There are lots of reasons to spend time investigating the world of work, but the most important is to determine what occupations and jobs best match your personality, values, skills, and interests. You could comb through the “want ads” in the newspaper, but then you’d be basing your career on the employer’s needs. To get a job that meets your needs, you have to be proactive. You need to look for a job that fits you.  The following are different ways to explore the world of work.

• Volunteer- Build your skills by volunteering in your community or for an organization that matches your interests.  Many volunteer opportunities are temporary, but allow you the opportunity to explore different career sectors.
• Job Shadow- Job shadowing involves spending time with someone who’s actually doing the work and/or volunteering to help out in the workplace. Job shadowing lets you learn about a job by walking you through the work day as a shadow to a competent worker. It is a temporary, unpaid introduction to working in an occupation you are interested in learning more about. Shadowing lets you see the work environment, employability and occupational skills used, and potential career options.
• Intern- Internships are opportunities to gain experience in a particular type of work. You can determine if you have an interest in that particular career, you can create a network of contacts, and/or gain school credit. Internships provide employers with cheap or free labor for (typically) low-level tasks. Some interns find permanent, paid employment with the companies in which they interned. Their value to the company may be increased by the fact that they need little to no training.
• Obtain part-time employment