Here are 5 things you can do to find out if you’re on the right track for finding the perfect career. You’ll find more details and instructions about each of these ideas in the "Don’t Stop Now" chapter of each of the Career Ideas for Kids books.

After exploring some options, what are your top three choices so far?

Find out all you can about careers you like so that you can decide if it’s right for you. Use a notebook to keep track of what you learn.

If want to know what a job is really like, a good way to find out is to ask someone who does it. Maybe it’s the parent of a friend, a neighbor, or someone you track down through the Chamber of Commerce or a professional association but don’t be shy about asking questions. Most people will be flattered that you ask.

You are the first generation to have this awesome resource so use it. The links included at this website are just the starting place. Read more about how to do this in the Surf the Net section of each Career Ideas for Kids book.

See for yourself what a job is like by hanging out where the work is done. You’ll find lots of tips about "job shadowing" in your Career Ideas for Kids book.

Once you’ve narrowed things down to an idea you really like, it’s time to hire yourself for the job and get to work, Think of this process as a grown-up version of playing dress-up. It lets you try on different careers to see which ones fit.

Here’s what to do – pick a career idea. By now, you should have a pretty good idea of what the career involves. So, with a little help from parents, teachers, and the professionals you’ve met, you should be able to come up with a whizbang plan for an on-the-job assignment. An on-the-job assignment is a project is one that gives you hands-on, realistic experience doing the kind of work you would do on a real job. For instance, if you’re thinking about becoming a chef try planning a menu for an elegant wedding party. Figure out how much of each ingredient you would need to serve 250 people and what special touches you could add to make it a wonderfully special event. Compile your ideas in a notebook.

An on-the-job assignment for an aspiring architect might involve drawing up plans for a great treehouse and displaying them on poster board. A future engineer might construct a bridge out of toothpicks. An interior design wannabe might put together a design notebook detailing plans for redecorating their bedroom.

Got the general idea? See what you can come up with.

When you finish, email us at cifkreeves@careerideasforkids.com and tell us about it.