How to Adapt Your Elevator Pitch for Any Audience (With Examples)

Last updated July 28, 2026

In this article

You’ve got an elevator pitch. Then you use it at a career fair, and it lands fine. Then you use the exact same words on an alum who offered to grab coffee, and it comes out stiff — like you’re auditioning for a job they don’t have.

That’s not a sign your pitch is bad. It’s a sign you’re giving one version of it to five different rooms.

The fix isn’t memorizing five scripts. It’s understanding which parts of your story to turn up depending on who’s listening. Below is one student’s story, told five ways.

Why one pitch doesn’t work everywhere

Every person you introduce yourself to is quietly asking a different question.

A recruiter is asking can you do the job. Someone you’re interviewing for information is asking what do you want from me. A professor is asking what do you need. A friend-of-a-friend is asking why am I on this call.

Answer the wrong question and you sound off, even if everything you said was true. Most awkward introductions aren’t caused by bad facts — they’re caused by good facts pointed in the wrong direction.

The four parts you’re working with

Whoever you’re talking to, you’re assembling the same four pieces:

  1. Who you are — your name and where you are right now.
  2. Proof — something real you’ve done that backs up your interest.
  3. Direction — where you’re headed, or what you’re trying to figure out.
  4. The ask — what you want to happen next.

The ask is the part that changes the most. It’s also the part students drop entirely, which is why so many introductions end in silence. If you leave out what you want, the other person has to guess — and usually they just say “great to meet you” and move on.

Meet Jordan

To make this concrete, here’s one student across all five situations.

Jordan is in their second year at a community college, works part-time as a pharmacy technician, and is interested in healthcare but hasn’t settled on a specific role yet. Same facts every time. Watch what moves.

Talking to a recruiter

Their question: Can you do this job?

Lead with proof and be specific about the role. Recruiters are pattern-matching against an open position, sometimes in a 90-second conversation, so make it easy.

“Hi, I’m Jordan — I’m in my second year at Metro Community College studying health sciences. I’ve been working as a pharmacy technician for about a year, so I’m used to handling patient information carefully and staying accurate under pressure. I saw you’re hiring for patient services roles this summer. Is that something I could apply for?”

Notice the pitch names a real skill from a real job, then ends with a direct question. Don’t wait to be invited to ask.

Talking to someone in a field you’re exploring

Their question: What do you want from me?

This is an informational interview, and the mistake is sounding like you’re secretly asking for a job. Make it clear you want their perspective. That’s a much easier yes.

“Hi, I’m Jordan, a health sciences student at Metro Community College. I work as a pharmacy tech, and I’m trying to figure out which direction to take in healthcare — I keep going back and forth between clinical work and something more on the public health side. I saw you’ve done both. Would you be open to 15 minutes sometime so I could hear how you decided?”

Being undecided is an asset here, not a weakness. “I’m trying to figure out X” gives the other person something specific to help with. Vague admiration doesn’t.

Talking to a professional a friend introduced you to

Their question: Why am I on this call?

Name the connection immediately — it’s why they said yes — then get to your ask quickly. Warm introductions come with goodwill and a short clock.

“Hi, I’m Jordan — Marisol mentioned you two worked together at the county health department. I’m a health sciences student and a pharmacy tech, and I’m trying to learn what public health careers actually look like day to day. She thought you’d be a good person to ask.”

Short is fine. You don’t have to earn the conversation; someone already did that for you.

Talking to a professor or mentor

Their question: What do you need?

You’re not selling here. You’re asking for guidance, so lead with the honest state of things — including the uncertainty.

“Hi Professor Reyes, I’m Jordan from your Tuesday anatomy section. I’m a second-year student and I work as a pharmacy tech. I’m trying to decide whether to go the clinical route or look at public health, and I’m not sure how to compare them. Could I come to office hours to talk it through?”

Professors and mentors respond well to specific questions. “Can I pick your brain?” is hard to say yes to. “Can I come to office hours Thursday to talk through two options?” is easy.

Writing it down: LinkedIn and cold emails

Written versions get skimmed, so front-load the important part.

