Understand Your Interests

Thinking about your interests and how they might help you to identify potentially satisfying careers is an important part of the career exploration process. Having a clear picture of your interests can lead to more satisfying occupational choices.  In the previous section, you looked at your skills and talents – it is natural for you to develop abilities in areas related to your interests.  For this reason, you probably already acquired some skills doing the things you love.  Make a list of your passions and all of the activities you enjoy doing.  Here are some questions that might help:

• What subject(s) did you most enjoy in school?
• What do you like to do in your spare time?
• What work or volunteer experience(s) did you particularly enjoy?
• What do you like reading about?
• Which occupations do your interests relate to?
• What would you like to learn more about?  

The Career Planning Tool from the Alberta Learning Information Service website and Career Cruising website (see Self Assessment Resources) can help you to explore your interests in more detail as well.