So, you've survived high school. Congratulations! It's now time to think about college or university, but you really have no clue as to which program to apply to. You are good at many things, but you have no idea what will truly make you happy when it comes to choosing a program or major.

Sound familiar? Believe me, you are not alone. It is a daunting task to try and figure out what to take after high school, and one can quickly become confused and unsure about how to approach the future, especially when there are so many post-secondary education options out there to choose from.

As you may know, some programs and majors can lead directly to a specific career, such as electrical engineering, pharmacy, and business (with specializations such as accounting, marketing, and human resources).

Then there are others in the humanities and social sciences, such as English, philosophy, sociology and psychology, that provide less career direction. It's important to realize that every degree or diploma can open up doors to many different careers.

For example, a student majoring in marketing may assume that his or her studies will lead to a position in marketing only. The reality is that the careers related to this major are widely ranging, from advertising and public relations, to product management and retailing.

Therefore, before trying to determine which educational path is right for you, it would make sense to first figure out what your career goals are. This will make it easier for you to determine which educational path will get you there.

So, how do you go about figuring out what your career goal is? Well, first of all, you need to have a clear understanding of who you are, and then you need to research which occupations out there would be a good fit for you.

This is known as career planning. For many people, the first step to career planning is career testing. You've probably heard of career tests, and maybe you've even taken one in high school.

Used wisely, career tests (usually called career assessment inventories, since they generally aren't tests with right or wrong answers) can help you gain a better sense of who you are and where you might fit best in the world of work.

Using them wisely is the key, however. It's important to understand that no career test will be able to tell you what your career should be. The results of these tests are only meant to give you some idea of the careers or majors that you might want to explore, given your personality and your current interests, skills and abilities. That's all - no more, no less.

It's also important to understand that the results of the test can only be as accurate as the information you provide. Sometimes it is hard to be completely honest when taking a career test.

Perhaps you realize that you are not strongly inclined to have a particular trait, but you consider it desirable - this type of emotion tends to influence answers and consequently, test results.

So try your best to be honest when you answer every question, but don't expect the test results to be perfect. Use the test results as input to your own thinking, and always let your intuition be your guide because you know yourself better than any test does.

Career testing is available at many community career services centres. All of the public universities and colleges also have career counsellors on site who are trained in administering and interpreting the results of career tests; they can sit with you and help you determine which careers are best suited to your interests.

You could also surf the net for career tests and take them at home, such as our 3-Step Career Quiz, developed by noted counsellor Rodger Harp. To make it even more effective, take the results with you when you talk to your own guidance or career counsellor.

Never feel that you have to rush into making a career decision. A career decision is different from most trivial decisions that you make every day because it has a lasting impact on your life.

We all end up spending more of our waking hours at work than we do anywhere else, so it only makes sense to take the time necessary to make the right decision.

If you feel that you are not ready for college or university just yet, taking a year off to go to work may be an option to consider. There are many students who choose to go to work directly after high school. Some do it because they want to take a break from studying and save up some money for tuition. Others are not quite sure about what they want to study and don't want to take out a student loan until they are sure that they are going to be studying something that's right for them.

If you are considering this option, be careful that you don't lose sight of your greater goals or get stuck in a job which is meant to be temporary. Use this time to carefully consider your career goal and do some proper planning, it may just be what you need to move you forward confidently into the future. Best of luck on your quest in finding a fulfilling career!