LinkedIn headline — searchable, current, and directional:

Health Sciences Student at Metro Community College | Pharmacy Technician | Exploring Careers in Public Health

Cold email or DM — keep it under about 100 words, one ask, easy to say yes to:

Subject: Health sciences student — 15 minutes to hear about your path?

Hi Ms. Okafor,

I’m Jordan, a second-year health sciences student at Metro Community College and a part-time pharmacy technician. I’m exploring public health careers and found your work on community vaccination outreach.

Would you have 15 minutes in the next few weeks for a short call? I’d love to hear how you got into the field and what surprised you.

Thank you for considering, Jordan

Some people won’t answer. That’s normal, and it isn’t about you — send a few.

What never changes

The framing shifts. These don’t:

Tell the truth. Every version above is the same person with the same job and the same open question. You’re changing emphasis, not inventing a character.

Use specifics. “Pharmacy technician for a year” beats “interested in healthcare.” Concrete details are what people remember and repeat to someone else.

Keep it short. Thirty seconds out loud. Under 100 words in writing. You’re starting a conversation, not finishing it.

Always include the ask. Even a small one. Can I apply? Can we talk for 15 minutes? Can I come to office hours?

Say it out loud before it counts. It always sounds different in your mouth than in your head. Practice on a friend, or run through it with our Interview Coach and Career Skills Coach.

Want feedback on your own version before you use it? Connect with a Get Schooled Advisor. It’s free, and you can bring a rough draft — that’s what it’s for.

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What If You Don’t Have a Passion? Here’s What to Do Instead

Last updated August 7, 2026

In this article

Somewhere along the way, someone probably told you to follow your passion. Maybe it was a graduation speech, or a teacher, or a poster in a hallway.

It’s a nice sentence. It’s also unhelpful if you don’t have one — and a lot of people don’t. If you’ve been quietly assuming everyone else got handed a calling and you got skipped, this article is for you.

The short version: not having one clear passion is normal, changing your mind is normal, and neither one means you’re behind.

“Follow your passion” assumes you have one

The advice only works if a passion is something you find sitting there fully formed, waiting for you to notice it. Under that assumption, if you haven’t found yours, the problem must be you… you didn’t look hard enough… you’re not self-aware enough…

That’s not how it works for most people. Interests are usually built, not discovered. They start as mild curiosity, and they get stronger as you learn more, get better, and start to see how the thing connects to other things you care about.

Research backs this up. Psychologists studying how people relate to their interests have found that students who believe passions are developed stick with new subjects longer when they get hard. While students who believe passions are found tend to conclude that difficulty means it wasn’t the right fit, and quit.

So the pressure you feel to already know isn’t just uncomfortable. It’s working against you.

Passion usually shows up after you get good at something

Think about anything you’re genuinely into right now – a sport, a game, an instrument, a subject. Were you passionate about it the first day?

Almost certainly not. The first day you were bad at it. What made it interesting was getting less bad: understanding the rules, seeing your progress, being trusted with more.

Work follows the same pattern. People who love their jobs usually didn’t walk in loving them. They got competent, got useful, got some autonomy, and the feeling followed. Which means the practical move isn’t to search harder for the thing you already love — it’s to get good at something you’re curious about and see whether the feeling develops.

This is also good news financially. It means you don’t have to choose between “meaningful” and “pays the bills.” A stable job you become excellent at can turn into work you care about. That happens all the time.

Changing your mind is the norm, not a failure

Here’s the part nobody tells you: even the people who did pick something confidently change course.

Within three years of starting college, about 30% of students who had declared a major had changed it. And roughly 1 in 10 changed more than once (National Center for Education Statistics). That’s just the students who declared early enough to switch.

It keeps going after graduation. As of January 2024, the median U.S. worker had been with their current employer for 3.9 years (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Most people are not doing one thing forever.

So when you picture the adults around you as having chosen once and stayed, you’re usually looking at a story that’s been tidied up in the retelling. Ask a few of them directly and you’ll hear about the detours.

What to do instead of waiting for a lightning bolt

If passion is built, then your job right now is to run cheap experiments and pay attention to the results.

Follow curiosity, not certainty. You don’t need to love something to look into it. Mild interest is enough of a reason to take a class, watch a documentary, or read about how a field works.

