Harpreet
What is the best way to decide career?
It is really confusing and frustrating when this question comes to mind and I often wonder am I doing right by choosing physics as a career because there are so many other things I I think I am good at. However, i like physics but I am not sure if I am really good at this. So can anyone tell me what is the best way to decide career? #career-counseling
2 answers
Ken Simmons
Ken’s Answer
Hi Harpreet!
You asked a great question!!
Success in finding the proper career fit is individual. Success is a feeling when one experiences fulfillment and satisfaction with what one is doing in life. Success is looking forward to going to work or whatever activity one does during the day and enjoying it. Success is self-actualization and development of one's own interests.
Success starts with getting to know one's self. Completing these exercises will be a good first step to getting to know yourself:
https://www.themuse.com/advice/14-free-personality-tests-thatll-help-you-figure-yourself-out
A good next step is to get more information about those interest areas identified in the above exercises and learning how one might possibly prepare for them with the possibility of experiencing fulfillment and satisfaction. Selecting a career area is like buying a pair of shoes. They may look great, but you need to try them on and walk in them for a while to determine the proper level of comfort and fit. The most frustrating times I spent when I was doing college recruiting were the times when a graduate, once on the job, determined that he/she did not like the job for which he/she had studied, as he/she did not take the time or effort to do appropriate "shoe shopping" and pay attention to their feelings of "comfort or discomfort".
Here are some good ways to get some great information and career exposure:
- talk to your school counselor about participating in coop, intern, shadowing, and volunteer programs that will allow you to see what people do, how they got there, what advice they have, and how you feel about it.
- talk to the head of alumni relations at your school to arrange to talk to graduates working in your area of interest to learn more from them
- as many people get their start at a community college, talk to the head of alumni relations at your local community college to arrange to talk to graduates in your area of interest to see what they are doing and see how they got there
- talk to the head of alumni relations of any training program or facility related to your areas of interest to get valuable information from graduates and create valuable relationships.
Best of luck! Be true to yourself. The feeling and concept of success is yours - and is very personal. Let me know if this is of help.
Thank you very much, Ken!!!
Your answer is great and helped me a lot in clearing my vision and thoughts
Harpreet
You are very welcome. Keep up the good work. Please keep me posted. I would like to follow your progress!!
Ken Simmons
Jennifer Amy
Jennifer’s Answer
I think the first question you should ask yourself is: What is my true passion, what are my strengths, what I am good at? If what you are good at matches your desire or at least, seems reasonable and doable I say: Go for it!
If you are not certain about what you are truly good at, I suggest you tackle that first, get to know yourself better, what your assets are, what is a natural resource within you and also, be aware of your areas of opportunity and work on them. If you spotted a position you desire to have, I suggest you use Linkedin for example, search for that position and see what skills people on those chairs have that you are missing, acknowledge that and work towards gaining those skills! Hope this helps!