Explore Interests, Values, and Skills


Your Interests, Values, and Skills: The Foundation of Your Personal Attributes


Interests vs. Values vs. Skills

Understanding the difference between your work interests, values in the workforce, and employable skills.

Interests

What you enjoy doing.


Think about past experiences or activities that you have enjoyed participating in. This could be a specific course, extracurricular, or job.

Values

What matters most to you.


Think about important qualities you prefer in an occupation or industry. This could include a healthy work-life balance, engagement with people, or independent work.

Skills

What you are good at.


Think about the activities you believe you excel in. This could be a character trait such as leadership or communication, a sport, or a certain activity such as public speaking.


How to: Explore Your Interests, Values, and Skills

There are a multiple ways to engage in self exploration and learn how your personal attributes intersect with the world of work. Self-assessments, career planning, coursework, and extracurricular activities are just a few options.


Resources

Learn more about the occupations that are out there. Looking for a list? You’ll find it here.


Assessments

Take a free assessment that will determine occupational matches based on your personal attributes.


Career Maturity

Personality Preference

Skills & Strengths

Values

Activities

Looking for other activities to help with exploration? Consider finding student employment.