Get close to real work. A volunteer shift, a summer job, a one-day shadow, a free online course. An afternoon of doing something teaches you more than a week of reading about it.

Build skills that transfer. Communication, problem-solving, adaptability, working with people who aren’t like you — these pay off in every direction you might eventually go, which makes them a safe bet while you’re undecided. Our Build Your Career Skills series breaks these down.

Write down what you notice. Two columns: what felt good, what didn’t. “I liked being on my feet.” “I hated waiting for someone to tell me what to do next.”

If you want a structured version of this, start with How to Figure Out What Career Is Right for You and the Self-Exploration Worksheet.

How to change your mind well

Changing direction isn’t free, so it’s worth doing deliberately rather than in a panic.

Name what’s actually wrong. “I don’t like this” is worth unpacking. Is it the subject, the workload, one bad professor, one bad manager, or the fact that you’re exhausted? Those lead to very different decisions.

Look at the cost honestly. Switching a major in your first year is cheap. Switching in your senior year may add time and money. Ask an advisor to walk you through what a change would actually mean — before you decide, not after.

Take the parts that transfer with you. Two years in a program you left isn’t wasted. You learned to write, meet deadlines, handle a hard subject, and probably discovered something real about yourself. All of that comes along.

Change toward something, not just away. Leaving because something is wrong is a fine reason to start looking. It’s a weak reason to pick what’s next. Do a little exploring before you commit again.

You’re not behind

There’s no schedule for this. The idea that you should have it settled by 17, or 20, or 22, isn’t based on anything real — plenty of people find their footing much later and do great work.

What you can do right now is stay curious, try things at small scale, and notice your honest reactions. That’s not a fallback plan. That’s the actual method.

Feeling stuck on what to try first? Connect with a Get Schooled Advisor. It’s free, it’s judgment-free, and “I don’t know what I like yet” is a perfectly good place to start.

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How to Figure Out What Career Is Right for You

Last updated August 6, 2026

In this article

Most career advice starts in the wrong place. It hands you a list of high-paying jobs, or a quiz that spits out “forensic accountant,” and waits for you to react.

But a career isn’t something you get assigned. It’s something you build out of what you’re good at, what you care about, and what your life realistically needs to look like. All three are about you, which means you’re the first thing to research!

This article is the starting point to walk you through taking an honest inventory of yourself, and then turning that into careers you can actually look up, ask about, and try.

Why career exploration should start with you

It’s tempting to skip this part. Reflecting on yourself feels slower than scrolling a list of careers, and less productive.

It isn’t. Here’s what starting with yourself gets you:

It cuts a huge field down fast. There are thousands of jobs out there and you can probably name thirty. Knowing that you need to be around people, or that you’d rather be judged on results than on hours, eliminates entire categories in one move.

It gives you language. Once you can say “I want work where I solve problems for people face to face,” you can search better, ask better questions, and write a much stronger resume and cover letter. Employers respond to candidates who know what they’re looking for.

It makes you harder to talk out of things. When you understand why a path fits you, other people’s opinions about it carry less weight, including the well-meaning ones.

Skipping straight to job listings means making a big decision with no information about the most important variable in it.

Four questions worth answering first

You don’t need a personality test. You need honest answers to four questions.

Write them down. This matters more than it sounds like it does; you literally use a different part of your brain when you write things down.

1. What am I actually good at?

Not “what’s my best subject.” What do people come to you for? What do you pick up faster than the people around you? What part of a group project do you end up owning because you’re the one who can do it?

Count the things that don’t look academic. Calming down an upset customer, keeping a group organized, fixing something without instructions, explaining a concept until it finally clicks for someone, those are real skills that employers pay for.

2. What holds my attention?

What do you lose track of time doing? What do you read about, watch, or argue about when nobody assigned it?

An interest isn’t a career plan by itself. But it’s a strong signal, because it tells you what you’ll still care about on an ordinary Wednesday three years in.

3. What matters to me?

This is the values question, and it’s the one people skip. Do you need to feel like your work helps someone? Do you want recognition, or do you want to be left alone to do the work? Right now, is stability worth more to you than excitement, or the other way around?

Practical things belong on this list too. Wanting to earn enough to support your family holds real value, not misplaced priorities.

4. What does my life need to look like?

Schedule, location, how much training you can afford, how long you’re willing to be in school, whether you’re able to move. These are constraints, and naming them isn’t giving up on anything, it’s how you build a plan that survives contact with your actual life.

Ready to go deeper on these? Our Self-Exploration Worksheet takes you through them in a structured format.

Reflection that stays in your notes app doesn’t move you forward. The goal is to convert what you learned into terms you can look up.

Read back over your four answers and pull out the patterns, not job titles, but conditions. Something like: good at explaining things, care about health, need predictable hours, can’t do eight years of school.

Now search deeper:

  • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook lists hundreds of careers with what they involve, what they pay, what training they require, and whether the field is growing.
  • O*NET OnLine lets you search by interests and skills rather than by job title.

That example above might surface respiratory therapist, health educator, medical assistant, or dental hygienist. Solid careers that plenty of students have never had described to them. You’ll find options you didn’t know existed, which is exactly why the order matters.

When you have a few worth investigating, our Know the Landscape series covers how those fields and their hiring processes actually work.

Test what you find in the real world

Reflection tells you what you think you want. Only experience tells you whether you’re right and want to continue.

Once you’ve got two or three fields worth exploring, get close to them:

  • Talk to someone who does the job. Ask what a normal day looks like, what surprised them, and what they’d do differently. Our The Way: Career Stories to Find Your Way series is a good place to start listening.
  • Try a small version of it. A volunteer shift, a free online course, a one-day job shadow, or a part-time job in that kind of environment.
  • Pay attention to your reaction, especially the negative ones. “I hated how quiet it was” is genuinely useful information about you.

Then bring what you learned back to your four answers and revise them. Reflect, research, try, revise. That loop is career exploration. It isn’t a one-time decision you make and then live with.

Expect your answers to change

The person you are right now is not the person you’ll be in five years. Your skills will grow, your priorities will shift, and jobs that don’t exist yet will exist by the time you’re looking.

So come back to these four questions, after a first job, after a class that surprised you, after something goes badly. The questions stay the same. Your answers won’t, and that’s a sign the process is working.

Start with one question today

Pick one of the four questions and write your answer down. Not a plan, not a major, not a five-year timeline. One honest answer.

That’s how this starts.

Want a second opinion on what you’re seeing in your own answers? Connect with a Get Schooled Advisor. It’s free, it’s judgment-free, and “I don’t know where to start” is a completely fine place to begin.

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Self-Exploration Worksheet to Discover a Career

Last updated June 25, 2026

In this article

Before you can know what you want from the future, it’s essential to take inventory of what truly matters to you. This self-exploration worksheet is a way to assess who you are, what’s important to you, and what you want from life. This assessment is a great way to reflect and write out your thoughts.

Click the image below to download and fill out our self-exploration worksheet!

Screenshot of the Self-Exploration Worksheet- Self-Exploration Worksheet

Do you have any questions? Connect with a Get Schooled Advisor.

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8 Ways to Explore Career Options

Last updated September 3, 2025

In this article

With many career options and pathways to choose from, you may be unsure of where or how to start exploring ones that interest you. Taking some time for career exploration can help you feel better prepared to apply for jobs and internships, choose a college major, and decide on a career path that aligns with your passions! Below, we share eight ways to explore career options.

Watch career videos from The Way

There are many paths to finding a fulfilling career! Our video series, The Way, highlights stories from people in a variety of careers and industries. From being a chocolate maker to a news anchor, there’s a career story that can help you find your way! You can explore stories based on specific career paths that interest you or by the experience level of the person sharing their story. 

Think of careers as stepping stones

Did you know that the average person changes careers at least twice in their life? Just because you start out as an accountant doesn’t mean you can’t try a career as a social media strategist, writer, chef, nurse, or filmmaker! When it comes to careers, nothing is permanent. If you think of your career as a stepping stone, you can stay open to exploring new interests and talents throughout it. The key is to stay curious!

