9781422270684

Introduction

Students are often interested in learning more about careers, but many don’t take the steps necessary to do so, according to a survey of 14- to 18-year-olds by the nonprofit ECMC Group. It found that while 74 percent of respondents believe it is important to have their career plans determined when they graduate from high school, only 39 percent have taken classes or participated in programs to explore occupations. Many young people are not aware of the wide range of activities that are available to help them explore the field they’re considering, discover career paths, and learn what it takes to train and be successful in a given occupation. If you are a middle school or high school student, here are just a few of the exploration activities in which you can participate. • competitions • school clubs • interviews and job shadowing experiences with social media and web professionals • summer exploration camps • volunteer opportunities • tours of places where social media and web professionals do their work • books, websites, podcasts, and videos • mentorship programs • resources from professional associations, companies, and government agencies • being creative and exploring on your own (e.g., launching a blog or podcast, trying to become an influencer, taking photographs, learning programming)

7