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CAREER EXPLORATION

Career Clues

Help students connect what they enjoy, what they’re good at, and what matters to them with career directions worth exploring.

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YOUR CLUES

What feels most like you?

Helping peopleSolving problemsCreating thingsLeading a team
A starting point, not a final answer.Explore what fits.
Grade Level9–12
Estimated Time30 minutes
FormatIndividual + reflection
Learning ObjectiveConnect interests and strengths to career directions and next steps.

About the Activity

Career Clues is a low-pressure career exploration experience. Students identify patterns in their interests, strengths, and preferences, then use those clues to explore career areas, education pathways, and practical ways to gain experience.

  • Identify career directions that connect with their interests and strengths.
  • Use student-friendly language to describe what they may enjoy and do well.
  • Explore related careers, majors, and other education or training pathways.
  • Choose one practical next step to test a career direction in the real world.

Student Activity

Students complete Career Clues independently and receive career directions to explore based on their responses.

Career Clues1 of 10

What kind of task sounds most like you?

Helping someone solve a problem
Building or fixing something
Finding patterns in information
Creating a design, video, or story
Organizing people or plans
Testing an idea

Students will:

  • Answer questions about interests, strengths, and preferences.
  • Review career directions that may be worth exploring.
  • Notice language they can use to describe their strengths.
  • Choose one realistic next step for career exploration.

Take the Next Step

Keep the core 30-minute module focused. These three Appily resources are the strongest companions to the Career Clues activity.

CORE RESOURCE · EXPERIENCE

How to Get Work Experience in High School

Compare jobs, volunteering, job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, personal projects, and other ways to test a career direction.

Try this: Choose one type of experience that could help you test your career direction. Why is it realistic for you right now?
View on Appily →
CORE RESOURCE · RESUME

High School Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide

Turn activities, volunteer work, projects, skills, and informal experience into a simple one-page resume.

Try this: Pick one strength word from your results and turn it into a resume statement supported by evidence.
View on Appily →
CORE RESOURCE · REFLECTION

Career Planning for High School Students

Think about interests, strengths, values, preferred lifestyle, skills, and experiences before narrowing career options.

Try this: What is one value that matters to you in future work?
View on Appily →

Explore More

Career Clues results are a starting point. Students can use these tools and guides when they want to go further.

College Major QuizCompare your Career Clues direction with possible college majors. Best as an optional follow-up for college-interested students.Take the quiz → Explore College Majors and DegreesResearch fields of study, potential earnings, career outlook, and colleges offering a major.Explore majors → How to Get an Internship in High SchoolUseful for students with a clearer career interest who are ready to research opportunities and contact organizations.Read the guide → Choose a Major With Virtual Job SimulationsTry career tasks virtually before making a decision based only on a quiz result.Learn how → LinkedIn for High School StudentsA stronger extension for grades 11–12 to research careers, build connections, and document experiences.Read the guide → How to Choose Next Year’s ClassesUse a Career Clues result to identify a course that could help a student test an interest or build a relevant skill.Plan classes →

Facilitator Guide Highlights

A simple 30-minute flow that keeps the quiz at the center and helps students turn a result into a practical next step.

1
Introduce · 3 min

Frame Career Clues as a starting point. There is no “best” result, and students do not need to choose a career today.

2
Complete · 9 min

Students take the quiz and note the result plus two or three words or phrases that stand out.

3
Reflect + connect · 13 min

Students identify what fits, choose one direction to investigate, and connect it to a career, program, class, or experience.

4
Extend · 5 min

Students choose one realistic next step and, if time allows, share it with a partner or the group.

Download Facilitator Guide