HOW DO I CHOOSE A CAREER?

Finding a job can be time consuming, difficult, and even downright scary. Finding a career can be even more difficult.

Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium is here to make it easier for you. We are a network of resources providing free programs and services to improve the local workforce and help YOU find a job.

So... where do you start?

FIND THE RIGHT FIT

Before you can jump right into job searching, you need to know where you stand. We suggest using the O*Net Career Exploration Tools to help figure out what careers might be a good fit for you. Just because your aunt/uncle/3rd cousin was a widget maker and loved it, doesn't mean being a widget maker is right for you. Remember the old adage, find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

ASSESS YOUR CURRENT SKILLS

Michigan Works! offers career and skill assessments to help you determine what career may be a good fit for you. Using quality assessments, such as WorkKeys, staff can help you determine the careers your skills would best fit or what areas you may want to work on improving.

WHAT MAKES YOU SPECIAL?

Figure out your skills and what makes you a better candidate than others. Determine what transferable skills you have as well.

IS THIS CAREER IN-DEMAND?

Pursuing a career that you'd enjoy is great - but make sure you'll be able to find employment once you obtain the required skills!

Check out Michigan's Hot 50 to find the high-demand, high-wage careers projected to be in-demand in Michigan through 2030. Explore the Occupational Outlook Handbook online to learn more about occupations of interest and what skills and education you need to compete.

DEVELOP YOUR PLAN

Meet with Michigan Works! staff to make an educational and employment plan. Speak with staff about program assistance towards training for your career (including tuition assistance, financial aid, and support services). Funding may be available to help pay for your training, books, mileage, (and more) if you're pursuing an in-demand career.

A few excellent Career Exploration Tools are:

the Going Pro website, featuring some of Michigan’s most in-demand Professional Trades careers (manufacturing, automotive, construction, IT, healthcare, and more). Pick what career may interest you and learn about the wage range, projected growth, education requirements, where to get that education, day-in-the-life videos, and more!
Pathfinder is the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Employment and Training (LEO-E&T) online career planning tool. Pathfinder provides information to students, their parents, and guidance staff to make informed choices about educational and career options, as well as to help with creation of educational development plans. This free tool uses current labor market information, longitudinal wage data, and other institutional data and metrics, allowing improved skills-matching to career paths and jobs.