You’re 21 years old and the world is your oyster! You may have just graduated college or are thinking about your next steps after getting some real world experience under your belt. Either way, it’s an exciting time deciding what you want to do career-wise for the next phase of your life journey.

I remember when I was 21, I felt a mix of freedom and fear. Freedom because I could literally pursue any career I wanted. But fear because…how the heck was I supposed to pick just one?! There are so many options out there. How do you even begin to research them all?

The key is not to panic or try to tackle everything at once. Taking it step-by-step to educate yourself on careers and industries will set you up for success. I’m here to give you advice on how to chart your career path strategically.

Start With Your Interests and Skills

When I graduated college with an English degree, I knew I loved writing but didn’t know what to do with it career-wise. I felt kind of lost until a mentor suggested I make a list of things I was interested in and good at. Ding ding ding! Lightbulb moment.

Set aside some quiet time for self-reflection about passions and talents that get you jazzed. I realized I lit up when doing creative work like writing, art projects, and event planning. I also knew I was a good communicator and listener.

By starting with what intrinsically motivates you and what skills you can leverage, you have an anchor when researching potential careers. You’ll get excited about options that align with who you authentically are.

Ask People About Their Jobs

As a shy introvert, I wasn’t naturally inclined to put myself out there to pick people’s brains about their careers. But once I pushed past my hesitation, it helped enormously!

Most people enjoy talking about what they do for work, especially to anyone eager to listen and learn. Don’t be afraid to let friends, family members, former bosses and professors, and other connections know that you admire them and would appreciate if they tell you about their career path.

When you ask, have specific thoughtful questions ready about their day-to-day responsibilities, work environment, work-life balance, what they like best and least about the job, and their advice for someone interested in the field. Take notes so you can reflect on if it sounds like something you’d pursue later on.

Do Informational Interviews

Similar to asking the people already in your network about their careers, you can set up informational interviews with contacts made through family connections, professors, or online in fields you may be curious about.

For example, after I moved to Los Angeles from a small town, I considered getting into the entertainment industry but didn’t have any personal ties. So I emailed alumni from my college who worked in TV and film production. Several of them agreed to meet with me over coffee to answer my questions about their indie filmmaking jobs.

Informational interviewing is helpful to dive deeper into the nitty gritty of careers you might not be exposed to otherwise. People are often willing to take 30 minutes to guide you, especially if they see a bit of themselves and their youthful ambitions reflected in you!

Research Growth Industries

Beyond tapping into your personal network, turn to hard data on labor market trends to spot career fields poised for growth. Government websites like the Bureau of Labor Statistics provide excellent insight on job outlooks.

For example, when I was exploring communications and media jobs, projections showed public relations specialist roles and digital marketing jobs would expand faster than average over the next decade. Healthcare occupations across the board also anticipated healthy growth.

Think about rising trends that interest you. Green energy? Wellness and fitness? Software and technology? See what data says about occupations related to societal shifts. An industry blossoming today might plant fruitful seeds for your budding career!

Browse Job Listings

A more direct way to research careers is browsing actual job listings on sites like Indeed, Monster, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and company websites. See what qualifications and responsibilities commonly appear for occupations you might enjoy.

Pay attention to keywords, levels of education/experience requested, salary ranges, and employer descriptions of company culture. Get a realistic preview into day-to-day life for someone in those shoes…would it be a good fitgiven your background, personality, and aspirations?

While you likely don’t have the exact experience outlined in listings yet, they offer helpful glimpses into industries calling your name.

Embark on Job Shadows and Internships

To take your career research up a notch, look into short job shadowing opportunities or internships allowing you hands-on exploration of intriguing fields.

Many companies allow employees to host one day job shadows for those interested in learning more about the organization. Reach out to set those up.

Longer term internships are also an unbeatable way to test drive careers through actual job experience. Having interned for magazine and newspaper editorial teams, I got to try reporting and editing articles…and learned I didn’t ultimately see myself at a desk job long-term. Good to know!

Job hunting website WayUp has fantastic resources to find thousands of well-paid and meaningful college internships at top companies if you’re currently a student or recent graduate.

Take Assessments

Beyond researching concrete job responsibilities and qualifications, getting to know your natural strengths can guide you towards well-suited careers.

During college, I took Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment identifying people’s innate talents rooted in how their brains are wired. I learned my superpowers included Futuristic perspective, Ideation for innovation, Strategic thinking, and Positivity – all useful for visionary, creative leadership roles I decided to pursue.

Other popular talent and personality assessments include Myers-Briggs, Enneagram number, Workplace Personality Inventory, StrengthsFinder 2.0 and more. Ask career counseling offices about them!

While assessments aren’t destiny, they can affirm your gut instincts about careers playing to your gifts and sweet spots.

Prototype Your Future

What does your ideal future look, sound, and feel like…and how might you paint a career picture fitting that vision? Dream big about not just the work you’ll do, but the impact you wish to have on the world! Envision your lifestyle, relationships, and growth opportunities…then reverse engineer options to get there.

I always knew I wanted a flexible career allowing me to work from coffee shops writing books scaling positive impact. By tapping into those aspirations early on, I could research author and strategic planning roles to aim towards.

Prototype different futures by outlining your 5 or 10 year vision including location, routine, community, growth goals, hobbies, family plans, passion projects etc. Then explore careers logically bridging the gap. Visualize it and it’s more likely to actualize!

Chart Your Course

Researching careers doesn’t have to overwhelm you. Start from a place of self knowledge and curiosity. Tend the garden of your talents and interests to see what opportunities organically sprout. Gather wisdom from people further down the career path you may follow.

Bit by bit, options will come into clearer focus so you can strategically chart the voyage ahead. Trust that over the horizon are bright horizons unfolding just for you! No matter where you’re sailing now, let sense of adventure and purpose guide you towards fulfilling work.

The right route may have twists and turns, so stay flexible. But by doing thorough career research, you’ll feel confident embracing whatever comes next. Bon voyage!