Career Quiz for Teens (Free) was originally published on Forage.
If you’re a teen stressing about your career, you’re not alone. Job search anxiety is creeping up much earlier than it used to and, unfortunately, for good reason. If you’re looking to land a job in a competitive industry after college, sometimes that means you need to apply to pre-internship or internship programs during your senior year of high school or first few years of college — before you’ve even turned 20!
If you’re feeling entirely overwhelmed and have no idea where to start, don’t panic. We’ve written a free career quiz for teens that requires absolutely zero knowledge of different career paths, work environments, or job skills. Once you answer, we’ll give you a place to start researching your potential careers and some advice for what you do — and don’t — need to do for your career journey right now.
Career Quiz for Teens
Are you ready to take a career quiz for teens and learn what careers you’re best suited for? You’ll have to sign up to get your results, but it’s absolutely free. Let’s get started!
Choose a superpower.
teleportation
invisibility
healing
mind-reading
time travel
You won the lottery! You’ll…
invest the money
use the money the fund a new project
donate a portion to a cause you care about
plan a big party for your friends and family
save the money for a future emergency
It’s a beautiful Saturday at the Farmers Market. What are you doing?
buying apple cider donuts (and apple cider, and blueberry muffins, and…)
listening to the local band play
talking to the organizers to learn about other nearby markets
sitting on the grass with your friends
planning your next recipe using local ingredients
You’re throwing a fundraiser for your school club. To raise money, you’ll host…
a bake sale
a craft fair
an advice booth
a big party
a game competition
You’re in a fight with your best friends. To sort things out, you’ll…
host an intervention
suggest you all bond over a new activity
have everyone share their thoughts and feelings
act as a mediator for discussion
have a calm, rational sit down with everyone
You’re planning a post-graduation trip. You’re in charge of…
budget
finding the best restaurants
discovering the best local secrets
getting recommendations from people who’ve visited recently
travel logistics
Choose a lecture to attend.
Money Talks: Investment Strategy in the Age of Inflation
Art or Science: Digital Design in Modern Cities
Feminist or Femininity: Examining Women’s Political Roles in the 21st Century
Eloquence Unleashed: Mastering the Everyday Ted Talk
To Infinity and Beyond: The Next Innovations in Space
It’s one of your friend’s birthdays this weekend. You’re giving them…
a gift card to their favorite restaurant
a hand-knit sweater
a donation to their favorite cause
coupons for different activities for you to do together
a new kitchen gadget they really need
Next year, your New Year’s Resolution is to…
save up to buy something you’ve wanted for a while
work on a project you’re proud of
prioritize your health and well-being
make five new friends
work toward your five-year goals
Pick one of the top-visited websites in the world.
YouTube
Wikipedia
Yahoo
You picked (or will pick) your college because of the…
post-grad career opportunities
courses
extracurricular activities
peers and professors
project opportunities
At the club fair, the club that catches your eye is…
intramural basketball
a cappella
mental health advocacy
Greek life
students in STEM
Choose a social media app.
TikTok
Discord
Choose a famous person to have dinner with.
Bill Gates
Lin Manuel-Miranda
Malala Yousafzai
Oprah Winfrey
John Green
Pick a topic to write an in-depth research paper on.
historic economic policies
Renaissance art
COVID-19 health care practices
psychology of decision-making
recent innovations in AI
You’re buying a new phone. You’re primarily focused on getting the right…
affordability
design
battery life
messaging features
speed
Your ideal vacation is…
an all-inclusive resort
filled with museums and art galleries
a trip with your best friends
one in the middle of nature
a bustling city
Name
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Career Advice for Teens: Dos and Don’ts
Now that you’ve taken a career quiz for teens — and know what kinds of careers you might be a good fit for — what steps do you need to take in your career journey right now? Here are some do’s and don’ts.
