Researching and Choosing Careers
How Will This Session Help Me??
Thinking about your future job or career can feel overwhelming when there are so many options to choose from. It is completely normal to feel unsure about what path to take or worry about making the wrong choice. By using wisdom, exploring different possibilities, finding trustworthy information, and applying the skills you already have, you will gain the confidence to research careers and make great choices for your future!
Questions to get started
When you think about jobs or careers you might like to do in the future, how do you usually find out what those jobs are actually like?
Think of a time when you had to look up information to do a project or piece of homework at school. How did you make sure the information was accurate?
If a friend was trying to choose between two different subject choices or future careers, what advice would you give them to help them research their options?
Focused Virtues
The Focused Virtue for this session is Wisdom.
Wisdom gives us the insight to explore different routes, ask the right questions, and use reliable facts so we can plan our future with confidence.
Ask Yourself: "Can I grow in wisdom to research my options carefully and choose a career path that fits my strengths?"
Search with purpose, choose with confidence.
Skills Development:
Choosing a future career takes real wisdom. Instead of picking the first job you hear about or just following what your friends are doing, wise career planning means exploring your options, gathering reliable facts, and matching your skills to future roles.
First, practice thinking ahead by looking at different routes to reach your goals. There is rarely just one straight path to a job—you could consider university, apprenticeships, college, or starting in an entry-level role. Researching different possibilities means you have a backup plan if your first option changes.
Next, build your research skills to find accurate information. Don't rely on guesses or social media. Search reliable careers websites, read official job profiles, or speak to teachers and career advisors. When researching, compare information from different sources to make sure you understand the qualifications, daily tasks, and working environment required.
Finally, focus on using your skills. Look honestly at the transferable skills you are developing right now—such as communication, problem-solving, and time management. Match your personal skill set to the roles you research. By combining research with an understanding of your own strengths, you can map out an exciting future path with clarity and focus.
Case Studies and Questions
"If you were asked to research a career or sector that you knew nothing about, what steps would you take to find accurate information?"
"Can you tell me about a time when you had to choose between two different options? How did you weigh up the choices to decide which was best?"
Case Study Maya is 13 and is starting to think about what she wants to do in the future. She loves animals and always assumed her only option was to become a vet. However, when she looked at the science grades needed, she started to feel worried and wanted to give up on working with animals altogether. A teacher suggested she use wisdom to research other careers in animal care and environment. Where could she start?
Guidance and Resources for Facilitators
Core Concepts & Background Information
Thinking Ahead & Evaluating Multiple Routes Success and career planning are rarely linear. Wise planning requires evaluating different options based on available resources, entry requirements, and personal interests:
Built-in Flexibility: Encouraging girls to explore multiple entry routes (e.g., college, apprenticeships, university, direct work) keeps momentum going if an initial plan changes.
Anticipating Barriers: Thinking ahead about potential entry requirements or skill gaps prevents sudden disappointment and allows girls to prepare early.
Conducting Thorough Career Research Finding accurate details prevents relying on stereotypes or outdated assumptions about job roles:
Finding Reliable Sources: Teaching girls to use verified websites (like BBC Bitesize Careers or National Careers Service), official prospectuses, and professional advice rather than social media rumors.
Comparing Information: Checking multiple sources ensures details about salaries, required qualifications, and daily responsibilities are realistic and up to date.
Categorising and Using Transferable Skills Skills define what a person can routinely do. Help girls connect their everyday abilities to future job profiles:
Essential Skills: Highly transferable abilities—such as speaking, listening, problem-solving, and self-management—that apply across almost every job sector.
Matching Skills to Roles: Helping girls identify which essential skills they already use in school, sports, or hobbies, and showing how those same skills are requested in professional job specifications.
Guiding Reflection & Overcoming Barriers
Overcoming the "I Have to Pick One Job Forever" Barrier
Reframing Strategy: Reframe career choices as an evolving journey rather than a permanent trap. Exploring options builds adaptability, and transferable essential skills allow people to change roles throughout their lives.
Prompting Reflection:
"Think of a person you admire. Have they done the exact same job their whole life, or have they tried different roles?"
"If your top career choice turns out to be different than you expected, what backup routes or related roles could you explore?"
Overcoming Information Overwhelm and Stereotypes
Reframing Strategy: Researching careers can feel overwhelming when there are thousands of job titles. Teach girls to break research down into small, targeted questions (e.g., "What do they do daily? What skills do they need?").
Prompting Reflection:
"Where do you usually hear about jobs? How can we check if those ideas match what the job is really like in real life?"
"Look at a job profile in a field you know nothing about. What are two surprising things you learned about it?"
Activity Idea (Career Detective Exchange)
Pair learners up. Give them a broad sector (e.g., Creative Industries, Health, Technology, Environment). Partner A must research one traditional role in that sector, while Partner B researches a lesser-known alternative role. Have them present their findings to each other using three facts: Entry Route, Key Essential Skills Needed, and Daily Tasks.
Delivery Tips for the Session
Keep Vocabulary Action-Oriented: Describe Thinking Ahead simply as "mapping out more than one way to reach your dream destination."
Highlight Non-Linear Paths: Share real-world stories of women who changed careers or took unexpected routes to show that flexibility is a sign of wisdom.
Use Concrete Comparison Tools: Use visual charts where girls can list two or three career options side-by-side to compare required skills, qualifications, and daily tasks.