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Wondering how your Illinois major—and the skills you are learning through your studies—connects to the world around us? The ACES Career Education team specializes in helping students make these connections.

Sometimes it can also be fun to do some independent exploring. Apply your critical thinking, research, and puzzle solving talents as dig into the online resources listed below. These can offer some great jumping off places to inform conversations that you have with ACES Career Education staff, advisors, faculty, and professionals.

Campus Favorite Ways to Dive In

  • Careeronestop.org
    • Career clusters are groups of related types of work (e.g. arts, business, human services, IT, Law, STEM). What cluster are you drawn to?
  • Illinois Career Information System
    • Username: Illinois
    • Password: careers
    • Check our their information on occupations and career clusters. You can compare career opportunities side-by-side.
  • First Research Database
    • This database provides industry overviews, trends, predictions and prep questions for informational interviews. If you are off campus, an Illinois login may be required.

Online General Databases to Discover More

  • Occupational Outlook Handbook
    • The OOH helps you explore a variety of occupations. Discover educational requirements, typical skills, job outlooks, work environments, average salaries, similar occupations, and more.
  • O*NET
    • O*NET helps you explore a variety of occupations. Learn about work activities, training and credentials needed, employment trends, related occupations, and more.
  • Zippia.com
    • Jump in with your major to see the current trends & titles. You explore through their industry categories. Last, you can explore specific job titles. You don’t need to sign-up to use many of the features in this to research what to do, paths to advanced positions, trends, and salaries.
  • LinkedIn
    • LinkedIn provides data and research on a variety of industries and labor markets, often from an economics point of view. It can offer an interesting perspective on the future of work.  

We encourage you to explore options early and often. Starting your explorations well before graduation gives you time to “try out” potential directions thru experiential learning activities such as volunteering, jobs, RSOs, community service, courses, and self-directed projects.

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