How to choose your career path when you don’t know what to do?

It’s normal not to know what to do after high school!

75% of high school students don’t have a clear idea of what career they will pursue

If you feel like you are the only one who is unsure, rest assured: quite the opposite is true.

According to the French 2026 Career Guidance Barometer, nearly three out of four high school students do not know exactly which career path they want to pursue, and more than three-quarters have not yet identified the educational program that best suits them. This shows that uncertainty has become the norm, rather than the exception.

Several factors explain this situation:

• careers are evolving very quickly
• new industries and sectors emerge every year
• there are hundreds of post-secondary programs to choose from
• the same career can be reached through several different educational paths

There is another important reality to consider: young people will probably have several different careers over the course of their professional lives. The goal is therefore no longer to choose “the career you will have for the rest of your life,” but rather a first direction that is consistent with your interests and skills.
 

Career planning is more often a step-by-step process than a sudden revelation

We often imagine that some people discover their calling overnight. In reality, this is rarely the case.

Most students move forward progressively: they try different subjects, meet professionals, complete internships, discover new industries or sometimes change their specialization along the way. Career planning is more like a journey than a single decision.

That is why it is often preferable to choose a program that opens up several possibilities rather than one that is too specialized immediately after high school.

Some post-secondary schools offer programs that allow students to develop transferable skills in management, innovation, technology or communication before gradually refining their professional plans. This approach provides greater flexibility and allows students to build their future with greater confidence.

Step 1: Take stock of yourself to better understand your options

Before comparing programs or careers, take a few minutes to get to know yourself better.

Contrary to popular belief, career guidance is not about immediately finding THE ideal career. Its purpose is rather to identify the environments, fields and activities in which you are most likely to thrive.

Step 2: Identify fields, industries and careers that could suit you

Once you have completed this initial self-assessment, it is time to start exploring.

The goal is still not to immediately choose a profession, but to discover different industries and fields in order to broaden your thinking. The more possibilities you explore, the more informed your decision will be.
 

Start with what you enjoy to discover concrete career options

Let’s look at a few examples. If you enjoy…

• solving problems: explore careers in data, engineering or consulting
• organizing projects: look into management, event planning or marketing
• understanding human behavior: explore human resources, psychology, communications or business
• creating: look into design, digital fields or content creation
• new technologies: explore artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software development or digital transformation
• communication: look into careers in communications or journalism
• numbers and mathematics: explore accounting, auditing or finance.

The goal is not to immediately choose a career, but to create an initial list of fields that match your interests and spark your curiosity.
 

Use career and industry profiles to make objective comparisons

To deepen your research, rely on trusted sources such as:

• career profiles published by schools and professional organizations
• student fairs
• open house events

Compare several criteria:

• job responsibilities
• required skills
• day-to-day work
• required education
• career development opportunities

You will quickly discover that the same field can offer dozens of different career opportunities.
 

Mini career assessment

At the end of this exercise, try completing this table.

You will probably notice that certain patterns naturally emerge. They may not be careers yet, but they are already very useful starting points.

Step 3: compare different educational paths and post-secondary programs

Once you have identified a few fields or careers that interest you, it is time to look at the higher education programs that can lead to them.

Contrary to popular belief, there is not always a single path to a given career. Several educational routes can lead to the same goal, with different lengths of study, teaching methods and experiences.

The key is to choose a program that suits your profile, the way you learn and your plans, even if those plans are still taking shape.
 

Why the same career can be reached through different educational paths

Toutes les formations post-bac ne répondent pas aux mêmes besoins. Certaines privilégient une insertion professionnelle rapide, d'autres offrent davantage de temps pour explorer plusieurs disciplines avant de se spécialiser.

Instead, ask yourself the right questions:

• Do I need a high level of academic support?
• Do I learn better through hands-on experience?
• Do I want to work on concrete projects?
• Would I like to study or work internationally?
• Is a work-study program important to me?
• Would I rather keep several options open before specializing?

These criteria are often more important than the name of the program itself.
 

How to compare a program: curriculum, career opportunities and experience

Also look at employment rates, partnerships with companies, international exchange opportunities and student testimonials.

Educational institutions often publish key indicators such as graduation rates and further-study rates. These figures can help you compare different programs more objectively and choose a course of study that matches your expectations.
 

