Career Exploration is a cycle of learning what you are and are not interested in pursuing for a major and/or career. It is a process you will repeat many times both in school and after graduating. Exploration takes into account your values, interests, strengths, skills, and identity.
By understanding your strengths and values, you can make informed decisions and stay aligned with your goals. Regularly assess your progress to navigate your career path effectively.
Explore various industries, roles, and opportunities to find the best alignment for your skills and interests. Stay curious and informed to make intentional decisions.
Seek diverse opportunities to build skills, knowledge, and confidence. Remember, the career journey is not linear—return to self-reflection, investigation, and experience gathering at any point to support your ongoing professional growth.
Career Courses
The School of Education Career Center offers courses to help you explore careers and gain experience. These courses provide an opportunity for self-reflection, networking, and exploration with the guidance of an instructor.
If you have any questions about the courses, please contact Michael Rutkowski at michael.rutkowski@wisc.edu.
Internship in Arts, Health, or Education (EDPOL 203)
Want to get credit for your internship or work experience? ED POL 203 provides the opportunity to reflect and critically analyze workplace experience in the field of education, arts, and/or health.
Credits: 1.00 – 3.00 (This is a variable credit course. The number of credits depends upon the number of hours worked at your internship. A minimum of 50 work hours per credit hour is required)
How to Enroll
- Be in a School of Education program (major or certificate)
- Secure a semester-length (50 hour minimum) workplace experience in arts, health, or education. The experience must be in a field where skills gained can transfer to their future field career goals. Experiences include but are not limited to:
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- Internships • Part-time Positions • Research Experience
- Assistantships • Apprenticeships • Clinical Experience
- Complete the Employment Confirmation Form to gain authorization to enroll in the course
The UW School of Education Career Center is available to help you identify and secure work experiences
Stepping Into Your Future (CP 110)
This 1-credit seminar explores career development theory and assists with career preparation through an exploration of values, skills, and job search insights. As part of the course you will take a skills assessment, talk to professionals in your field, practice interviewing, and create job application materials (resume and cover letter) that you can actually use in a future job search!
This course may be right for you if you…
- Want to explore fields of interest
- Are curious about finding your best career fit
- Desire to learn more about resumes, interviewing, and job search tips
- Need one more credit to round out your schedule!
This course runs in the SPRING ONLY. Click here to enroll when available.
As a new student in the School of Education, you’ll have access to a supportive, small class that serves as a launching pad to your student experience. Begin your journey with one of the following courses:
- The Wisconsin Experience Seminar (CP125)
- First-Year Interest Groups (FIGs)
- Discipline-Specific First-Year Courses
More information can be found here.
Self-Reflect
Determine wants and needs
Before deciding on career options that align well with your values, interests, skills, and goals, determine what those interests and goals are. Create a list of your personal values and interests.
Examples of Values
Work-life balance
Positive work environment
Leadership opportunities
Job/Financial security
Prestige
Variety
Independence
High income
Leisure time
Examples of Interests
Travel
Volunteering
Art
Problem-solving
Reading
Technology
Sports
Cooking
After creating a list, rank what items you feel are non-negotiable and what you would like to have. This can be helpful when you’re examining career options or deciding between two or more options. You may find that one is a closer match than another.
Investigate
Once you have articulated what is important to you and your goals, it is time to start learning about what career opportunities are available to you and how they align.
Research pathways and skills
Research careers of interest to learn about the various pathways available and common skills or experiences needed to enter and/or succeed in the profession.
Determine which pathways to further investigate. Create a list of potential pathways and evaluate your level of interest and strengths or skills alignment with each. This can give you points of comparison and help you determine which opportunities are the most appealing.
Consider how your own strengths and skills align with each pathway. Learning about careers that use your current or natural skills can be a helpful starting point in determining long-term career success and happiness. Examples of strengths to consider include creativity, emotional intelligence, organization, problem-solving, attention to detail, teamwork/collaboration, communication, leadership, public speaking, critical thinking, or a technical skill in your field.
Engage with people in the field
Learn from the pros through informal conversations.
One way to learn about a career is to speak with professionals who are (or were) in the field. Reach out to a contact or friend who works in a career path of interest, and ask to have an informal conversation about their experiences. They can provide insight into what it’s like working in that field day-to-day, as well as trends, challenges, and even potential leads for an internship or job.
Take a tour
If you’re curious about what type of work environment your career option(s) provide, or want to envision yourself working there, taking a tour of a work site can be a helpful way to learn more. Some employers provide tours to prospective employees, or you might consider a “job shadow” where you pair with a professional in the field to observe them in their day-to-day work. The Career Center also coordinates career treks bringing a group of students to a particular site.
Find connections
Don’t know anyone in your field(s) of interest? Don’t worry. We have many helpful resources.
- LinkedIn: search for connections in your network or affiliated with other networks you are a part of (Wisconsin alumni are often friendly!). Check out the Career Center’s ConnectED: Arts, Health, & Education group for students, alumni, and employers looking to connect.
- Make an appointment with a career advisor for help establishing connections.
Identify qualifications and workplace experience details
Learn about the education and experience requirements or qualifications of working in your chosen career(s).
Search for job titles or keywords that will show examples of specific internships or jobs. Use the filter functions to see what is available in your desired location, too.
Experience
Seeking out opportunities for applied learning within your field of interest will help advance your skills, understanding of the field, and ability to make well-informed career decisions.
Gain Experience
There are various ways to gain in-depth, hands-on experience such as internships, part-time jobs, volunteering, and research. To see a full list of ways to gain experience, visit our Gain Experience section.
Think about the future
Understand your chosen career pathway’s current and future prospects. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*Net both use economic data to make career projections and estimate the growth or decline of professions over a 10-year period. While stability and longevity can be an important aspect in determining a career, economic shifts can change the outlook of a profession. It is also important to keep your values and interests in mind.