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And while I agree with your parents that you should at least take a few business courses, I think only you can decide on your major(s) and minor(s). My personal opinion is that just about any college major could be enhanced with a minor in business, but hey, what else might you expect a business professor to say? Business boring? No way! Don’t get me started!

This coming year – your junior year – truly is pivotal for you. I think the junior year does not get the attention it deserves… so many critical things happen in your junior year. Consider these issues:

It’s in your junior year that you take the all-important standardized tests that will help determine your admissions fate into the colleges of your choice. In the beginning of the year, the PSATs will put you on the radar of colleges based on your score. Toward the end of the year are AP exams if you have taken AP classes. Then come the SAT or ACT, the two standard college admissions tests.

It’s in your junior year that you start developing – and then narrowing – a list of colleges based on any number of criteria you develop with your family and guidance counselor. It’s also a time to be thinking about career paths so that the schools you consider have majors that will help you the career path you initially have chosen.

It’s in your junior year that you should begin developing a portfolio – including a resume – that highlights your education, your experiences, and your accomplishments. You should do these things not only to prepare for college, but for work as well.

Read more in this article published on Quintessential Careers: The Importance of the High School Junior Year.

But, to the heart of the matter… The good news is that if you made it to the interview, the employer definitely saw something they liked. But the bad news is that I agree with you that the question sure seems like a blatant attempt to get at your age. It may simply be curiosity, but it may be much more. You could respond with something along the lines of, “I’m not sure of the relevancy of my college graduation date, can you explain?” Or you could be even more direct: “I’m sensing you may have an issue with my age. If so, let me assure you that I am the candidate most qualified for this position because _________.” (Fill in the blank with keywords and qualifications.)

Of course, you could also be more direct, even threaten to report and/or report the employer. These are personal decisions only you can make.

As the Baby Boom generation continues to age, these kinds of issues and questions will continue to arise. Most of the interviewers will be folks much younger than you, and some may be intimidated while others may be suspicious of your motives. Some say as more and more boomers continue working later in life, these age issues will decline.

Read more strategies for older workers in this section of Quintessential Careers: Job and Career Resources for Mature and Older Job-Seekers -- Including the Baby Boomers.

Is black or navy better? If you are a man, I think either is fine, as is a charcoal grey. And in Florida, I think the fabric weight might be a more important issue. If you are a woman, there are a couple of other color choices, such as a vibrant red. You can also accent darker suits with a more colorful tie (men) or scarf (women). As for my personal tastes… I never liked black and have actually never even owned a black suit; seems more for funerals than job interviews.

How do you know how to dress for an interview? Dressing conservatively is always the safest route, but you should also try and do a little investigating of your prospective employer so that what you wear to the interview makes you look as though you fit in with the organization. If you overdress (which is rare but can happen) or underdress (the more likely scenario), the potential employer may feel that you don't care enough about the job.

Read more in my article published on Quintessential Careers: When Job-Hunting: Dress for Success.

As you go about making your choices, remember that no decision is set in stone. If you end up not liking the college you attend – or it does not have the major you want to pursue – you can transfer to a different college. And many, many college students graduate with a different major than the one they start with. And as far as careers go, experts now predict that folks graduating from college will change their careers – not jobs, but careers – at least five times over their lives as their interests change and develop and as new careers are developed.

So, given all this information, here are a few things you can do.

First, take the time to think about what you like to do; dream and imagine ideal careers. There are so many opportunities, so many different types of jobs and careers in a wide variety of industries - and there are also other career paths that are just emerging. Even if you are fairly sure of a career choice, take the time to explore similar (or even vastly different) careers. Examine your likes and dislikes and take a few career assessment tests.

Second, work, volunteer, or otherwise gain experience. The more experiences you are exposed to, the more options will open to you as you search out careers. There are even a growing number of internship opportunities for high school students. Seek work and volunteer experiences in and out of school. And from a practical standpoint, work experience looks good on college applications – and on future job applications and resumes.

Third, talk with as many adults as possible about careers and college. The best way to find out about different careers is to ask people – family, neighbors, friends, teachers, counselors – to tell you about their career and college experiences. If you have not already, begin to build a network of adults who know you and are willing to assist you in your educational and career endeavors. And for careers that truly interest you, consider asking each person if you can shadow him/her at work.

Read more details about these three things – and seven more – in my latest article published on Quintessential Careers: 10 Things for High-School Students to Remember.

Dr. Randall S. Hansen is currently Webmaster of Quintessential Careers.

Dr. Hansen is an associate professor of marketing at the School of Business Administration, Stetson University. He has been a published career expert for the last 10 years and an employer and consultant with hiring/firing decisions for the past 15 years.

Through his experience as a professor of marketing, Dr. Hansen uses proven marketing techniques and applies them to job-hunting. He is currently working on such a book. Some of his work can be seen at his personal Web site.

He and Katharine Hansen co-wrote the very successful job-hunting book, Dynamic Cover Letters, published by Ten Speed Press. You can order copies from Barnes and Noble of this cover letter bible. He is also author of several career-related magazine and journal articles.

Finally, Dr. Hansen has been an employer and has firsthand experience in the hiring process. He also stays active in the field by reading magazine and journal articles and by talking with employers on a regular basis.