Choosing a path after high school starts with a surprisingly important question: Who am I? Careers and courses that match your interests, strengths and values tend to feel more motivating and satisfying. In this lesson you will use simple self-assessment tools to understand yourself better. Your answers will guide your research in the rest of the course.
Three things to understand about yourself
Interests: what you enjoy
Your interests are activities and topics you find engaging. Think about the school subjects you look forward to, what you do in your free time, and what you could talk about for hours. Interests can point toward fields you would enjoy working in.
Strengths: what you do well
Your strengths include skills you have developed and natural abilities. They can be:
- Technical skills, such as coding, cooking, drawing or using spreadsheets
- Transferable skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving and organisation, which are useful in almost any job
Ask teachers, coaches, employers or family members what they think you do well. Others often notice strengths we overlook.
Values: what matters to you
Your values are the things you consider important in life and work. Different people value different things, and there is no right answer.
| Value | What it might look like at work |
|---|---|
| Helping others | healthcare, teaching, social work, charities |
| Creativity | design, media, writing, product development |
| Security | stable roles with predictable income |
| Independence | self-employment, flexible or remote work |
| Achievement and challenge | competitive, fast-paced environments |
| Work-life balance | regular hours and time for family and hobbies |
| Making things | trades, engineering, manufacturing |
Tools for self-assessment
The Holland interest types
Psychologist John Holland proposed that people and work environments can be described using six broad types, often called RIASEC:
| Type | Enjoys | Example careers |
|---|---|---|
| Realistic | hands-on work with tools, machines or nature | electrician, farmer, mechanic |
| Investigative | analysing, researching and solving problems | scientist, data analyst, doctor |
| Artistic | creating and expressing ideas | designer, musician, writer |
| Social | helping, teaching and caring for others | teacher, nurse, counsellor |
| Enterprising | leading, persuading and selling | manager, entrepreneur, lawyer |
| Conventional | organising data and following clear systems | accountant, administrator, logistics coordinator |
Most people are a mix of two or three types. Many free online career quizzes use these categories; some official government careers websites offer them. Treat any quiz result as a starting point for exploration, not a final answer.
Work environment preferences
Think about how you like to work:
- indoors or outdoors?
- alone or in a team?
- a predictable routine or variety every day?
- working with people, data, ideas or things?
- a large organisation or a small business?
Reflecting on your experiences
Past experiences are rich clues. Think about a time you felt proud, absorbed or energised. What were you doing? Who were you with? What skills were you using?
Example
Amara loved organising her school’s charity bake sale. She enjoyed planning the schedule, managing volunteers and tracking money raised. Reflecting on this, she noticed Enterprising and Conventional interests, strengths in organisation and leadership, and a value of helping others. She decided to research careers in event management, nonprofit management and business administration.
Your interests will change
It is normal for interests to change as you gain experience. Many adults work in fields they had never heard of at 17. Self-assessment is something to revisit regularly, not a one-time test.
The “ask three people” exercise
Send a short message to three people who know you well in different settings, such as a teacher, a relative and a friend or coach. Ask: “What do you think I’m good at, and what kind of work could you imagine me enjoying?” Look for patterns in their answers. If all three mention that you explain things clearly or stay calm under pressure, that is a strength worth building on.
Skills grow with practice
Your strengths are not fixed. Skills like public speaking, coding or leadership can be developed through practice, feedback and new experiences. When exploring careers, consider not only what you are good at now, but also what you are willing to learn. A career that stretches you in an area you care about can be very rewarding.
Key takeaways
- Interests, strengths and values all help guide career choices.
- Transferable skills, like communication and teamwork, are valuable in almost every job.
- The Holland RIASEC types offer a useful starting point, not a final answer.
- Reflecting on past experiences reveals clues about what suits you.
Practice
Write down: 1. your top three interests, 2. three strengths (at least one transferable skill), 3. your top three work values, and 4. the two or three Holland types that fit you best. Then list three careers that match.
Answer: answers will vary. A strong response connects each element to evidence, such as “I’m strong at explaining ideas because classmates often ask me for help”, and lists careers that fit at least two of the chosen Holland types.