4 answers
Juliana
Student
Lynn, Massachusetts
3
Questions
Asked
598 views
What are some things I can do to find out what career is a good fit for me?
I am a junior in high school still trying to find out what I want to do as a career. I have some things I like to do, but how do I decide what career suits me best and are there any things that could make it easier to narrow it down. #career #career-choice #career-path
4 answers
Kendall Paige Bercaw
Guest Service Manager
10
Answers
Kapolei, Hawaii
Updated
Kendall Paige’s Answer
Aloha, Juliana.
The feedback provided by Simeon, Aaron, and Lourdes are all great suggestions.
I would also add taking the time to self-reflect. Journal, think about your short-term and long-term goals, the things that really matter to you in your life, and how your future career may play a part of that. I can about guarantee you won't have all the answers now, and that's OK. Life is a process of self-discovery. The important thing is that you dedicate time for yourself to learn who you are, who you're becoming, and what matters most to you. Building that foundation will set you up for success in your future - personally & professionally.
I have also found it extremely helpful to solicit advice & feedback from those individuals closest to me whom I respect. This can be parents, other family members, teachers, counselors, coaches, mentors, close friends. Often times, they see qualities or skill sets in us that we cannot recognize ourselves. "The forest through the trees" analogy, if you will. As you begin to narrow down what fields of study or career paths you're most interested in, I would talk to those closest to you who you respect and whose advice you value and see what they have to say.
Lastly, as cliché as this advice may sound, follow your heart. I truly believe it won't steer you wrong. If you're authentic to yourself and who you are, then your decisions will be guided from the best possible place.
Best of luck to you, your future awaits! :)
The feedback provided by Simeon, Aaron, and Lourdes are all great suggestions.
I would also add taking the time to self-reflect. Journal, think about your short-term and long-term goals, the things that really matter to you in your life, and how your future career may play a part of that. I can about guarantee you won't have all the answers now, and that's OK. Life is a process of self-discovery. The important thing is that you dedicate time for yourself to learn who you are, who you're becoming, and what matters most to you. Building that foundation will set you up for success in your future - personally & professionally.
I have also found it extremely helpful to solicit advice & feedback from those individuals closest to me whom I respect. This can be parents, other family members, teachers, counselors, coaches, mentors, close friends. Often times, they see qualities or skill sets in us that we cannot recognize ourselves. "The forest through the trees" analogy, if you will. As you begin to narrow down what fields of study or career paths you're most interested in, I would talk to those closest to you who you respect and whose advice you value and see what they have to say.
Lastly, as cliché as this advice may sound, follow your heart. I truly believe it won't steer you wrong. If you're authentic to yourself and who you are, then your decisions will be guided from the best possible place.
Best of luck to you, your future awaits! :)
Dhara Lakhani
Empowerment and Balance Coach
2
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Dhara’s Answer
Hi Juliana -
All the suggestions here are amazing! I'll just add a few more things (that really go off of what Kendall already stated).
In my opinion, your career should help bring you happiness, but not create happiness. Being fulfilled really starts with yourself and understanding your purpose and values, and then making decisions based on who you are and what resonates with you. This is different than passions and hobbies as passions and hobbies don't necessarily equal fulfilling careers!
I love Kendall's suggestion of journaling and really digging deep to understand what drives you. From there, volunteering and educating yourself about those options are going to be key so that you understand what the "day in the life of" is like for those careers or interests you discover! But don't allow the others in your life to tell guide you in a place that your heart is not!!
All the suggestions here are amazing! I'll just add a few more things (that really go off of what Kendall already stated).
In my opinion, your career should help bring you happiness, but not create happiness. Being fulfilled really starts with yourself and understanding your purpose and values, and then making decisions based on who you are and what resonates with you. This is different than passions and hobbies as passions and hobbies don't necessarily equal fulfilling careers!
I love Kendall's suggestion of journaling and really digging deep to understand what drives you. From there, volunteering and educating yourself about those options are going to be key so that you understand what the "day in the life of" is like for those careers or interests you discover! But don't allow the others in your life to tell guide you in a place that your heart is not!!
Simeon Snow
Risk Assurance
1790
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Simeon’s Answer
One thing I'd say is to cast the net wide; try looking at the Department of Labor's website to see lots of jobs you'd never even heard of before. If you find some careers that interest you, I'd recommend looking at job boards and seeing what the prerequisites are. For degrees, unless you're going into law or medicine, the prestige of your school won't matter. Just focus on getting the piece of paper and networking well.
Also, I'd recommend talking to people who are in those fields about how they feel about their careers, including the highs and the lows. Even if you don't know people in the various fields you're considering, there are plenty of videos on Youtube that are great reference.
To be honest, books and resources that talk about careers can get really rosey sometimes, describing all careers as interesting and equally appealing. Or they will list careers that no longer exist or there is no demand for. If you do research and notice that no one is hiring for a career, it probably isn't worth your time to consider seriously.
Also, I'd recommend talking to people who are in those fields about how they feel about their careers, including the highs and the lows. Even if you don't know people in the various fields you're considering, there are plenty of videos on Youtube that are great reference.
To be honest, books and resources that talk about careers can get really rosey sometimes, describing all careers as interesting and equally appealing. Or they will list careers that no longer exist or there is no demand for. If you do research and notice that no one is hiring for a career, it probably isn't worth your time to consider seriously.
Aaron Blanchette
Sonar Technician/Training Manager
2
Answers
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Updated
Aaron’s Answer
The department of labor has an app called "Career One Stop." The app as in interest finder. After answering 30 questions, the app will score your interests. Examples of this are social, artistic, realistic and enterprising. From there, you can search for careers based on your interests. You can explore these careers and learn about required schooling, salaries, experience required, and future outlook
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