Beads of sweat form on your forehead as you focus on columns of tiny ink bubbles in front of you. With a pencil gripped tightly in your hand, you ponder the last few questions on the seemingly never-ending test. Suddenly, a teacher at the front of the muggy room exclaims, “Time is up!” You hand in the piece of paper and bolt out the door. The final exam of the last class of high school is finished!

Thrilled, you push open the school’s double doors and pass into the sunshine. No more early classes, no more history, math or English. You feel a sense of relief at the thought of never again having to endure intense hours of study and preparation before classes.

But at that moment, a realization sinks in. What am I going to do now? It is only then that you recognize you should have thought about this question before graduation.

Choosing what to do after high school may seem a distant concern, yet it has a significant influence in determining if you will be successful. Although you may decide not to attend college, just because you leave high school does not mean you no longer have to learn. This brand-new phase of your life requires careful thought and education. Often, it even requires more self-motivation and determination to choose what you will do after high school.

Those in God’s Church understand that the end of the age is drawing near. Yet do not use this as an excuse to avoid thinking about your future. Instead, you should work as though everything will end tomorrow, while planning as though there are still many years left.

This same principle applies to choosing a career and preparing yourself for the future. Whether you are still in school or have just graduated, careful planning now will ensure you have the kind of life you desire later.

Prepare to Succeed

Not everyone has a strong vision of where they see themselves in the future, but take this opportunity to ensure that you do.

The task of deciding on a career can seem daunting leaving you to wonder where to begin. An important initial step is to seek counsel, especially from those that know you best and care for you the most. You can trust them to help you come decide on a career path.

First and most important, pray to God about the situation and seek His will on the matter. Ask Him to help you see the overall picture of His Plan, and to assist you in selecting a future profession based on how He might be able to use it for His purpose someday or to benefit His Work. Keep in mind that when the Kingdom is established at Christ’s Return, you will most likely be able to use your career skills to benefit the whole world, not just yourself and your employer. Do not limit yourself to just what you see you could do now—think BIG!

Second, ask your parents about your career choices. They know you best and can provide helpful feedback. They have seen you grow and know your strengths and weaknesses, as well as likes and dislikes. Also, they have your best interests in mind.

Third, speak with your local minister about his experiences. He can give you biblical insight on your ideal professions. He may also recommend an avenue you might not have considered—Ambassador Center! With the Church and Work expanding rapidly, there are growing needs at Headquarters. If you have aptitudes and skills that can be used, an education at AC could develop them for God’s Work.

Lastly, ask trusted friends. While they do not have as much experience as your family does, they most likely know your strengths and interests. Groups of friends are also helpful to bounce ideas off if you still are not sure about a particular field.

Once you have sought advice from others it is time to sit and contemplate a career that would best suit you.

Brainstorm all professions that appeal to you. Perhaps you have held a summer job where you were exposed to a field that interested you. Make a list of 10 professions. Do not worry about the order in which you write them down.

Under each, jot down the pros and cons. This list will be helpful when you start looking into the specifics of each career. Remember to be realistic.

Areas of interest such as carpentry, auto mechanics, graphic design, nursing, architecture, journalism and teaching are examples of careers. Once you write down these options, number them from your first choice to your last.

Undoubtedly, some of these careers require a college degree. Others may involve attending a trade school that takes less time and is less expensive. Still others may not need formal education, but do require a contract period for on-the-job training.

Armed with this information, begin to research each particular field. Find out what it takes to become successful in each. Then, with your list of potential careers in hand, get counsel from various individuals on where you would best succeed.

Keep all the information you find recorded on your list. Cross off options that no longer appeal to you based on information you have gathered from others.

Create a Plan

Now that you have narrowed down your list and prayed about the process, there are most likely several careers that interest you. Take these broad career topics and start searching online for more information about the specific fields within each category.

At this stage, build a profile of each career topic. Become acquainted with what is required for each and what a typical day might be like.

After you have a sense of each career, speak with local professionals who can provide more background on them. If you are interested in a specific trade, look up local contractors. They may allow you to visit jobsites to get a sense of fieldwork or even help as a part-time assistant. If you are interested in a technical field, schools often host workshops to familiarize students with what is required for such studies. If you are interested in a particular company, call to see if they are hiring or set up an appointment to speak with a representative. Most firms have public relations personnel who can provide useful information on the company and are more than willing to spend time talking with students.

Stay Motivated

By thoroughly investigating all areas of interest, you will eventually narrow down your options until only one remains. Remember to weigh the pros and cons of the job itself and what it takes to get there. Does the profession take eight years of schooling and incur tens of thousands of dollars in debt? Or can you practice it after one or two years? Recall the advice you received and weigh this against your findings.

Picture yourself in five years, pursuing this career and the education necessary to achieve it. You should have gained enough information to get a clear picture of what daily life would be like. If you find you do not enjoy what you see, then go back and do more research. Forming a realistic picture of yourself in this profession is critical to choosing the right career for you.

Communicate your research to your parents as you continue to learn more. They can guide you not just in the early phases of your search, but throughout the process.

Never Stop Learning!

Choosing a career path is not as simple as filling in multiple choice answers on a high school exam. It is a deciding factor in the path your life will take after graduation. Take the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of professions. Do not sell yourself short.

Remember, life is all about learning! You will continually acquire more knowledge, sometimes in the form of life lessons that build character. Other times, you may simply learn interesting facts from history or useful statistics.

Learning makes you a more interesting person overall. Have you ever engaged another young person from a foreign country with which you were not familiar? Hours-long conversations can begin by asking someone about where they live, what their home country is like, and what their interests are.

Even well into adulthood, you will be learning new things! At some point, you will want to move out from your parents’ home and be independent. This requires that you are able to support yourself. It also includes managing a variety of tasks you may not know how to do yet, such as cooking, paying bills, doing household chores, and managing a daily schedule, including regular prayer and Bible study.

Think. What would your life be like if you decided not to learn anything beyond high school? With little education, you would limit your ability to achieve more, and would be forced to accept whatever job came along first—usually a lower paying one! A low-paying job could hamper plans of starting a family as you would constantly need to rely on others for financial support.

While your peers all have different plans, interests and aspirations, this is your life! Actively choose your career path. Examine your options, carefully plan and pursue your education after high school, and ensure those successful first steps in creating a fulfilling life for yourself.

When the final bell rings on your last day of school and you walk down the sidewalk leaving high school forever, you now can look forward to that moment. With all exams completed and a giddy feeling in your stomach over the anticipation of life without school, you will feel more prepared than ever for the future.