Oh no…career planning. The dread…the anxiety. Run! Hide! Wait, no. Come back here, you are not escaping that easily! You may be thinking: Career planning? What can I possibly do after high school and college? I want to be successful. I want to make money! I want to be happy! Well, you are not alone, these are common questions that run rampant through our teenage brains. There comes a point when we all must make decisions and plan for the future, unfortunately. Not to worry, this process can be relatively painless, depending upon your approach.

You don’t have to decide immediately on a career. Sometimes people make it half way through college and decide that they have chosen the wrong career, and sometimes people don’t realize this until they have worked for a few years (I caution you not to make this mistake, it will save you valuable time and money).

In the past, well, I wouldn’t go that far-a few weeks ago- the thought of planning for a career made my stomach wrench. Now, the mention of a future career only has a minor effect on the functioning of my stomach. I’m not ahead of the game either, I still don’t know exactly what I want to do, but I am observing my options. There are so many careers out there, I am positive that you can find one that suits you!

I have compiled a few tips within these few weeks that I have had the courage to face the mysterious career planning.

My first tip is to simply browse the web! Personally, my favorite way to find more about the careers fitting to my personality is to take career quizzes (this narrows down the surplus of options). If you see a career that is coaxing you to the water like a sea nymph, then google it! For example, if I had an interest in a career with animals I might google, “careers with animals” and then from there I could view a list of different careers involving animals. You can narrow down this list further, if you are allergic to most mammals, and have a keen interest in sea life, then google, “careers involving sea creatures”. From this search you can take another personality test to find which type of career involving sea creatures would be the best for you. This step is pretty self explanatory, but it truly does help to take those personality career match quizzes. Plus, there are several careers out there I had no idea existed! It is great to discover what is out there.

Another way to learn about careers is to ask people. Ask professionals who have had their career for a while, this way they can share their likes and dislikes of working in the field with you. Also, it is helpful to ask teachers/counselors about career options. If you can not speak with someone in person you could try email, or you could also rely on the valuable internet to offer some surprisingly personal advice. On many career sites there are mini career stories from those who have had experience in the field.

Career planning inevitably involves college planning. In order to land your dream career you will more than likely need the proper education to go along with it. I know, I know, it’s a lot. Career planning and college planning? Yes, unfortunately these two go hand in hand. College planning in itself is a separate entity, that I will only briefly mention. My favorite site for basic college planning is the  “AP College Board” and I repeat the process that I described above when learning about colleges. Before I go back to career planning, I must mention this about colleges: you don’t have to enter into the most prestigious school (especially just for your basics), saving money can really benefit your future. Plus, as long as you are getting the same training as any other school, the only true difference between you and your competitor is the title, which will surely fade once they realize what a valuable asset you are to their company.

Internships, job shadowing, or working at a local store/restaurants are great ways to prepare for your career. Job experience gives you a leg up on your job interviews, transcripts, and competition. Internships and job shadowing can also prove whether or not you actually like the job.

Volunteering is another option for preparation. This is something that you can include on your transcripts that will help you get into colleges. Plus, volunteering can help you learn about different careers. For example, if you volunteer at a nursing home or an animal shelter you can rack up service hours as well as hands on experience hours.

My final tip is to take career planning by incrimates. You don’t have to devote 20 zillion hours to career planning, just spend a few minutes each day. This will make you feel better too, rather than letting your bundle of stress fester in the corner of your room you can tackle it head on.

Claps. Applause. Bravo! Sighs of relief. You did it, just by reading this you are one step closer to planning for your career. Good luck!