Shaping a Future of Purposeful Work: Three Factors Influencing Adolescent Career Purpose Exploration

Adolescents value the idea of purposeful careers and gain numerous benefits from exploring career purpose options early in their education. However, most families and educational systems would benefit from a deeper understanding of adolescent career purpose exploration. Through qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, this exploratory study uncovers important factors for supporting early exploration of career purpose. A socioeconomically diverse group of high school sophomores ( N = 45; M age = 15.6) identified significant factors that helped them explore early career purpose interests. Findings suggest the importance of: (1) new, fun, and/or meaningful experiences to inspire and further the exploration of purposeful work, (2) authentic connections with others, especially parents, for needed social support, and (3) key psychological strengths including prosocial behavior, identity and future self development, and resilience in the face of life pressures. These exploratory findings offer insights to guide school- and family-based interventions aimed at strengthening adolescent career purpose exploration. Further studies will benefit adolescents by improving career purpose exploration processes and assisting adolescents in building a future that includes a career purpose in life.