You're coming to the end of your high school studies and suddenly everyone wants to know what you're going to do with your life, most of all you. But with more options for postsecondary studies out there than there are condos in NYC, figuring out which career path to follow can be a daunting task. Should you go to university and get your degree? Should you go to community college and get a diploma in a trade? Should you go to a career institute and get a certificate? Should you just start applying for jobs? If you're not sure, here are some questions to ask yourself to help you figure it out.

Do you like school?

This may seem like a dumb question because everyone wants to be done with school already, but the tasks you do in school, such as writing reports, doing assignments, and working in groups are the same sorts of things you'd be doing in university and working for an office.

What's your favorite subject?

If you've got a favorite subject in school then it's possible you can turn it into a rewarding career by continuing to study it in university or college. Even subjects like Sewing and Cooking can be turned into careers if you take the right program.

Do you like to work with your hands?

If you're more of a hands-on type of person than someone who would be happy shuffling papers around on a desk, university probably isn't your best option. Instead, try a community college or career school program that will train you to make a career out of designing hybrid cars or researching animal behaviour.

What kind of job can you see yourself doing?

When you daydream about your future, how are you earning your money? Even if you're a billionaire with a yacht, that could give you a clue that you want to be your own boss and that starting a small business could be a good choice for you.

What are the job prospects in the place you want to live in?

When you're trying to make sure you have job security, it's not just about what you want to do but about whether there are opportunities in that field. If you're willing to relocate after training your options will be broader, but there's no point in studying to be a realtor if the real state market is crumbling.

How much money do you expect to make?

Everyone wants to make buckets of money and be wealthy but how much do you really need to support your lifestyle? Are you the kind of person who's happy to watch TV and go for walks in your spare time or do you want to be able to host dinner parties at your home and take vacations in the tropics? Because with some jobs it's just impossible to make that much.




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