4 answers
Elif
Student
Miami, Florida
2
Questions
Asked
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How did you know that you wanted to study your current profession?
I think I want to be a veterinarian but I'm not sure because it's a really big decision and I have a broad range of interests so I'm seeking advice on how to know if a profession is for me. I've volunteered at my local shelter but because of the current situation I have not been able to further discover it #professionals #veterinarian .
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4 answers
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1591
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Elif what sets you apart from everyone else is your unique personality with all the special talents and strengths that you possess. YOU are the biggest asset that you could ever have. The first step to embrace your uniqueness is being aware that you are special. You are like nobody else in this world. Nobody else has had the same experiences as you. No one has exactly the same characteristics and shares the same values. Nobody has learned all the various skills you learned. Discovering your talents and strengths means becoming more aware of who you really are.
SIX STEPS TO FINDING YOUR TRUE TALENTS
STEP 1.) HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME – Try writing down your thoughts every day for a week. Record your observations, instincts, feelings and revelations. Let your thoughts flow onto the page. Then come back after a week and re-read what you wrote. Your journal will begin to reveal patterns in your character that represent areas of interest, honest feelings, awareness of skills, and a natural connection to certain people, places and things. Stream of conscious writing can be the most effective way to identify your talents. If you notice a lot of your thoughts circle back to one main idea, this could be your strongest talent or deepest desire. Use what you’ve discovered to create a list of your strengths and align them with a list of goals.
STEP 2.) LIST YOUR HOBBIES – Typically, what you’re drawn to it is a natural talent. Think about what you love to do most when you have free time. What activities do you find so captivating that you sometimes forget to eat or sleep? Your obsessions could be the things that help you identify your deepest passions. Even if your hobby is watching movies, you may have a talent for storytelling or analyzing narratives. Even film critics have to start somewhere. You might think talents are only something you love doing, but sometimes our talents are the things you don’t even think about. Your talent is simply something you do better than most. If there is anything that comes natural to you that doesn’t seem so natural to others, it’s a talent. This is why it’s important to take a long hard look at what you’re actually good at.
STEP 3.) HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY – Your core values are closely linked with what you spend your money and time on. Take note of what you spend your money on and look closer at what this can tell you about yourself. For example, I spend my money on artwork and paintings. That is a strong natural characteristic of mine, a talent that drives everything I do, how I think and how I spend my time. If you like spending money on going out with friends, is it that you like bringing people together? Is it that you like getting attention and expressing yourself? Or maybe is it because you value deepening your pre-existing friendships? Why do you do what you do? What is behind it? The key is to keep digging deeper in order to get to the core essence of your talent patterns.
STEP 4.) GET ANOTHER OPION – One of the best ways to figure out what hidden talents you have is to talk to people who know you. We tend to overlook our skills and often miss out on what makes us great. Having an outside perspective can be highly valuable and revealing. Friends, family, and other trusted advisors have the unique vantage point of observing you in a way that you can’t observe yourself. Ask what they think makes you unique and what they think you excel at. Be sure to talk to people that know you well but also people who barely know you. Getting all perspectives can tell you even more about yourself. You might be surprised by what you find out. Often, how you see yourself is very different to how others see you. The problem with talents and strengths is that they are so normal to you that you tend to dismiss them. You are so used to them that you take them for granted and don’t realize that they exist and that they are your biggest asset.
STEP 5.) WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT – Finally, take a moment for self-reflection and ask yourself: “What do I think are my greatest strengths?” Be proud—list things that you normally wouldn’t say about yourself and brag a little bit. Now, take a look at all this information you've put together. What themes or trends do you notice? How does it feel to look at all of those lists, chock full of talents and skills? What have you learned about what you are good at? Note: Due in part to the high growth in the pet industry, Veterinarian careers are expected to grow faster than average in the coming years.
STEP 6.) THE SHADOW KNOWS – After you complete your in-depth research, you should be able to determine which career is a good match for you. Try not to get too frustrated if you can't make a decision by this point. You may not have enough information yet. Continue to do more research until you can comfortably choose the best career for you. You will want to learn what working in the field is really like before you actually work in it. The best way to do this is to talk to people who do. Don't be shy about going direct and reaching out to any organization that interest you to see if there is someone currently working in your career field of interest who would be interested in hosting a job shadower. Gaining exposure and first-hand experience through job shadowing (as well as internships) can make the difference between assuming what a potential career would be like and experiencing it first-hand by working on-site.
Elif don’t feel pressured to get the answer exactly right in this moment—instead, allow yourself to just explore possibilities. And take a deep breath of relief! You’ve now armed yourself with a map of your talents and skills, and you can start really thinking about what to do with them next.
SIX STEPS TO FINDING YOUR TRUE TALENTS
STEP 1.) HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME – Try writing down your thoughts every day for a week. Record your observations, instincts, feelings and revelations. Let your thoughts flow onto the page. Then come back after a week and re-read what you wrote. Your journal will begin to reveal patterns in your character that represent areas of interest, honest feelings, awareness of skills, and a natural connection to certain people, places and things. Stream of conscious writing can be the most effective way to identify your talents. If you notice a lot of your thoughts circle back to one main idea, this could be your strongest talent or deepest desire. Use what you’ve discovered to create a list of your strengths and align them with a list of goals.