Make a career plan

Try sketching out a simple plan for your desired career path(s) and the steps you may need to take to get there. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you make your plan:

  • What educational requirements may I need to fulfill?
  • What job, volunteer, or internship experience do I need?
  • Who do I know already established in this career that I can talk to?
  • Does this career path align with my values and interests?
  • Will I be happy in this career?

It’s important to remember that your answers to these questions when you’re 16 may be different from when you’re 26. Coming back to this kind of self-reflection frequently is a great way of keeping in touch with what matters to you.

Consider your strengths and passions

Everyone has strengths and passions! Do you enjoy working with children or the elderly? Are you analytical and love solving problems? Have you always enjoyed building things and working with your hands? No matter what your passions and strengths are, there’s most definitely a career or job connected to them. By taking some time to consider these things, you can research careers from the heart with clearer goals in mind!

Hold informational interviews

Informational interviews are one of the best ways to learn more about the career or industry you’re interested in, directly from a person who’s working in it. You can ask someone you already know or reach out to a person whose job interests you on LinkedIn to request an informational interview with them. Informational interviews are typically brief and give the interviewer a chance to ask the person they’re interviewing all about their job, education, and career path. Holding informational interviews can help you narrow down potential career paths and decide if one you were interested in is still the right fit for you.

Clickable button that leads to Get Schooled's Interview Coach Tool - 8 Ways to Explore Career Options

Seek mentorship

A mentor is someone typically in the same career as you that can provide advice, guidance, and connections to others in that career. A good mentor will give you advice when you need it, hold you accountable so you’re making progress toward your goals, and encourage you to keep going during challenging times. You can ask someone you hold an informational interview with if they’re open to being your mentor, or connect with someone on LinkedIn who is open to mentoring. There are also organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters or MENTOR that offer resources in your community.

Intern and volunteer

Gaining firsthand experience in the career or industry you’re interested in goes a long way! Not only will this experience help you determine if this career path is the right fit for you, it will also be an extremely valuable addition to your resume. Read our guide on finding jobs and internships in college and learn how to find your next volunteer opportunity.

Take a career assessment test

Career assessment tests can be found online, typically for free. These assessments can help you identify your strengths, personality traits, and interests to match you to possible careers you might excel in. We recommend the free career assessment from IndigoPathway because it’s quick and focuses on building from your motivations and strengths! Even if you don’t think the career options are a good match, they can help you begin your career exploration.

Do you have any questions about jobs, careers, or exploring career options? Connect with a Get Schooled Advisor.

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Best Websites to Explore Careers

Last updated March 2, 2026

In this article

If you’re interested in exploring career opportunities in high school, there are many great, free resources available online! Below, we share some of the best websites to explore careers to learn more about what working in them is like. 

Two men working on laptops side-by-side - Best Websites to Explore Careers

The Way: Career Stories to Find Your Way

Start your career exploration journey with Get Schooled by checking out our video series, The Way. You’ll find more than 40 videos from professionals in different industries sharing the stories of how they discovered and began working in their careers. Check out the preview video below and visit the entire library of content to explore industries that interest you!

CareerOneStop

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, CareerOneStop is a great place to start your career exploration. They have tons of free job-readiness resources, like resume and cover letter support, job search, and a tool to find job training opportunities in your area.

When you search for a specific job on the site, you will find a job description, a video sample of what is typically done on the job, projected employment for your state, typical wages, and what kind of education is necessary to work that job.

Not sure what careers you’re interested in quite yet? CareerOneStop has an interest assessment that asks you 30 questions about what you do and don’t like to do. At the end of the assessment, you will receive a list of occupations that match your interests. You can also see a breakdown of your interest areas, which can be broken down into: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.

CareerOneStop also offers a skills matcher assessment with 40 questions about your skill level in a particular task. At the end of this assessment, you will get a list of occupations that best fit your skill level.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

The Occupational Outlook Handbook created by The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) gives job seekers an accurate look at the careers they’re interested in. When using the Occupational Outlook Handbook, you can explore specific occupations by salary, entry-level education, on-the-job training, and more to find jobs that interest you and match your career goals. This website is also available as an app to help you explore careers on the go!

Gladeo

Gladeo is a free “virtual career day” website that helps young people discover and learn about new career paths. Check out their library of video spotlights and interviews to learn from professionals in a variety of industries, and browse their career profiles to learn about jobs in industries such as art and design, computer and information technology, environment, health care, and much more!

