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What is the best way to learn about a career?
I am looking to find my career path within the next year. #career-choice
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9 answers
Updated
Maria’s Answer
hello wish you all the best.
Internship positions, volunteering, talk to your teaches/professors and counselors, and others that you trust.
Internship positions, volunteering, talk to your teaches/professors and counselors, and others that you trust.
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Shelby’s Answer
Hi Kaleb! You can start by thinking about what interests you and then researching jobs in those areas. If you love art, you could look at set design or interior design. If you love music, you could look at teaching music, or producing, or writing. If you love computers, you could look at engineering, or IT, or web design. Try to link your hobbies and interest to a career field. Once you narrow some down, you can try to find professionals in the field and ask to interview them about their job and the path they took to get where there are (schooling, training, experience, etc.). You can try and shadow someone working in a field you're interested in. Once you do these things you should have a better understanding of what you could want to do as a career.
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Stephanie’s Answer
There are a number of ways to go about this. First of all, what interests you and what do you enjoy doing? Are you a people person or prefer to work on your own? What are you good at? What excites you?
Spend some time thinking about those questions as that will help shape your path. I'd also encourage you to talk to as many people about their jobs, what their day to day activities look like, what they like best/worst about their jobs, and how they got into that space.
Spend some time thinking about those questions as that will help shape your path. I'd also encourage you to talk to as many people about their jobs, what their day to day activities look like, what they like best/worst about their jobs, and how they got into that space.
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Abhijit’s Answer
The first step is to identify your interest in the area you want to pursue your career i.e science, art, music, etc.
Once you have that sorted out then find relevant professions in that area. For example you have interest in Science then which area interest you , engineering, medicine etc.
Talk to various people in that field and understand pros/cons of the profession, also look at job portals for jobs in the area .
This will help you to clear your mind as in which area you want to pursue.
All the best for your search. Hope you find answer to the question which most folks always struggle.
Once you have that sorted out then find relevant professions in that area. For example you have interest in Science then which area interest you , engineering, medicine etc.
Talk to various people in that field and understand pros/cons of the profession, also look at job portals for jobs in the area .
This will help you to clear your mind as in which area you want to pursue.
All the best for your search. Hope you find answer to the question which most folks always struggle.
Updated
Diana’s Answer
Check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook! https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
The OOH breaks down tons of career paths by occupation group, ranks them by pay, fastest growing, and provides some great general information. I would start here and then go to sites such as indeed.com and careerbuilder.com to check out the opportunities in your area.
The OOH breaks down tons of career paths by occupation group, ranks them by pay, fastest growing, and provides some great general information. I would start here and then go to sites such as indeed.com and careerbuilder.com to check out the opportunities in your area.
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Brandon’s Answer
Try to search online more about the types of jobs in the area of career. There are also forums that you can join that can help give you an idea of what the type of life is with that career. Ask school counselors and advisors for support as they can possibly guide you with a better idea of where to look. Local and remote internships are often a good way to find out more of that occupation by allowing a person to firsthand try the occupation and see if that is something they are interested in.
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Will’s Answer
Hi Kaleb,
Here's a link to a similar question and answered by a few CareerVillagers including myself.
https://www.careervillage.org/questions/473614/how-to-set-a-career-goal
Here's a link to a similar question and answered by a few CareerVillagers including myself.
https://www.careervillage.org/questions/473614/how-to-set-a-career-goal
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Mary’s Answer
The best way to learn about a specific career is to do research online and then talk with individuals who do that particular job. First, you need to decide what interests you. Do you already have interests and hobbies that could lead to a career? Also, you should think about where you would like to do your work. Then you can start to narrow your search. and begin fact finding.
Do you like to interact with people? Help people? Are you calm when talking with others? Do you get easily frazzled when a lot of things are thrown your way? Do you like/dislike numbers? Are you more creative or more of a business-minded person? There are many questions you need to ask yourself. When you narrow down what you like to do as a person, then you can start fitting those characteristics into jobs that have them. For example, if you see yourself as wanting to help others, then you may be good in a healthcare role. If you don't like to be dealing with a lot of people, then you may consider an office type job that requires a lot of computer work or number crunching. Do you feel you could handle going to a university or would you rather learn a trade by working as an apprentice, as in plumbing or carpentry?
Do you need to be outside? Would you be okay working in an office all day? Or maybe you need a little bit of both. Do you enjoy driving around or do you like to stay put all day? Would you enjoy traveling a little/a lot?
Once you've narrowed down fields/professions that you could see yourself doing, the BEST way to determine what a job really entails is to talk with somebody who does it. How did they get there? Did they go to college? Did they do an internship? Ask them what a day looks like for them and if they like it and why.
Good luck in your search!
Mary Slagle
Do you like to interact with people? Help people? Are you calm when talking with others? Do you get easily frazzled when a lot of things are thrown your way? Do you like/dislike numbers? Are you more creative or more of a business-minded person? There are many questions you need to ask yourself. When you narrow down what you like to do as a person, then you can start fitting those characteristics into jobs that have them. For example, if you see yourself as wanting to help others, then you may be good in a healthcare role. If you don't like to be dealing with a lot of people, then you may consider an office type job that requires a lot of computer work or number crunching. Do you feel you could handle going to a university or would you rather learn a trade by working as an apprentice, as in plumbing or carpentry?
Do you need to be outside? Would you be okay working in an office all day? Or maybe you need a little bit of both. Do you enjoy driving around or do you like to stay put all day? Would you enjoy traveling a little/a lot?
Once you've narrowed down fields/professions that you could see yourself doing, the BEST way to determine what a job really entails is to talk with somebody who does it. How did they get there? Did they go to college? Did they do an internship? Ask them what a day looks like for them and if they like it and why.
Good luck in your search!
Mary Slagle
Updated
Jeremy’s Answer
Great question, Kaleb. I think it's different for most but here's the common thread: action!
You just took the most important action by asking.
I would highly recommend simply asking, making a visit, and connecting with individuals or companies you're curious about to shadow them for a few days or so (tell yourself and those you inquire that it's for research).
The right company/team will appreciate your curiosity and personality solely because you're wanting to learn more about them and what they do (important).
Also I came across Indeeds career pathway video and thought you'd find great value in this too (its short too): https://youtu.be/CkF9OnmITRM
So, I have a few next steps if you're up for it?
👇🏾👇🏾
Search groups to join via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or email groups. Essentially people will know people that want to help (like us ☺️)
In those groups try Gary V's approach: give, give, give, then ask. Give feedback within groups of your interest. Its like going into a home where you want to give compliments first before asking to stay for dinner 😉
Be transparent, creative, and genuine. People don't want to work with selfish people or people who aren't empathetic. Seriously, empathy is the new currency.
Last one, join groups, give before you ask, be your awesome self, be empathetic, do what makes you feel the most alive 🤗🌟
You just took the most important action by asking.
I would highly recommend simply asking, making a visit, and connecting with individuals or companies you're curious about to shadow them for a few days or so (tell yourself and those you inquire that it's for research).
The right company/team will appreciate your curiosity and personality solely because you're wanting to learn more about them and what they do (important).
Also I came across Indeeds career pathway video and thought you'd find great value in this too (its short too): https://youtu.be/CkF9OnmITRM
So, I have a few next steps if you're up for it?
👇🏾👇🏾
Jeremy recommends the following next steps: