20+ Questions to Jump-Start Your Career Exploration

A strong understanding of yourself will be essential in navigating the twists and turns of your unique career journey. Get to know yourself! What are your values? What’s your personality type? What are you good at? What do you like? The answers to these questions give you a place to start researching and coming up with ideas and options to try. 

Below you will find questions meant to prompt your career exploration and help get you started. 

You might not immediately know the answers to all of these questions; these are intentionally difficult. Some of your answers will remain constant throughout your life, while others will change and evolve as you and your career path continue to grow and develop. Remember this is not the finish line; it is just the beginning. You can return to these questions often. With each new experience comes the opportunity to reflect on how you’ve grown, changed and evolved, and to evaluate where that may lead you next.

  1. What is important to me?
  2. What is my dream job? Why?
  3. Who has influenced my ideas about my career options?
  4. Which jobs might I consider as a parallel plan? (Plan B, Plan C, etc.)
  5. Which paths can I cross off my list?
  6. How do I want to be remembered?
  7. What impact do I want to make on the world?
  8. Which topics and ideas spark my curiosity?
  9. What do I “geek out” over? What could I talk about for hours?
  10.  What do I have to offer others?
  11. What comes naturally to me?
  12.  How do I like to spend my time?
  13.  Which classes are my favorite and why?
  14.  Which extracurricular activities do I enjoy? What have I learned about myself from participating in the activities?
  15.  Who do I look up to? What about them inspires or motivates me?
  16.  Which personal qualities do I view as my strengths?
  17.  Which activities make me feel happy or energized?
  18.  When do I feel most comfortable and at ease?
  19.  What are the biggest lessons I’ve learned so far?
  20.  How do I define success?
  21.  If I were guaranteed success, what would I do?
  22. When have I been most inspired or most motivated?
  23.  If I had a magic wand, what would I do for a year?