O*NET OnLine

O*NET is another career exploration tool sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. It provides detailed information about hundreds of occupations, including required skills, typical tasks, work environments, salary data, and job outlook. Students can also explore careers based on interests, skills, or industries, making it a helpful next step after taking an interest assessment.

BigFuture by College Board

BigFuture offers career exploration resources specifically designed for high school students. In addition to college planning tools, students can explore different career paths, see median salaries, learn about required education levels, and discover majors that align with specific careers. It’s especially useful for students who want to connect career goals with their college plans.

Do you have any questions or need some help in your career search and exploration? Connect with a Get Schooled Advisor.

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25 Companies with College Tuition Reimbursement Programs

Last updated December 16, 2025

In this article

If you’re looking for ways to finance your college education, it’s important to know that many companies offer tuition reimbursement programs. Tuition reimbursement is an employer benefit that provides financial assistance to employees pursuing a college degree or certificate. While these programs will typically look and operate differently at individual companies, they’re a great option for students to have some of their college expenses paid for. Here’s a breakdown of 25 companies that offer tuition reimbursement programs to employees!

Amazon

Amazon’s Career Choice Program pre-pays tuition for select programs. Eligibility for this program varies.

Apple

Apple offers a few ways to help full-time employees with their education. The Apple Education Reimbursement program can help with formal education up to $5,250. Apple also has Apple University, which provides classes and training to help employees build skills and earn certificates.

AT&T

Part and full-time employees at AT&T can receive tuition assistance up to $5,250 per year as long as they have worked a minimum of six months at the company. Most college degrees are eligible for tuition assistance, but you can’t receive tuition assistance for certificate programs.

Bank of America

Part and full-time employees who have worked at Bank of America for at least six months can get up to $5,250 in job-related college courses or degree programs covered each year.

Best Buy

Full-time employees who work at least 32 hours per week and have been employed for at least six months qualify for the Best Buy tuition assistance program, which reimburses up to $3,500 per year toward educational costs.

Capital One

Capital One’s Education Assistance program reimburses up to $5,000 per year for courses taken by full-time associates and up to $2,500 per year for courses taken by part-time associates.

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A employees receive tuition discounts and grants that can be applied to more than 100 colleges and universities that partner with Chick-fil-A through Scholarship America.

Chipotle

Both hourly and salaried employees at Chipotle are eligible for tuition reimbursement. Employees can work toward a college degree, earn a GED, or study English as a second language (ESL), and Chipotle will contribute up to $5,250 annually to help cover costs. For students who enroll in one of the specific degrees offered through their partner program, Chipotle pays 100% of tuition annually.

Comcast

Full-time Comcast employees can qualify for tuition assistance for up to $5,750 annually. The employee has to enroll in a Comcast-approved degree program.

FedEx

Employees at FedEx can take part in their company’s tuition reimbursement program. FedEx provides up to $5,250 annually to support employees pursuing a college degree or attending trade, vocational, or technical school. In addition, FedEx offers an exclusive employee tuition discount for online programs at Robert Morris University, providing a unique advantage for those seeking educational flexibility.

Fidelity

Full-time employees who have worked at least six months at Fidelity can receive assistance for up to 90% of education-related costs, with a maximum of $10,000 per year, toward a work-related certification or degree program.

Ford Company

Ford has a generous education program for full-time employees that pays up to $6,000 per year in tuition and fees. After 90 days of employment, employees can enroll in a GED, undergraduate program, or approved certificate program from an accredited school to be eligible for this benefit.

GEICO

GEICO provides tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 per year for full-time employees enrolled in undergraduate education at an accredited community or four-year college.

Home Depot

At Home Depot, tuition reimbursement is available for employees as soon as they start work. Salaried employees are eligible for $5,000 in tuition reimbursement for a college degree per year; hourly full-time employees are eligible for $3,000 per year; and part-time employees are eligible for $1,500 per year.

