1. Brainstorm
   Expand your career options by brainstorming about various potentially appealing occupations. These occupations will be related to your interests, skills and values. Use the My Ideal Job Worksheet (pdf) as a starting point.
2. Review Strong Interest Inventory and Myers Briggs Type Indicator results
   Discuss these results with a Career Counselor who may be able to assist you in creating a list of potentially satisfying career options that match your interest areas and your personality type.
3. UW-Eau Claire's What can I do with a major in . . .
   Provides career options connected to your particular program of study.
4. Complete the Exploring Majors Worksheet (pdf)
5. Visit the Career Discovery Center (CDC)
   Research potential careers through the various books, handouts and other resources linked to your area of study as well as related career options available in the CDC.
6. Informational Interviewing
   One of the best ways to research career options is by contacting people currently working in the field. This is called Informational Interviewing. The primary purpose of the Informational Interviewing process is to gather information which will in turn help you determine what the right career is for you — it is not to get a job.
7. Search SIGI 3's Occupational Databases
   SIGI 3's Occupational Databases contains descriptions of close to 1,000 occupational fields. You can find information on occupational fields of interest as well as related fields.
8. Research Online
   There are numerous credible websites that can help you research the various career options linked to your major.
9. Attend Explore Your Possibilities Week with Possibility Pete
10. Attend the Majors Fair and Career Fairs
    Check out dates and locations of the Majors Fair, Career Conference and Internship Mania to expand your knowledge of career opportunities in your field.
11. Ask An Alum & Friends
    Use this tool to search for Alumni & Friends of UW-Eau Claire who have the major or career in which you are interested.

Once you have developed a profile of what you are looking for in a career or major, begin researching. Research will help you determine if careers, career clusters, and/or majors you are considering fit your needs closely enough to warrant further in-depth research.

Some of the questions you may wish to ask during the research process include:

1. How much do I know about each career?
2. Will there be a demand for such careers in today’s and tomorrow’s job market?
3. What does a typical workday entail with each career?
4. What special skill or field-knowledge is required for each career?
5. What are the training and education requirements?
6. What is the salary potential for each option?

Print this career research worksheet to help you document what you discover.

Narrow down options

Sort through your list of potentially appealing occupational fields and eliminate career options that no longer match your needs and desires. Create a shorter and specific list of the most appealing career options.