Finding A Career You Enjoy

Step 1: Ask Yourself these Questions

What were/are some of your favorite classes?
Think about the courses that made you excited to learn.

What did you enjoy most about those classes?
Was it the content, the way it was taught, or the learning format? What aspects helped you engage?

What activities have you enjoyed doing?
Consider hobbies, volunteer work, or past jobs that gave you a sense of fulfillment.

What does a career mean to you?
Reflect on your personal definition of a career. Does it represent financial security and/or personal growth?

What is the purpose of work?
Ask yourself why you want to work in the first place. Is it to contribute to society, achieve personal success, or gain a sense of stability? A combination?

Step 2: Create Evaluation Criteria with the Career Formula

The career formula helps you evaluate potential careers based on your own unique set of criteria to identify career opportunities that will help you live a happy life.

Work: The type of work you'll be doing (tasks, responsibilities, environment, etc.)
What kinds of work do you want to be doing every day?

Personality: How well the job fits your personal characteristics (e.g., introverted vs extroverted, preferred workstyle)
What are some of your top personality traits?

Lifestyle: The kind of lifestyle you want, including location, income, travel, work-life balance, and flexibility
What are important elements of the lifestyle you want to lead?

Values: What you consider important in a career, like job stability, creativity, helping others, and more
What are your top values in life?

Skills: What you are good at and how your abilities align with the tasks required for a given career
What skills do you already have? What skills will you have when you graduate?

Step 3: Generate Career Ideas

With your evaluation criteria in place, start exploring career ideas.

Visit the “What Can I Do With My Major?” section of the College of Natural Science Experiential Learning website and find your major.

Review the various career cluster examples for your major – these are a starting point, not an exhaustive list.

Step 4: Research Jobs and Careers

Once you’ve identified potential careers, gather more information to refine your options:

• Alumni Search: Search for MSU alumni with your major on LinkedIn to see where they are now. Understanding their career paths can give you insights into possible roles and industries.
• Informational Interviews: Talk to professionals working in your field of interest. These conversations will provide first-hand knowledge of what the job is really like.
• Resume Reverse Engineering: Examine resumes or LinkedIn profiles of professionals in your target career. Identify common qualifications, skills, and experiences that you might need to successfully pursue that path.
• Salary and Outlook: Use websites and resources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Glassdoor for job data.
• Filtering Options: Use job search platforms to filter opportunities based on your preferred criteria.