Vocational Interests

I work with many young clients who are very uncertain about what vocational  and educational path to follow. Providing individuals with valid and reliable career inventories is an excellent way for young people to determine their vocational and therefore educational focus. These  instruments are normed for individuals 14 years of age and older. While I wholeheartedly believe that individuals who are 17 years of age and older should consider  taking these assessments, I believe they are not indicated for individuals between the ages of 14 and17.   Rather than take a formal assessment, these younger individuals need to find out as much as possible about the world of work .  This specifically means that they need exposure to as many types of industries and careers as possible. It’s impossible to have an interest in something that you have no knowledge of.  I suggest then that young people consider the following to develop their career interests:  job shadow, engage in informational interviews, read books about specific careers, view documentaries, and talk to friends and family members about what they do for a living. Vocational interests from a psychological perspective solidify by the age of 24, yet some people at this age still have very underdeveloped interests which is a result of a lack of exposure to different jobs and industries.  This is why exposure to different careers is so important.  If you know young people looking to determine their vocational path, please have them look at the following website:

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/

Of course anyone over the age of 17  is welcome to contact me for a professional assessment.