career exploration Vital component: determining personal interests
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hen students come to Monique Cribbs’ office, one of the first things she helps them answer is “Who am I?” Cribbs, coordinator of Career Services, helps students navigate their talents and interests and explore possible career fields. The ultimate goal is finding the right fit between a student’s natural skills and abilities and a field in which they will be happy. According to Cribbs, students benefit from starting this self-exploration as early as possible — even in middle school and high school. “The earlier kids explore their options for careers and college, the better,” Cribbs said. “It’s important to choose a career and college that is the right personal fit, and exploring all your options early on can be beneficial in setting you on the right path.”
Exploring ‘Who am I?’ Discover your talents and interests with a few online tools: » » Holland Code: Take a short quiz to learn your three dominant personality traits and link them to careers. Visit mccneb.edu/careercenter and click on Job Seeker Resources. » » My Next Move: Browse snapshots of skills and education required for hundreds of jobs. mynextmove.org » » Career Coach: Browse careers, potential salary and education required. greateromaha.emsicareercoach.com
Cribbs encourages parents and high school counselors to expose youth to a variety of colleges and career fields to find the right niche. Parents and youth may be surprised to learn that two-year degrees can lead to jobs that outearn those that require a bachelor’s degree. For youth who aren’t sure what they want to do, a community college is a great place to start. The more students know about the field and potential jobs, Cribbs said, the better they will be at selecting the right college and moving quickly toward a degree. For more career development tools, visit mccneb.edu/careercenter.
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