Lowe’s

Lowe’s will pay up to $2,500 per year toward tuition for full-time employees who have worked there for at least one year.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s offers up to $3,000 per year in tuition assistance for employees who work a minimum of 30 hours per week and have the approval of their manager. Employees who work at least 15 hours weekly can receive up to $2,500 annually. Employees are eligible after working for 90 days.

Papa John’s

In partnership with Purdue University Global, Papa John’s reimburses 100% of any corporate employee’s tuition after working 90 days at a minimum of 20 hours per week. They cover undergraduate courses in business and information technology.

Procter & Gamble

Full-time employees of Procter & Gamble may qualify for an 80% reimbursement for pre-approved college education costs. Courses/programs must be related to current or potential positions within the company.

Publix

Publix offers up to $4,000 per year on the annual calendar in tuition assistance for employees enrolled in College and university. The maximum limit of College and university tuition assistance $16,000.

Publix also up to $2,200 per year on the annual calendar in tuition assistance for employees enrolled in individual course program, occupational/technical program, or undergraduate program while attending a two-year school or community college. The maximum limit of the other courses of study tuition assistance $16,000.

Starbucks

Starbucks covers full tuition for eligible employees who enroll in their College Achievement Plan. To participate, employees must enroll in an Arizona State University online degree program. An employee must work 240 paid hours to become eligible for the program and work a minimum of 20 hours per week to remain eligible.

Target

Target tuition reimbursement covers up to $5,250 for undergraduate degrees per year. To be eligible, an employee must be employed when the course program begins and when the reimbursement is processed and paid.

T-Mobile

After 90 days of employment, all part and full-time T-Mobile employees are eligible for full tuition coverage in one of their partner college online degree offerings. In addition, part-time employees are eligible to receive up to $2,500 per year in tuition assistance at an accredited college, while full-time employees are eligible for up to $5,000 per year.

UPS

UPS offers tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 per year to part-time and full-time employees. Employees are eligible for the program as soon as they start work.

Verizon

Full-time employees at Verizon are eligible for up to $8,000 in tuition reimbursement each year. However, Verizon’s program requires that the education be related to the company’s business. Non-job-related college education is reimbursable up to $5,250 per year.

Walmart

Part-time and full-time employees at Walmart can earn college degrees in demand fields at one of their partner online colleges. Walmart covers all tuition and books for approved programs with no out-of-pocket costs. 

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo offers up to $5,000 in tuition coverage per year for all benefits-eligible employees.

Do you have any questions about tuition reimbursement programs? Connect with a Get Schooled Advisor.

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Thriving in High School: Career Exploration

Last updated September 15, 2025

In this article

High school is an exciting time with lots of opportunities to grow and learn more about yourself! In this article, we’ll share some tips about exploring career paths and industries during high school:

Scroll down to learn more about each!

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Start in School

Try taking a variety of classes throughout high school to explore subjects that interest you. Studying subjects like geometry, computer science, or photography can help you discover passions and decide if you’d like to pursue them further in college or as a career.

Participating in activities both in and outside of school is also a great way to explore your career interests! Doing things like joining your school’s student government or the cast of a school play can help you learn more about what excites you.

Volunteer

Giving back to your community can also help you explore careers! Volunteering at a local food bank or community service project can help you learn about the type of work environments where you might thrive. 

Job Shadow 

Check with your school’s career coordinator to find job shadowing opportunities. Job shadowing lets you spend time with a professional in a career that interests you, giving you a close up look at their job. You can also ask a counselor, coach, or teacher if they know anyone you can shadow. If you’re searching for a job shadow opportunity on your own, write a one-page introduction explaining why you want this opportunity and when you’re available.

Build a Resume 

Your resume will come in handy for both applying to jobs and to college! Start building your resume now to keep track of your high school achievements—like good grades, attendance, work and volunteer experience, and any awards you receive. 

Use Get Schooled’s Free Job Resources

We’re here to help you explore career options!

  • Practice job interviewing with our virtual Interview Coach. In just 15 minutes, you’ll get feedback on your strengths and areas for improvement!
  • Discover what different careers are like directly from professionals! From chocolate maker to software engineer, our career series, The Way, might just introduce you to a career you’re interested in.

Do you have any questions about thriving in high school? Connect with a Get Schooled Advisor.

