DISCOVERING OURSELVES THE CAREER

EXPLORATION PROCESS

Purpose: ​Career Exploration is a process. We do not pick a career based on one

moment in time, but through a collection of experiences, research, interests, and skills.
This lesson will help students focus on learning about themselves so as they conduct
career research, can use this information to help target careers based on their own
unique skills, goals, and talents. Ideally students should also complete a career interest
survey to compliment this lesson, as well as conduct career research in a future lesson.

Objective:
● Students will identify their personal interests and see how these help identify
potential careers.
● Students will identify goals in their career path.
● Students will define the terms Goals, Interests, and Multiple Intelligences.
Materials:
● Writing Utensils
● Task Cards (cut apart),
● Worksheets: Timeline to Success, My Interests, and My Multiple Intelligences,
● “Posters” - Goals, Interests, Multiple Intelligences - hung in classroom

Introduction:​ Welcome students and Hang posters, Goals, Interests, and Multiple
Intelligences on board or a visible area. Tell students you will be discussing these three
terms today. Ask students to define each word (goal, interest, and multiple intelligences)
in their own words. Let them refer to the posters if needed. share with them the
objectives for today and the next advisory.
Ask them: “What connection to career exploration do these 3 words have?”

Activity (Advisory Session 1):

● Hand the students the “My Interests” worksheet. Ask them to complete it. Give
them about 5 minutes to do so.
● Ask them, “who would like to share some interests that you have.” Let students
share answers to the group.
● Hand out the “Multiple Intelligences” worksheet. Ask them to complete it. Tell
them to check off any box that sounded like them. When they were done, count
 up the checks in each category and write the number on the line next to that
“Smart.” Give them about 5 minutes to do so.
● Ask, “Who had a “Smart” that was a 4?” Let students share what type of “Smart”
they were. You can continue with 3’s if students did not have any 4’s.
● Ask them, “Do you think your type of smart describes you well?” and “How can
we use what we learned about what type of “smart” we are in our career
exploration?”
● Hand out the “Timeline to Success.” Once again, give them about 5 minutes to
complete. Let them add goals that are person as well as career related, for
example, a goal for today might be to clean their room without being told to do
so, or to make a goal at practice.
● Ask them to each share a goal. Ask them, “How does setting goals help in the
career exploration process?”

Activity (Advisory Session 2):

● Break students into small groups (2-3 students). Use the task cards by either:
○ Think-Pair-Share. Have students remain in their seats. Have a set of task
cards for each group. Give them one minute per question to discuss as a
group/pair and at the end of 8 minutes, report back to the larger group
what they talked about.
○ Pair students. Ask a question. Give students 1 minute to discuss, and then
ask groups to report their answer. Do this for each question.

Discussion:
● Ask, “What is one thing you learned this week?” and “How can you use what we
talked about this week in your career research?”
● “What stood out to you from the guest speakers you heard?”
○ What skills and education did the guest speakers have?
○ What are parts of the job that you learned about that interested you?
○ What are parts of the job that you found to be negative?
○ Based on what you know of yourself (interests, goals, multiple
intelligences) and what you have learned about different types of jobs, are
there any careers you would want to learn more about?
● Based on what you have learned about different careers, what is one thing you
feel you need to do now to get yourself ready for future careers?
 Name_________________________

Goals serve as a path to help you toward your future. Think about the things
you must accomplish along the way as you head towards your future. Write a
goal in each box that you want to accomplish on your future path.
 Name_________________________

Your interests tell a lot about careers that might interest you one day. Think
about each question and the write the answers that mean the most to you.

What type of books do you like to read?

What is something you are curious to learn?
What is your favorite subject?
Would you prefer working inside or outside?
What do I like to work with? People, concepts,
things, data?
What do I value? (family, friends, money,
cleanliness, adventure, routine, power,
prestige, quiet, etc.)
What skills do I possess? (writing, speaking in
front of groups, drawing, computer, math)
What motivates me?
 Name_________________________

Put a check next to each sentence that describes you.

___Music Smart ___Nature Smart ___People Smart

 I like to watch music videos
 I like to play an instrument
 I easily remember songs
and lyrics
 I like to listen to music
 I like animals
 I like being outside
 I help recycle and taking
care of the environment
 I like flowers, rocks, birds,
trees and bugs
 I like to be with my friends
 I like to help people
 I can tell how people are
feeling
 I like to talk in class
discussions

___Picture Smart ___Math Smart ___Self Smart

 I like art classes  I can do math problems in  I like doing things for myself
 I like puzzles my head  I like to work by myself
 I like to play video games  I like solving mysteries rather than in groups
 I like to create pictures in  I like games like chess or  I like to play computer
my mind to help think computer games games
things through  I like numbers  I know what things I am good
at and not so good at

___Word Smart ___Body Smart

 I like to read  I like to dance Each one of us
 I enjoy writing email to  I like to play sports is unique.
friends  I enjoys acting in plays or
 I like to keep a journal skits What type of
 I like word games like  I like to move when I think smart are you?
crossword puzzles about things
Life is a journey.

Goals are milestones we

set to help us reach our
destination.
What makes us
smile.

Interests are those

things which we enjoy
doing.
Everyone has a gift.

Multiple intelligences
recognizes our unique
talents through our interests
and abilities.
1 2

3 4
5 6

7 8