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10 Things for High School Students to Remember
From Career Advice Expert

Believe it or not, if you're in high school

right now, you're at a great point in your life. You have your whole life in
front of you. And now is a good time to start thinking about your future, to
make some initial plans; just remember that plans can be easily changed.

Remember too, that experts predict that the average person will change
careers -- not just jobs -- more than five times in his or her lifetime.

Related Content
 High School Seniors: Preparing for Your Next Step After High School

And as you start thinking about one or more potential educational and career
paths, here are 10 things to remember in the days ahead of you to come.

1. Take time to think about what you like to do, and dream and
imagine ideal careers.

There are so many opportunities, so many different types of jobs and careers
in a wide variety of industries -- and there are also other career paths that
are just emerging.
Even if you are fairly sure of a career choice, take the time in high school to
explore similar (or even vastly different) careers. Explore all your options.
Examine your likes and dislikes and take a few career-assessment tests.

Answer the question: if you could have any job right now, what would it be --
and why? Don't let any barriers hold you back from finding the perfect
career.

Example: Take the time for some career assessment and career
exploration to expand your vision of potential majors and career paths.

2. Challenge yourself in high school, but don't overwhelm

yourself.

Do get the most out of high school as possible. When you can, take the
tough and challenging schedule of classes; you'll learn more -- and it will look
good to the college admissions staff.

Obviously, you need to stay focused on getting good grades, but don't
overload your schedule -- or yourself -- so that it makes you sick or burnt out.
Be sure to include at least one fun course in your schedule.

Example: If you have a passion for something, such as photography, find a

way to schedule a photography course along with your other tougher
college-prep courses.

3. Work, volunteer, or otherwise gain some experience.

As with your education, the more you are exposed to, the more options will
open to you as you search out careers.

There are even a growing number of internship opportunities for high-school

students. Seek work and volunteer experiences in and out of school. And
from a practical standpoint, work experience looks good on college
applications -- and on future job applications and resumes.

And one other benefit if you are working in a paid position: spending money!
Just remember that school and grades have to come first, so only work if you
can balance your schedule, manage your time.

Example: If you're interested in a career in journalism, start writing for your

school newspaper and look into a part-time job at a local newspaper.
4. Get as much education as you can.

We are now a society in which many jobs and careers require additional
education or training beyond high school. Some careers even require a
graduate degree before you can work in the field.

Take advantage of all educational opportunities that come your way, such as
summer educational opportunities and educational trips abroad. If financially
possible -- and there are many ways to help make it so -- attend college;
college graduates make a much higher salary, on average, than high-school
graduates.
Example: If you have a passion for science or math, instead of spending a
summer goofing around the community pool, and so on.

5. Talk with as many students as possible about careers and

school

The best way to find out about different careers is to ask people -- family,
neighbors, friends, teachers, counselors -- and get them to tell you about
their career and school

experiences.

If you have not already, begin to build a network of adults who know you and
are willing to assist you in your educational and career endeavors. And for
careers that truly interest you, consider asking each person if you can
shadow him/her at work.

You could also consider conducting informational interviews at the same

time as the shadowing, or as a less intrusive method of learning more about
jobs and careers.

Example: If you have a passion for history and are considering a career as a
college history professor, contact a local college and ask one or more of the
history professors if you can shadow them or conduct an informational
interview.

6. Remember that everyone must follow his or her own path in

life.

Don't spend too much time worrying what other people in your high school
are doing -- or letting their opinions about your dreams and ambitions affect
your decision.
And don't worry if you leave high school with no clear career path -- that's
partly what college is all about, discovering who you are and what you want
to do in life. Everyone develops/matures/grows at their own pace, so don't
feel the need to rush to make a decision now. But don't use the fact that you
have plenty of time to make a decision as an excuse not to at least start
learning and researching potential career options!

Example: Many colleges offer special "discovery" programs for entering

first-year students who have no real idea of majors and careers. These
programs expose you to a wide variety of classes, events, and speakers to
help lead you onto a path of career discovery.

7. People change; don't feel locked into any college or career

now.

It's great to have an ideal plan for your life, but remember that things
happen, and your plans may need to change... so keep an open mind -- and
keep your options open.

Some of your friends -- or perhaps you -- already know, or think you know,
what you want to do in life. If so, that's fantastic, but don't become so
myopic that you lose sight of other interesting opportunities. There are
career paths that have not even started today that may be big in five or
more years.

Example: One of my college students, whose parents are both lawyers, is

certain his fate is to be a corporate attorney, and his plans currently include
law school after his undergraduate education. However, he is also taking a
full set of business courses, as well as some interesting electives, in case
"things change" by the time he graduates.

8. Don't let anyone control your dreams and ambitions.

You will be horribly miserable at best if you let a parent or other family
member dictate your major or your career.

Students often feel pressure to follow in an adult family member's career

path, especially if s/he is footing the bill for college, but the worst thing you
can do is choose a career to please someone else.
Example: A former student of mine came from "a family of accountants,"
and everyone was supposed to join the family CPA firm. The problem,
however, was that she had no aptitude for numbers and hated accounting --
yet could not summon the courage to tell her family. When she finally did
confess her dislike, the world did not end, and her parents actually
encouraged her to follow her passion.

9. It's never too early nor too late to get organized and begin
making plans.

No matter where you are in high school, now is the time to plan the
remainder of your high-school years -- as well as your plans after high
school.

Research your options for after graduation -- technical schools, community

colleges, four-year universities, etc. Start or continue your preparation for
the various standardized tests (such as the SAT and ACT). Start thinking
about teachers who might be willing to write letters of recommendation for
you -- and approach them when the time is near.

Finally, make plans to fill any gaps in your plans -- such as striving for better
grades, taking tougher courses, gaining experience, or earning community-
service hours.

Example: Many teachers get swamped with last-minute requests for letters
of recommendation for college admission, so the earlier you approach the
teachers who can write the best recommendations for you, the better off
you'll be. Read more in our article, Four Steps To Getting Perfect
College Recommendations.

10. Never stop learning: read, grow, and expand your mind.

Don't pass-up opportunities to learn and experience new things. Many

teachers offer or assign summer and supplemental reading lists -- look at
these as opportunities for growth rather than a drag on your summer. The
more you read, the more you'll know. It's a cliche, but knowledge is power.

Example: One high-school student of mine was sure he wanted to be a

teacher, but the more he read about cutbacks in educational spending and
the decline in the educational experiences in many parts of the country, he
decided he would be better off becoming a political activist for educational
reform than as a teacher stuck in what he saw as a decaying system.

Final Thoughts About High School

High school is a real transition time for teens, as you move into adulthood
and the more adult issues of work, careers, and college. It should be a time
of growth as well as a time of challenge. Have fun, but get the best
education you can so that you are positioned to take advantage of further
educational opportunities. And no matter where you go after high school,
never stop learning and growing.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article?