
Deciding on a career can feel very stressful, especially when you are still in high school. Many students feel pressure from their families, teachers, and friends to pick the “right” path quickly. However, the truth is that most people do not fully figure out their careers when they are teenagers. Choosing a career is usually a slow process that involves learning about yourself, trying new things, and being open to change.
One important step in deciding a career is understanding your interests. A junior in high school should ask themselves simple questions: What subjects do I enjoy the most? What activities make me curious? For example, a student who enjoys science classes might explore careers in healthcare, engineering, or research. A student who enjoys writing might think about careers in journalism, communication, or education. Your interests are often a good starting point because people tend to do better in areas they naturally enjoy.
A useful tool that can help students learn about their interests is the **O*NET Interest Profiler**. This free career assessment helps students discover what kinds of work activities they enjoy most. It asks questions about things you might like doing, such as solving problems, helping people, building things, or creating art. At the end, it suggests careers that match your interests. This can help students see career options they may have never heard about before.
Another helpful step is exploring different careers. Many students only know about a few common jobs, like doctors, teachers, or lawyers. However, there are thousands of careers that most people never hear about in school. Students can explore careers by reading online, watching videos about different professions, or talking to adults who work in different fields. Websites, career fairs, and school counselors can also provide useful information. Learning about many options can help students discover careers they might not have considered before.
Trying new experiences is also very important. Sometimes students think they will enjoy a career, but their opinion changes after they try something related to it. Joining clubs, volunteering, part-time jobs, and internships can help students see what different types of work feel like in real life. For example, volunteering at a hospital might help someone decide whether they enjoy working in healthcare. Working a small job can also teach important skills like responsibility, communication, and teamwork.
Students should also think about their strengths and personality. Some people enjoy working with numbers, while others enjoy helping people or being creative. Understanding your strengths can help guide you toward careers where you are more likely to succeed.
However, it is also important to understand something very practical about careers: passion alone is not enough. Many students are told to “follow their passion,” but a career also needs a market. In other words, someone must be willing to pay for the work you do. A good strategy is to find something you enjoy doing **and** that people or businesses are willing to pay for. For example, someone might love drawing, but they may need to learn skills like graphic design or animation so companies will hire them. The goal is to find a skill that you enjoy and that solves a problem for others.
It is also important to remember that pressure from family and school can make career decisions harder. Families usually want the best for their children, but sometimes their expectations may not match the student’s interests. A good approach is to listen to advice while still thinking carefully about your own goals and happiness. Talking openly with parents, teachers, or counselors can help reduce stress and create better understanding.
Finally, juniors in high school should remember that a career choice is not permanent. Many adults change careers several times during their lives. College majors can change, and new opportunities can appear later. The goal in high school is not to decide your entire future, but to start learning about yourself and the world of work.
In the end, choosing a career takes time, patience, and exploration. By learning about their interests, using tools like the O*NET Interest Profiler, and making sure there is a real market for their skills, students can slowly discover a career path that fits both their interests and their future goals.
Please let me know if this is helpful at all and/or if you would like additional guidance. Please feel free to connect with me on linkedin.
Updated
Cici’s Answer
Good question. It’s okay to not know what you want to do. You’re young. And try your best not to allow your parents to pressure you (I believe they only want what’s best for you).
To answer your question though. Speaking from experience, I’d highly suggest doing research on careers that will be relevant in the next 5-10 years to make a practical decision on which career path you want to take.
Do not, however disregard your passions. Consider what you generally enjoy doing in your free time. That is usually where you find your passion but remember that to fund your passions especially if they are in the arts, you need a job that pays you enough to survive and have enough spare money to invest in your hobbies that could eventually turn into your full time job as you master them.
If science/IT isn’t really your forte and your struggle with it then consider subjects that can get you a business administration degree. Which is a good degree option, in my opinion, if you’re unsure of your desired future career. As it exposes you to various mediums like It, marketing, etc so you can figure out what it is exactly you want to do and seamlessly switch without too much of a hassle in college.
Hope this helps.
To answer your question though. Speaking from experience, I’d highly suggest doing research on careers that will be relevant in the next 5-10 years to make a practical decision on which career path you want to take.
Do not, however disregard your passions. Consider what you generally enjoy doing in your free time. That is usually where you find your passion but remember that to fund your passions especially if they are in the arts, you need a job that pays you enough to survive and have enough spare money to invest in your hobbies that could eventually turn into your full time job as you master them.
If science/IT isn’t really your forte and your struggle with it then consider subjects that can get you a business administration degree. Which is a good degree option, in my opinion, if you’re unsure of your desired future career. As it exposes you to various mediums like It, marketing, etc so you can figure out what it is exactly you want to do and seamlessly switch without too much of a hassle in college.