Do Start Identifying What You Like
Now is the time to start investigating your passions, interests, and skills. A great first step is taking a career quiz for teens, but you can also get introspective. Kraig Kleeman, CEO and founder of The New Workforce, recommends asking yourself questions like: “What do I enjoy doing, and where do my strengths lie? What activities get me excited? What is my magnificent obsession that leads to creativity and joy?”
Don’t worry about whether these questions lead you to specific career paths — your answers don’t need to be that you love programming or people management. Things like having deep conversations with friends or playing word games on your phone count! Focus first on things that make you happy and things you find you’re naturally good at, then try to map them onto career paths — not the other way around.
Don’t Pigeonhole Yourself
“Hey, slow your roll on ultra-specializing,” says Lou Reverchuk, co-founder and CEO of EchoGlobal, a tech recruitment and staffing firm.
Specialization is when you become an expert in a particular field — which you don’t need to do just yet, even if you’re interested in a certain industry.
“You might think you need to become a whiz in some niche tech or read every paper in a subfield of psychology,” he says. “Specialization has its place, but it’s often more beneficial in the later years of college or grad school.”
Do Get Experience
It’s never too early to get experience, and it doesn’t have to be professional experience to count.
>>MORE: How to Get Work Experience This Summer — Without an Internship
“Get as much experience as possible in the spaces and industries that you’re interested in,” says Lakia Elam, an HR leader with more than 20 years of experience in recruiting, hiring, and career coaching for young professionals. “On top of providing you with technical skills, this will also help you develop connections with other students, faculty, presenters, and business affiliates within their community. Being active in school activities, programs, and clubs will help teach new skills, develop your network, and help make your resume more well-rounded.”
So, what can you get involved in besides an internship? Extracurricular activities, academic projects, personal projects, volunteering, and part-time work all count.
Don’t Be Afraid to Try Something New
We all come into our job search with certain ideas and expectations. Maybe you always thought you were going to be a doctor, so you feel tied to pursuing medicine. Or, maybe your parents think you’d be a great banker, so you feel obligated to ace your economics classes.
While these expectations are something to consider in your job search, you shouldn’t feel boxed in this early in your career journey.
“Don’t stick just to your comfort zone,” Reverchuk says. “College is your sandbox; don’t be afraid to explore different courses and activities.”
Elam agrees, advising students to try things early and often. “Don’t wait until the final years of college to get your professional wheels spinning,” she says. “Move like you have somewhere to go and something positive to do.”
Do Talk to People
One of the best ways to learn about different careers is to talk to people about theirs.
“Networking isn’t just a buzzword; it’s essential,” Reverchuk says. “Connect with professionals on LinkedIn, join career-focused clubs, and never underestimate the power of a casual coffee chat. You’re laying down the foundation here, make it count.”
Building Your Personal Brand
Learn how to optimize your LinkedIn profile to reflect your skills, strengths, and professional brand.
Avg. Time:
2-3 hours
Skills you’ll build:
LinkedIn, brand management, personal brand toolkit, self-reflection
It doesn’t need to be the CEO of a company you dream of working for — learning about careers from your aunt, professor, neighbor, or hairdresser’s daughter’s friend are all valuable.
Don’t Force Relationships
“While starting networking early is excellent, don’t come off as too pushy or overly formal in your networking efforts,” Kleeman warns. “Building genuine relationships is the name of the game.”
Instead, focus your initial conversations less on how the person got the job and more on why they chose their role. You don’t want to be transactional; you want to be curious, especially in the initial stages of your career journey.
>>MORE: Learn how to build genuine relationships by conducting informational interviews.
Career Quiz for Teens: The Bottom Line
If you’re a teen thinking about your career, you’re already taking the right first step. At this point in your job search, you don’t need to have a clear idea of what you want to do; instead, you should be exceptionally curious, open, and flexible to what career opportunities you might be a good fit for.
A great place to start is by taking a career quiz for teens to get a sense of what you should try out — then take the leap and do research, get experience, and talk to people in that industry to see if it’s something you might want to pursue.
Explore a day in the life in different career paths and roles with Forage job simulations.
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