How did you decide what career you chose to follow?

Hey Sean,

I'll tell you my story and then give you some advice.

I thought I might want to be a doctor when I was graduating high school, so I majored in biomedical engineering. I also did a minor in economics because I really enjoyed that subject, even though I didn't see it leading to a career at the time.

When I graduated I went into management consulting, which is a mix of quantitative analysis and business strategy. Having an engineering background helped here, even though I hadn't planned to go to consulting.

After consulting for two years I'm now working at a tech company doing business operations, again another change based on my interest in the technology industry.

You can see how my career path has taken twists and turns. It's hard to plan too far ahead. What you can do is think about what you are interested in, as well as something that is challenging and will bring you valuable skills that you can apply in multiple careers.

Maybe I can give you some more specific ideas -- what classes and/or hobbies are you interested in?

Hello Sean,

Have you thought about what you might LOVE to do more than anything in the world? What industry are you most interested in, intrigued by? Begin with a little soul searching first. Try to pinpoint what you feel might bring you the most joy, something you would not mind doing day to day.

As for me, I knew I liked interacting with people, and had a natural desire to want to help them for some reason. The financial services industry always fascinated me, it seemed everyone had an important job and I wanted to be viewed as important. Sounds silly, I know. Growing up I remember day dreaming about working at a bank, doing what, I never quite knew the answer to that but I knew that's the setting I wanted to work in. So, when considering higher education I focused on studies that could put me on a path to one day getting a job at the place I always day dreamed about, and also allowed me to interact with and help people.

Not an exciting journey initially but that was basically MY experience. My approach to following a specific career path wasn't complicated, it was rather simple, I just tapped into what came natural for me. Something you might want to consider, taking a simple approach, don't over think it too much. I promise, the answer lies within.

Follow your dream. :)

HI Sean
I was not quite sure what I wanted to do after graduating high school. So, what worked for me was to join the United States Army. That isn't for everyone but is an option.

I hope this helps.

A. Does this career sound interesting?

You don’t have to be passionately head-over-heals for a career in order to thrive. (In fact, following a passion can be a big mistake.) However, a career should genuinely interest you on a gut level. It’s a good sign if you hear about a job and think, “Yeah, tell me more about that!”

B. Does this career involve work that you could be good at?

Many skills can be learned if you commit the time, but pursuing a career that actively goes against your natural tendencies is a giant fail waiting to happen. If you’re an introverted research type, don’t force yourself into a sales job—no matter how cool it sounds. Likewise, big-picture people will not find happiness in a tiny-details job. If the work itself clashes with your personality or skill set, move on.

C. Does this career fulfill your essential needs?

What you need from a career can include everything from basic salary and education requirements to more complicated concerns related to disability, family situation, religious beliefs and beyond.

Once you’ve nailed down what you want from your job, you can match those needs to career options. For example, if a six-figure income tops your priority list, choose a field where you can feasibly make that kind of money (think science, healthcare, technology, business) and avoid lottery industries (like filmmaking and fashion design) where only a lucky few will strike it rich.

D. Does the world need this career?

Practically speaking, you need a job. So before diving down a new career path, see if there’s a reasonably good chance someone will hire you at the end of it. Check out employment projections or industry chatter to gauge if your career is in demand.

Hey Sean..

It is never easy to choose a career to follow.. Let me tell you how I started and where I landed.

I was always interested in Accounts and hence majored in Financial Accounting & Marketing (MBA) and also computer and technology was something that I loved, so I did an Advance Diploma in Software Engineering from Recognized Computer Academy.

During my Masters, I joined a Mobile Network company as a Customer care representative and then moved to Technical Support with a computer company. Both were call taking roles but I was still confused with what I wanted. Then I took a break of 4 months and asked myself what my interest or passion was in and realized Operations Management is what I finally wanted to get in.

Got back to technical support and worked my way up to get to a Leadership position in Operations.

Sometimes I still have doubts or regrets of not pursuing a career in Finance, Accounts or Software Engineering but today with what I have achieved in my career I'm happy with the choice I made. Yes, as I mentioned earlier its never easy and you are never sure.

My advice to you would be - Choose to do what makes you happy and gives you 100% job satisfaction. Don't ever worry or regret that you did not chose a career according to your academics or specializations. You put your heart to what you chose and you will succeed.

Do share your interests or thoughts - I would be more than happy to share my thoughts with you on the same. All the very best.