Pathful in Practice #9: Corinne Dyer – Helping Students Reality-Check Goals and Pivot with Confidence

Corinne Dyer, a Career Resource Specialist and Team Leader at Work Opportunities Unlimited, works with students ages 14 to 22 across Massachusetts and Rhode Island who are navigating major career decisions. Many of the students referred to her arrive with an initial career idea but limited understanding of what that path actually involves or whether it is a good fit.

Corinne uses Pathful’s Interest Assessment and Virtual Job Shadowing videos to guide honest, supportive conversations about alignment. The goal is not to discourage students, but to help them understand training requirements, daily responsibilities, and work environments before committing time, money, or coursework.

One student came in confident that graphic design was his future. After watching Pathful career videos together and discussing the role in more detail, he realized the work involved extensive collaboration and formal training, neither of which aligned with his interests.

“This student realized that he does not want to collaborate with the public. He just wants to make art, and it might make more sense for him to create works as a hobby and not a career.”

With that clarity, the student explored additional Pathful videos and discovered an interest in hands-on work, ultimately pivoting toward careers in the trades. In another case, a student who had long planned to become a teacher used Pathful videos to better understand the traits and preparation required, then began taking concrete steps while still in high school to prepare for that path.

Why it works:
By pairing interest data with real world career content, Corinne helps students make informed decisions early. Pathful creates space for productive course correction, allowing students to pivot with confidence instead of feeling like they failed or chose incorrectly.

How to try it:

• Start with the Interest Assessment to ground conversations in student strengths and preferences.
  
  
• Use career videos to explore training requirements, work environments, and day to day responsibilities.
  
  
• Normalize pivots by framing them as progress, not setbacks.
  
  
• Encourage students to identify next steps that align with their clarified goals, whether that is further exploration, skill development, or hands on experience.
  
  

Corinne’s approach shows that career readiness is not about locking students into a plan. It is about giving them the tools to make thoughtful decisions and adjust as they learn more about themselves and the working world.

🤝 Want to help fellow educators? Share your go-to Pathful strategy for a chance to be featured in Pathful in Practice. Email impact@pathful.com.