Hope this helps.
Updated
Swasti’s Answer
I didn’t have a lightning-bolt moment where I suddenly knew my career. For me, it’s been much more about figuring out what I actually like—or at least what I don’t hate—and then taking small steps in that direction.
When you’re a junior in high school, it can feel like everyone expects you to have your whole life mapped out: parents, teachers, even your friends sometimes. That pressure is real. But the truth is, most careers are not decided in one big decision; they’re shaped by lots of small experiments.
What helped me was paying attention to what felt less like a chore and more like something I could get lost in. That didn’t mean I instantly “found my passion.” It was more like:
Noticing the subjects and activities I didn’t dread
Trying things in low‑risk ways: a short course, a club, a small project, a part‑time job, a side hobby
Asking myself: “Could I stand doing more of this?” rather than “Do I want this forever?”
Thinking in terms of “What do I not hate?” can sound funny, but it’s actually really practical. It takes the pressure off needing to be wildly passionate about something at 16 and instead focuses on honest self-observation: What interests me enough that I’m willing to put in effort and get a little better at it?
From there, it’s about small steps:
Take a class in that area
Talk to someone who works in that field
Watch a day-in-the-life video or shadow someone if you can
Do a tiny project related to it (even just at home or online)
The important part is this: even if it turns out not to be the field for you, it’s not a failure and it’s not permanent. Careers today are much more flexible than they used to be. People switch fields, roles, and industries all the time.
What doesn’t go to waste are:
The skills you build (communication, problem-solving, working with people, learning how to learn)
The experiences you collect (projects you tried, challenges you faced, things you discovered about yourself)
Those skills and experiences follow you, even if your job title changes. The presentation you hated making in high school might help you later when you’re explaining ideas to a team. The coding project you tried and dropped might make it easier to work with technical people later. Even realizing “I do not want to do this for a living” is valuable information.
So my answer is: I didn’t decide my career in one moment. I slowly moved toward the things I didn’t hate, tested them in small ways, and allowed myself to adjust as I learned more. You’re allowed to explore. You’re allowed to change your mind.
And every step you take—even the “wrong” ones—can still pay off in the long run.
When you’re a junior in high school, it can feel like everyone expects you to have your whole life mapped out: parents, teachers, even your friends sometimes. That pressure is real. But the truth is, most careers are not decided in one big decision; they’re shaped by lots of small experiments.
What helped me was paying attention to what felt less like a chore and more like something I could get lost in. That didn’t mean I instantly “found my passion.” It was more like:
Noticing the subjects and activities I didn’t dread
Trying things in low‑risk ways: a short course, a club, a small project, a part‑time job, a side hobby
Asking myself: “Could I stand doing more of this?” rather than “Do I want this forever?”
Thinking in terms of “What do I not hate?” can sound funny, but it’s actually really practical. It takes the pressure off needing to be wildly passionate about something at 16 and instead focuses on honest self-observation: What interests me enough that I’m willing to put in effort and get a little better at it?
From there, it’s about small steps:
Take a class in that area
Talk to someone who works in that field
Watch a day-in-the-life video or shadow someone if you can
Do a tiny project related to it (even just at home or online)
The important part is this: even if it turns out not to be the field for you, it’s not a failure and it’s not permanent. Careers today are much more flexible than they used to be. People switch fields, roles, and industries all the time.
What doesn’t go to waste are:
The skills you build (communication, problem-solving, working with people, learning how to learn)
The experiences you collect (projects you tried, challenges you faced, things you discovered about yourself)
Those skills and experiences follow you, even if your job title changes. The presentation you hated making in high school might help you later when you’re explaining ideas to a team. The coding project you tried and dropped might make it easier to work with technical people later. Even realizing “I do not want to do this for a living” is valuable information.
So my answer is: I didn’t decide my career in one moment. I slowly moved toward the things I didn’t hate, tested them in small ways, and allowed myself to adjust as I learned more. You’re allowed to explore. You’re allowed to change your mind.
And every step you take—even the “wrong” ones—can still pay off in the long run.
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1376
Answers
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi James,
This is a very real question, and many students feel the same pressure during high school. In reality, most people do not "know" their career all of a sudden. Rather, they progressively discover it via self-discovery, experience, and curiosity.
Starting with your interests and strengths is a useful first step. Take note of the subjects you find most interesting, the things that spark your interest, and the kinds of challenges you enjoy solving. These hints may direct you toward professions that suit you well.
