Career Questions Designed to Get Thoughtful Answers

Want to really surprise your student with something special for the holiday season? Come up with something better to ask them than “What are you going to do after graduation?”

We’re not saying that asking them about their future plans is off-limits, but there are way more creative questions you can ask that actually encourage them to reflect on their experiences and interests, and learn about what they value in a workplace or graduate school program.

When it comes to talking with college students about their futures, adults tend to focus on results of the big decisions: “Did you pick your major?” “What are you going to do with your degree?” “What are your plans after graduation?” Some students have those things figured out and are happy to share, and that’s great! But for students who have experienced stress related to making career decisions, they anticipate these questions and have learned to be prepared with answers that are pleasing to adults just to end the conversation or move on to a less anxiety-inducing subject. By asking more thoughtful questions, you’ll get closer to getting a thoughtful answer as opposed to a rehearsed response.

Try using some of the example questions and prompts below to shift your questions to ask about the process of their career decision-making rather than just the outcome. You might just give your student the boost of support they need to take the next step in their career journey.

Questions for students still exploring career options

• What type of job could you definitely not see yourself doing?
• What is a new skill you would love to learn or one you’d like to improve upon?
• What is something you wish you knew about your career choices that you aren’t able to Google?
• Who is someone that has had a big influence on your career decisions?
• What experiences have you had that have influenced your career decision-making?
• What problems are you interested in solving and why?
• What are some of your greatest strengths or skills?*

*When our team helps students write resumes, they often struggle to identify strengths and skills and we prompt them with things they may have heard from family members about things they are good at, or strengths they used in settings when they were growing up.

Questions for students who have a career goal or interest in mind

• What got you interested in your current career goal?
• How did you know this was the path for you?
• Who is your dream employer and why?
• Who is someone that you go to for career advice if you have questions?
• What experiences have you had so far that relate to your goal?
• What are two skills you have that you know would make you a good [insert job title]?

Things you can share to keep the conversation going

• Tell them about a time you had to make a career decision. How did you decide?
• Tell them about a career blunder or a time you got fired. What did you learn from that experience?
• What things do you value in a workplace environment or culture?
• What was the best job you’ve had and why?
• What is the worst job you’ve had and why?
• How do you define a “good” job?

Free resources we offer to help students with their career journey

• LifeLab: A place to get drop-in career help no matter where they are in their career journey. Students can get help both virtually and in-person at the Student Union in Room 248.
• Career Document Dropbox: Students can upload their resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn URL and get feedback in 2-3 business days.
• Schedule a 1:1 appointment: Students can log in to their Handshake account to schedule a time to meet virtually or in-person with a member of the career education team for help with job or internship search strategies, application materials, and interview prep.