Understand yourself

Discover what interests you, recognize strengths you can build on, and identify what matters in your next step. You will finish with a short personal profile to guide your career research.

Time: about 25–35 minutes • Cost: free • Use: anywhere • Bring: a notebook or a document for your answers.

Write your answers in your own notes. You can work independently or talk through the prompts with someone you trust. Short answers are enough; “I’m not sure yet” is a useful starting point.

1. Notice what interests you

About 5 minutes. Think about school, hobbies, home responsibilities, volunteering, and things you have tried. Work experience is not required.

Choose three activities you enjoy or feel curious about. For each, write: What is the activity? Which part interests me? Would I like to try more of it?

Look beneath the subject or job title. You might enjoy explaining, making, repairing, researching, designing, organizing, caring, persuading, or solving problems.

Example: “I enjoy helping a classmate understand a difficult topic. I like finding a clear explanation and seeing whether it helps.” This could lead to exploring several kinds of work that involve teaching or communication.

If few things come to mind, list something you would like a chance to try. Limited experience can leave interests undiscovered.

2. Find evidence of your strengths

About 5 minutes. Describe three moments when you learned something, solved a problem, completed a responsibility, or helped someone. Small everyday examples count.

For each example, record: the situation; what you did; what happened; and the skill you used. Try words such as listening, persistence, planning, practical problem-solving, attention to detail, creativity, or teamwork.

Example: “I planned the shopping for a shared meal, checked our budget, and made sure we had the ingredients.” Possible strengths to investigate include planning and working with a budget.

Circle two strengths supported by your examples. Add one skill you want to develop. A skill can improve with learning and practice, even if it does not feel natural yet.

Optional: ask someone you trust, “When have you seen me do something well? What did I do?” Look for a specific example, then decide whether it fits your own experience.

3. Identify what matters to you

About 5 minutes. Choose three priorities you would like your future work to support. You can add your own.

Consider: earning enough for your needs; stability; helping others; learning; creativity; independence; teamwork; time for family or other responsibilities; meaningful contribution; or a particular work environment.

Put your top three in order. For each, finish: “This matters to me because…” and “In daily work, this would look like…”

Some priorities may compete. For example, a longer period of study may support a goal but delay earning. Which priority is essential now, and which could be developed over time?

Purpose prompt: Who or what would you like your work to benefit? Think about how your abilities might contribute to your family, community, or the wider world.

4. Make room for your circumstances

About 5 minutes. Note the practical conditions your next step needs to fit. Include only what is useful for your planning.

Consider available study time, the need to earn, transport, learning costs, access to equipment or internet, accessibility needs, and responsibilities to other people.

Sort your notes into three groups: what I need now; what I can be flexible about; and what support or information I need to find.

Example: “I need to keep earning while I learn. I can study in the evenings. I need to find out which training routes offer a workable schedule.”

These conditions help you plan. Revisit them as your circumstances and available support change.

Optional: try the O*NET Interest Profiler

If you would like another perspective, use this free external career-exploration tool. It asks about activities you might enjoy and suggests careers to investigate. The tool requires JavaScript.

Afterward, record two suggestions that interest you, one that surprises you, and anything that does not seem to fit. Compare the results with the examples you wrote above.

The profiler explores interests. It does not decide your future or capture all your abilities, values, and circumstances. My Next Move’s linked career information uses a US context; check qualifications, pay, and opportunities where you intend to work.

This St. James exercise is an original reflection guide. The optional assessment is developed by the National Center for O*NET Development under US Department of Labor sponsorship. Resource link checked October 2, 2026.

5. Create your personal profile

About 5–10 minutes. Copy these prompts into your notes and complete them using your answers. This is a working profile you can update as you gain experience.

Date: …

Activities or tasks I want to explore: …

Two strengths and the examples behind them: …

A skill I want to develop: …

My three priorities for work, and why they matter: …

Practical needs my next step should fit: …

Support or information I need to find: …

Two questions I want to investigate next: …

One activity I could try to learn more: …

Keep your profile in your notebook or document. Choose which parts you want to discuss with a teacher, mentor, adviser, or someone you trust.

Bring your profile into career research

You are ready for the next stage when you have at least two interests to investigate, two strengths with examples, three priorities, and one unanswered question. You can continue with uncertainty; the next stage is designed to help you learn more.

Use your profile to choose three possibilities: a familiar career, a related alternative, and one option you have not seriously considered. Compare what the work involves with what you have learned about yourself.