Exploration Resources

Career exploration comes between figuring out what kinds of jobs/careers you may want to pursue and actually applying for those opportunities. It is analogous to doing the research before buying a "big ticket item." You want to be sure that what you are pursuing is a good fit and you want to be able to present yourself to employers as a knowledgeable, qualified candidate. Career exploration -- gathering information about career fields -- is the activity that bridges that gap. To learn more...

For assistance with your career exploration questions, please make an appointment to see a counselor in the Career Services Office.

Career Exploration Resources

These tools and resources can help you learn more about career fields that may interest you. Use these tools to learn about the jobs within a career field, the qualifications you'll need to get the job, the demands of the job, and how to approach the job search in that field.


•	Facts on File Facts on File is an encyclopedia of career information. Learn the basics here and find additional exploration resources related to your interests. Questions that Facts on File can help you with: I'm interested in the field of ____. What kinds of jobs are there in that field?

•	FOCUS FOCUS is a self-assessment tool designed to help you identify or confirm your skills, values and interests in relation to the world of work. FOCUS will suggest career fields and jobs that match your results on modules that you can work through in any order.

•	Spotlight on Careers Spotlight will lead you to resources on the internet related to 30+ career fields. It will save you from getting lost in Google-land and even points you to job and internship listing sites related to specific fields.

•	Colby Alumni Directory Colby alumni are a helpful resource when exploring a career field. You may search in the directory for alumni and parents by career field, employer, location, and several other parameters. Looking for recent graduates is a good way to find people who can help you learn more about a career field.

•	CareerInsider Vault.com is a publishing company that specializes in career-related topics. Based on surveys of recent college graduates you can learn about the attractions and pitfalls of various fields. Many of their books are available to download for free via the Colby subscription.