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Explore Careers with Informational Interviews

Last updated January 5, 2026

In this article

Are you interested in exploring careers but aren’t sure where to begin? Hold an informational interview! Informational interviews are one of the best ways to learn more about a career you’re interested in, directly from people working in them. Read below to learn more about informational interviews.

What is an informational interview?

An informational interview is an informal conversation between someone who is established in a particular career, and someone who wants to learn more about it. For example, maybe you are in college and trying to decide on your major. An informational interview with someone in a career you’re interested in could be a great way to narrow your choice! The goal of an informational interview is not to secure a job, but to collect information and make connections. An informational interview can give you a better understanding of the career path you’re interested in and what steps you should take to enter into it.

Benefits of informational interviews

Explore careers

During an informational interview, you can gather useful information about careers or industries. Being able to speak with someone who is already established at a company or in a career of interest to you will help you determine if it could be a good fit for you. Not sure where to start? Check out our career exploration video series, The Way, for some inspiration!

Expand your professional network

Informational interviewing provides you with an opportunity to deepen existing relationships within your professional network and meet new people to add to it.

Practice for job interviews

While these conversations are not job interviews, they are an excellent way to practice your interviewing skills. While you should ask a majority of the questions, the person you’re interviewing may ask you questions as well. This gives you an opportunity to think on your feet and provide thoughtful answers to their questions.

Gain insight about career options

Depending on where they’re at in their career, your interviewee may have insight into the kinds of jobs you might want to pursue. They can also speak to current trends in their career and what direction they see it heading toward. Learning this kind of information can introduce you to careers you might not have been aware of before. For example, if you’re interested in technology and computing, talking with a software engineer might inspire you to research Artificial Intelligence or free coding training. The person you’re interviewing might also be open to sharing tips on the kinds of experience and skills that help land people jobs at their company, or be willing to keep their eyes open for potential opportunities in the future.

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How to prepare for an informational interview

Research the careers you’re interested in

Informational interviews take preparation! Take time to research 3-5 companies or industries you’re interested in learning more about. Research the kinds of jobs that exist within that industry, the kinds of education or training necessary, and the typical salary range for these positions. Doing your homework and learning as much as you can will make your informational interviews more effective. 

Identify who you’d like to interview

Think about who you want to interview. What positions do they hold? What companies do they work for? What could they teach you? Thinking more specifically about these kinds of things will make it easier for you to identify who you’ll reach out to for an interview.

Reach out

After you have your list, see if there are people in your network who may know someone in the field or job you are interested in and ask them to connect you. If someone in your network is able to refer you, great! If not, you might need to reach out to someone you don’t know. You can reach out to people either through LinkedIn or by sending them an email. Once you’ve secured an interview with someone, do your research on them: their specific position, the company they work for, and any of their relevant awards or achievements.

Top questions to ask in an informational interview

Once you schedule your interview, it’s time to prepare your questions. Depending on how long you have, you may not be able to get through all of your questions, so be sure to ask the ones you want answered most at the beginning of the conversation, and save the rest to ask later if there’s time.

Top questions to ask

  1. What are the duties, functions, and responsibilities of your job?
  2. How did you get your job?
  3. Why did you decide to work for this company or in this industry?
  4. What type of education or training does your company look for?
  5. What are some trends your industry is setting or following?
  6. When searching for a job in your field, what keywords should I be sure to include on my resume or cover letters?
  7. What part of your job do you find most rewarding? Most challenging?
  8. What kinds of experience, paid or unpaid, would you encourage for anybody pursuing a career in this field?

Take notes

During the interview, be sure to take notes so you have something to review later. You don’t have to write down everything, but definitely make sure to jot down any strategies, names, emails, or resources your interviewee may mention.

Stick to your schedule

Informational interviews should generally be short out of respect for your interviewee’s time. If you requested a 20-minute meeting, be sure to stick to 20 minutes.

Send a thank you note

If someone is taking time out of their day to help you, you should always say thank you. Be sure to send a follow up note to your interviewee within 48 hours to thank them for their time. If you haven’t already, be sure to also add them to your LinkedIn network.

Do you have any questions about preparing for an informational interview? Connect with a Get Schooled Advisor.

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