Example of a post-secondary path: choosing a program that gives you time to explore

When you do not yet know exactly which career you want to pursue, it can be reassuring to choose a program that allows you to develop transferable skills while gradually discovering different industries and fields.

This is particularly true of certain bachelor’s and career-focused programs that combine management, innovation, digital skills, hands-on projects and professional experience.

SKEMA follows this approach. It offers several post-secondary programs designed to help students acquire strong foundations, gain a variety of experiences and progressively refine their professional plans.

Depending on their interests, students can explore fields such as management, business, marketing, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship and project management.

• The Bachelor in AI & Management, for example, is designed for students who want to understand artificial intelligence technologies while developing a strong foundation in management. It reflects the evolution of today's careers, which increasingly require both technical skills and strong interpersonal and strategic abilities.
   
• The Global BBA is an international management bachelor’s program that provides students with a global understanding of business while offering strong international exposure through multicampus and multicultural experiences. Students choose a specialization in their fourth year, allowing them to refine their professional plans after three years of exploration and reflection.
   
• ESDHEM is a two- or three-year program designed for students who want to combine the academic rigor of a degree in economics and management or private law with a preparatory program for admission to a Grande École program, while keeping numerous options open for the future.
   
• Finally, the Bachelor in Technology, AI and Sustainable Business, developed in partnership with Centrale Lille, is designed for students interested in science, technology and management, enabling them to develop a dual skill set that is particularly valued by employers.

Beyond any individual program, the main advantage of a school offering several educational paths is the ability to build your direction step by step, through experiences, projects and specializations.

Step 4: Test your options in the real world before making a decision

No career assessment can replace real-life experience. Before choosing a program, try to test your ideas against reality.

A few hours spent with a professional can sometimes teach you more than several weeks of online research.

Complete an internship, immersion experience or job shadowing

Even a short immersion experience can help you confirm—or abandon—an idea. For example, you can:

• attend an open house
• sit in on a class at a school
• complete a job-shadowing experience
• speak with a student
• meet a professional in your network
• attend a student fair or career guidance event

Each experience will help you better understand what you actually enjoy.

Observe the day-to-day reality of a career to avoid misconceptions

Many careers are very different from the image we have of them. Before imagining yourself in a particular profession, try to understand:

• what a typical day looks like
• who the person works with
• which skills are actually used
• what they enjoy most
• and what they find most challenging

This information is often more valuable than a simple career profile.

Discover SKEMA’s post-secondary programs and explore the different paths available to progressively build your professional plans.

Step 5: Talk to the right people to refine your career plans

Career planning is not something you have to do alone. The more you talk to people with different backgrounds, the more realistic your perspective will become. Don’t hesitate to seek out different points of view. Students, graduates, teachers and professionals can each provide a different perspective.

Which professionals or students should you talk to?

You can start by meeting:

• current students
• recent graduates who have entered the workforce
• teachers
• academic program directors
• career guidance counselors
• recruiters
• professionals working in careers that interest you

Open days and immersion experiences are particularly useful opportunities to speak freely with these people and ask all your questions.

You can also use social media platforms such as LinkedIn to contact them or watch testimonials online. There are many formats available: written testimonials, video testimonials, “A Day in the Life” vlogs, career podcasts, etc.

10 useful questions to ask to learn more about a career path

When you meet a student or professional, prepare a few questions. For example:

1. What do you enjoy most about your career?
2. What are the main challenges?
3. What does a typical day look like?
4. Which skills are the most important?
5. What surprised you most when you entered this field?
6. If you could do it again, would you choose the same program?
7. Which internships taught you the most?
8. What advice would you give to a high school student?
9. Which careers are available after completing this program?
10. How do you see your industry evolving over the next few years?

These conversations often help resolve doubts and reveal opportunities you may not have considered.

Step 6: Use tools and assessments without letting them decide for you

Career assessments are often one of the first things students turn to when they do not know what to do after high school. They can be useful as long as you view them as a starting point rather than a definitive answer.

In reality, no questionnaire can determine on its own which career or program is right for you. Your interests, skills and aspirations evolve over time, through your experiences and encounters. The best career guidance tools are those that help you broaden your options and fuel your thinking.
 

