How do I decide which of my interests are hobbies and which are potential careers?

This is a great question and shows you have a high level of maturity.

When thinking about a potential career, it is natural to start with what areas that you enjoy or are interested in. This is not a bad place to start, but can also be very limiting. There are hundreds of careers that you may not aware of, or know little about.

When I was in college, I wanted to be a pilot in the Marines. I went to training in the summer between my Freshman and Sophomore year and injured my knee. It turned out to be permanent injury, and I was discharged with a permanent disability. I was devastated. Here I am in college, and I have no idea what to do with my life. The one thing I always wanted was taken away from me. I had to start over.

This was before the internet, so I went to the career center at my college and looked through the notebook of all the internships and jobs, and most of them were Computer Science and Management Information Systems. I was a Government major (the Marines really didn't care what your major was) so I couldn't apply for any of these jobs or internships. Right then I decided I needed to change course and train myself for the jobs that were in demand. I didn't even know what MIS was, and I didn't even own a computer.

I finished my undergrad degree in Government and went to graduate school to get a degree in Computer Information Systems. Today I am a software engineer and have been working in the field for over 20 years.

I would advise you to research which careers are in high demand and do your research those areas. Jobs with high demand can provide excellent career opportunities . Your hobbies will always be your hobbies, and can remain your hobbies, even if your job has no relation to your hobby. Don't limit your career research to the things you already know about (your hobbies).

There is high demand for medical and technology professionals, so take a look at these areas for careers that might interest you.

I ended up working in a career I never thought about in high school with technologies that didn't even exist at the time.

Hi Samantha,

You've actually got a great problem, which is that you have several things that you'd like to know more about and explore. Since you've got interests that change, I'd focus on what seems to "stick" with you. What sounds super interesting? What do you enjoy doing? What would you like to continue learning more about? After all, if you're going to make a career out of your interest, it'll help to explore a few of your favorite ones and see if your interest grows or if something else replaces it. After all, if you're going to do it for a career, you're going to be doing it for a longer stretch of time. So, I'd recommend exploring a few and see if they keep getting more interesting to you and if you feel like they play to your strengths.

One thing I want to mention though is - do not worry about making the perfect decision. There is no such thing. You pick your career with the best info that you have at the time and then when things change, you change with it. It happens to everyone. Almost everyone that I know started on one career path and then changed somewhere along the way.

Finally, don't discount any "hobby" as a potential career path. You'd be surprised to know what you can make a good career out of and all it takes is you to want to continue doing it, and keep learning. So, keep that in mind and then talk with someone in that area and see if what they do on a day to day basis is what you'd like to do. Talking with someone in that field is going to be super helpful!

Hi Samantha,

I had many interests as well growing up - I've wanted to be a scientist, a teacher, an HR manager, a marketing specialist, a hospitality manager... Having many interests is a GREAT thing. It makes you a dynamic individual who is constantly learning. But - I completely understand. I too had trouble deciding which career path to choose. I didn't want to be in a career path that I would realize I hated down the line.

Let me tell you about someone who changed my mentality on this. In university, I had the most amazing marketing professor (hence my desire to be a marketing specialist...). She was not only an excellent teacher, but she shared pieces of her life that proved valuable to me even now. During her life time, she had been a voice-over actress, CMO of a major company, Miss America judge, author, life coach, and more. She made me realize an important lesson: You don't only need to be one thing in life. You can do MANY things. Also, during a 1:1 session, she pointed out to me that our first job likely wont be our last - so don't stress. If you don't like something, you can always switch... and trust me, this is something I heeded very well.

During university, I thought marketing was the path for me. That is, until I did 3-4 different marketing internships until I realized I hated it. I wanted to work more with people. So, I decided I wanted to check out hospitality management. I did a summer internship my junior year at a remote resort and I thought I enjoyed it. After this, I got a full time offer to become a manager at a hotel in Yosemite National Park.

After a year of that, I realized... I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. I did, however, really enjoy the hiring process. So, I contacted an old friend who was a recruiter and asked him about what he did and how he got there. I was sold. I moved to a different city, got an agency recruiting role with poor pay, then got hired into Google a year later... where I am now. It's the role for me.

Did I know I wanted to be a recruiter while I was in university? Absolutely not. I didn't really even know that was a major career path. The important thing is to try. You wont know what you want until you give it a shot. So, I encourage you to do internships, do side projects, and speak with people in the field. Don't worry too much - as long as you are actively trying something, you will eventually find the career that is right for you. Who knows - you might end up in something you didn't even know existed. :)

That is a great question.  This indicates you think on a deep level and so analyzing what which of your interests in life can yield a source of income, and more importantly, yield a happy life.   When choosing an interest to turn into a career, remember that when you recognize your personality traits and interests, write them down.  Spend some time researching via search engines what careers fit your personality traits and interests.  Then write those down.  Then... spend some time researching those careers.  Learn about them.  See if they fit your liking.  The truth of the matter is, you will most likely change your mind on all of it along the way.  Sometimes, you'll think you know what would be a great path, but when you begin the walk down it, it's ok to change your mind.  Follow your intuition.