STEP 2.) LIST YOUR HOBBIES – Typically, what you’re drawn to it is a natural talent. Think about what you love to do most when you have free time. What activities do you find so captivating that you sometimes forget to eat or sleep? Your obsessions could be the things that help you identify your deepest passions. Even if your hobby is watching movies, you may have a talent for storytelling or analyzing narratives. Even film critics have to start somewhere. You might think talents are only something you love doing, but sometimes our talents are the things you don’t even think about. Your talent is simply something you do better than most. If there is anything that comes natural to you that doesn’t seem so natural to others, it’s a talent. This is why it’s important to take a long hard look at what you’re actually good at.
STEP 3.) HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY – Your core values are closely linked with what you spend your money and time on. Take note of what you spend your money on and look closer at what this can tell you about yourself. For example, I spend my money on artwork and paintings. That is a strong natural characteristic of mine, a talent that drives everything I do, how I think and how I spend my time. If you like spending money on going out with friends, is it that you like bringing people together? Is it that you like getting attention and expressing yourself? Or maybe is it because you value deepening your pre-existing friendships? Why do you do what you do? What is behind it? The key is to keep digging deeper in order to get to the core essence of your talent patterns.
STEP 4.) GET ANOTHER OPION – One of the best ways to figure out what hidden talents you have is to talk to people who know you. We tend to overlook our skills and often miss out on what makes us great. Having an outside perspective can be highly valuable and revealing. Friends, family, and other trusted advisors have the unique vantage point of observing you in a way that you can’t observe yourself. Ask what they think makes you unique and what they think you excel at. Be sure to talk to people that know you well but also people who barely know you. Getting all perspectives can tell you even more about yourself. You might be surprised by what you find out. Often, how you see yourself is very different to how others see you. The problem with talents and strengths is that they are so normal to you that you tend to dismiss them. You are so used to them that you take them for granted and don’t realize that they exist and that they are your biggest asset.
STEP 5.) WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT – Finally, take a moment for self-reflection and ask yourself: “What do I think are my greatest strengths?” Be proud—list things that you normally wouldn’t say about yourself and brag a little bit. Now, take a look at all this information you've put together. What themes or trends do you notice? How does it feel to look at all of those lists, chock full of talents and skills? What have you learned about what you are good at? Note: Due in part to the high growth in the pet industry, Veterinarian careers are expected to grow faster than average in the coming years.
STEP 6.) THE SHADOW KNOWS – After you complete your in-depth research, you should be able to determine which career is a good match for you. Try not to get too frustrated if you can't make a decision by this point. You may not have enough information yet. Continue to do more research until you can comfortably choose the best career for you. You will want to learn what working in the field is really like before you actually work in it. The best way to do this is to talk to people who do. Don't be shy about going direct and reaching out to any organization that interest you to see if there is someone currently working in your career field of interest who would be interested in hosting a job shadower. Gaining exposure and first-hand experience through job shadowing (as well as internships) can make the difference between assuming what a potential career would be like and experiencing it first-hand by working on-site.
Elif don’t feel pressured to get the answer exactly right in this moment—instead, allow yourself to just explore possibilities. And take a deep breath of relief! You’ve now armed yourself with a map of your talents and skills, and you can start really thinking about what to do with them next.
Simeon Snow
Risk Assurance
1790
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Simeon’s Answer
I never became very certain of the career path I was on. I switched a few majors a few times in undergrad and settled on a business management degree. I felt like it would help me since it was such a well-rounded degree, which it did. I also felt like business management would train me in how to bring the best out of other people. I moved on to get a masters degree in a different field which I felt passionate about, but did not have much in terms of job opportunities. I've had to switch careers a few times, so it's more fluid than it sounds like when you're figuring out your major. Deciding on a major/career is not a permanent decision, but more of a starting point.
Thank you!
Elif
Kiirsten Suomu
Sales Representative at Universal Orlando Resort
96
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Kiirsten’s Answer
Hi Elif!
I didn't know what I wanted to be "when I grew up", and sometimes I still find myself wondering where life will take me next. The biggest thing I can suggest to you is to do your research and make connections, it's awesome that you're on here asking the right questions-- I hope someone in the veterinary field will see this and help guide you!
Try your different interests out if you can-- I know with today's environment, a lot of schools/employers/etc have gone virtual-- try looking up what else interests you and finding some companies you can get into contact with to help answer more questions you may have.
Good luck :)
I didn't know what I wanted to be "when I grew up", and sometimes I still find myself wondering where life will take me next. The biggest thing I can suggest to you is to do your research and make connections, it's awesome that you're on here asking the right questions-- I hope someone in the veterinary field will see this and help guide you!
Try your different interests out if you can-- I know with today's environment, a lot of schools/employers/etc have gone virtual-- try looking up what else interests you and finding some companies you can get into contact with to help answer more questions you may have.
Good luck :)
Thank you!
Elif
Dahyun Lee
cabin crew
11
Answers
Seoul, South Korea
Updated
Dahyun’s Answer
Hello Elif :)
Let's think about which one you interest. Befor I worked as a cabin crew, I did lots of things like model, fashion design, hotelier and so on.
During did lots of thing I could find whic one is suiatble for me.
It's okay to find between your hobby or just interesting. Veterinarian also good but you confused about your future. So I just want to advice try to do lots of thing. Then, you can find which one is suitable, what I want to do.
Let's think about which one you interest. Befor I worked as a cabin crew, I did lots of things like model, fashion design, hotelier and so on.
During did lots of thing I could find whic one is suiatble for me.
It's okay to find between your hobby or just interesting. Veterinarian also good but you confused about your future. So I just want to advice try to do lots of thing. Then, you can find which one is suitable, what I want to do.
Good advice, thank you!
Elif