Career exploration is an additional helpful strategy. Explore other career options, speak with experts, watch day-in-the-life films, and, if possible, take advantage of volunteer or internship opportunities. Exposure to the real world often helps in your understanding of what a job requires.
Many people later find new interests, change jobs, or change majors. Choose a path that feels interesting and important at this point in your life rather than attempting to plan your entire future.
Lastly, do your best to maintain open channels of communication while handling pressure from family or school. Pay attention to what others have to say, but keep in mind that you are the one who will have to live with the professional decision. Finding a path that combines your possibilities, talents, and interests is what matters.
Your primary responsibility at this point is to maintain your curiosity, consider other choices, and gain more self-awareness. Usually, clarity develops gradually rather than all at once.
Best wishes!
This is a very real question, and many students feel the same pressure during high school. In reality, most people do not "know" their career all of a sudden. Rather, they progressively discover it via self-discovery, experience, and curiosity.
Starting with your interests and strengths is a useful first step. Take note of the subjects you find most interesting, the things that spark your interest, and the kinds of challenges you enjoy solving. These hints may direct you toward professions that suit you well.
Career exploration is an additional helpful strategy. Explore other career options, speak with experts, watch day-in-the-life films, and, if possible, take advantage of volunteer or internship opportunities. Exposure to the real world often helps in your understanding of what a job requires.
Many people later find new interests, change jobs, or change majors. Choose a path that feels interesting and important at this point in your life rather than attempting to plan your entire future.
Lastly, do your best to maintain open channels of communication while handling pressure from family or school. Pay attention to what others have to say, but keep in mind that you are the one who will have to live with the professional decision. Finding a path that combines your possibilities, talents, and interests is what matters.
Your primary responsibility at this point is to maintain your curiosity, consider other choices, and gain more self-awareness. Usually, clarity develops gradually rather than all at once.
Best wishes!
Updated
Misha’s Answer
Hi James!
We first had exposure to different career exploration at sponsored events like a career fair at a university. It is actually how one of us landed our first role. Then, organically, naturally, but over time learned and grew. It is okay if your interests and passions change! You will end up having many 'careers' over the course of your working years.
Courtesy of Cloudera New Hires: Annelyn, Nick, Neerja, Vinodini
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Be Open-Minded
First Focus on One Area, Then Grow From There
We first had exposure to different career exploration at sponsored events like a career fair at a university. It is actually how one of us landed our first role. Then, organically, naturally, but over time learned and grew. It is okay if your interests and passions change! You will end up having many 'careers' over the course of your working years.
Courtesy of Cloudera New Hires: Annelyn, Nick, Neerja, Vinodini
Misha recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Emely’s Answer
I know you might feel pressure from your family, but the most important thing is what you want and how you picture your life in 5–10 years.
Try writing down the classes you enjoy most and the ones you struggle with. Seeing it on paper makes it easier to understand what feels natural to you. Then do a bit of research on the subjects you like to see what kinds of careers they connect to.
Also think about the lifestyle you want, whether you’d like to move to another city or country, or stay close to your family, and what kind of work environment fits you best. These things matter just as much as choosing a major.
Try writing down the classes you enjoy most and the ones you struggle with. Seeing it on paper makes it easier to understand what feels natural to you. Then do a bit of research on the subjects you like to see what kinds of careers they connect to.
Also think about the lifestyle you want, whether you’d like to move to another city or country, or stay close to your family, and what kind of work environment fits you best. These things matter just as much as choosing a major.
Updated
Siva’s Answer
Hello James,
There are many great answers here that can help you think about different career paths. I’d like to address the family pressure part, because that’s something I’ve personally experienced growing up and now also see with my own kids.
One thing that helped me was focusing less on picking the “perfect career” early and more on understanding three things about myself:
- Strengths – what you naturally do well
- Interests – what topics or activities energize you
- Values – the kind of impact or lifestyle that matters to you
Careers that sit at the intersection of these three tend to be the most fulfilling and sustainable. I shared a more detailed approach in another response earlier that might give you a few practical strategies to start exploring this:
https://careervillage.org/questions/1156352/answers/1181961
Wish you the best!
There are many great answers here that can help you think about different career paths. I’d like to address the family pressure part, because that’s something I’ve personally experienced growing up and now also see with my own kids.
One thing that helped me was focusing less on picking the “perfect career” early and more on understanding three things about myself:
- Strengths – what you naturally do well
- Interests – what topics or activities energize you
- Values – the kind of impact or lifestyle that matters to you
Careers that sit at the intersection of these three tend to be the most fulfilling and sustainable. I shared a more detailed approach in another response earlier that might give you a few practical strategies to start exploring this:
https://careervillage.org/questions/1156352/answers/1181961
Wish you the best!
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