Which tools can really help you choose a career path?

To build your plans, prioritize trusted resources:

• professional interest assessments
• school open house events
• student fairs
• career webinars and conferences
• platforms providing information about post-secondary programs.

These tools will help you identify new possibilities, compare different industries and discover careers you may never have considered. The goal is not to find an immediate answer, but to gather enough information to make an informed decision.
 

Create a simple grid to compare different options

When several ideas interest you, it can be useful to compare them objectively. Here is an example of a comparison grid.

This method often naturally highlights two or three educational paths that are worth exploring further.

Step 7: Turn an unclear idea into a real career plan

At the beginning of your research, you may have had a dozen ideas...or none at all. After assessing yourself, exploring different careers, comparing programs and talking to professionals, you now have concrete information to help you move forward.

It is time to move from uncertainty to a decision. Not necessarily a perfect decision, but a sufficiently well-considered one to serve as an excellent first step.
 

How to turn several options into a realistic choice

Try to select:

• two or three careers that genuinely interest you
• two or three programs that could lead to those careers
• two or three schools where you can see yourself studying

Then compare their curricula, teaching methods, career opportunities, international experiences, internship opportunities and specializations.

You will often find that a more general program leaves more doors open than a highly specialized one. This can be particularly valuable when your professional plans are still evolving.
 

H3 - Have a plan A, a plan B… and keep your options open

Building your career and educational path does not mean betting everything on a single possibility. Always plan for:

• a primary plan
• one or two alternatives
• several programs that correspond to each of your plans

This strategy is particularly useful when applying through Parcoursup. It can also make the process less stressful. Most importantly, remember this: your first choice does not lock you into a single path.

Today, there are many opportunities to move between programs. You can change your specialization, continue your studies, study abroad or change direction if your first choice ultimately does not meet your expectations.

Mistakes to avoid when choosing your path

Choosing your path is a personal process. However, some mistakes are very common. Knowing what they are can help you avoid them.
 

Don’t choose under pressure or simply follow others

Choosing the same program as your friends. Making your parents happy. Following a path because it is prestigious.

All of these reasons may seem reassuring at first. But they can sometimes lead to an educational path that does not genuinely match your aspirations. Your plans should first and foremost be your own.
 

Don’t confuse the image of a career with its reality

Social media can sometimes present a highly idealized version of certain professions. Before making your choice, always try to understand the actual responsibilities, work schedule, required skills and career opportunities.

A career that looks exciting on paper may not necessarily match your personality.
 

Be aware of stereotypes that still influence educational choices

Educational choices are still strongly influenced by social perceptions. Some fields are still perceived as “male” or “female,” even though employers are primarily looking for competent, curious and motivated people.

The key is therefore to choose a program based on your interests and abilities rather than stereotypes.

Final checklist: 10 concrete actions you can take this week

Still don’t know what to do? Start simple.

1. Here is an action plan you can complete in just a few days.
2. Make a list of your favorite school subjects.
3. Identify five skills your friends or family recognize in you.
4. Read ten career profiles on Onisep.
5. Watch three testimonials from professionals or students.
6. Attend an open house.
7. Take a career assessment.
8. Meet a student or graduate.
9. Compare three programs that interest you.
10. Create a Plan A and a Plan B.
11. Write down the three careers you now want to explore further.

Finding your path means building your future step by step

Choosing your educational and career path when you do not know what you want to do can seem difficult. Yet you do not need to have all the answers when you leave high school.

The best strategy is often to move forward progressively:

• get to know yourself better;
• discover different careers and industries;
• compare educational programs;
• test your ideas through real-world experiences;
• talk to students and professionals.

A successful career choice is not necessarily one that answers every question immediately. It is one that allows you to keep learning, evolving and progressively building a professional plan that matches your personality.

Some post-secondary programs are specifically designed to support this gradual process by developing broad skills, providing varied experiences and opening up professional opportunities.

At SKEMA, post-secondary programs support students through this process: developing strong foundations, discovering different areas of management and progressively building their professional plans through an approach focused on international exposure, companies and the skills of the future.
 

Explore SKEMA’s programs and identify the one that best matches your ambitions.

Learn more about SKEMA’s School of Professional Studies.