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What jobs should I choose to explore careers that interest me?
I'm a senior student in SF and I'm interested in dentistry, neurosurgeon, cardiac surgeon and business, but I haven't choose what I really want yet.
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8 answers
Updated
Jim’s Answer
I would suggest training as a medical assistant. You would be exposed to various medical specialties which may help you find your path in Medicine.
Good idea, I'll keep it in mind. Thank you.
Maryuri
Updated
Chirayu’s Answer
Exploring careers that interest you can be a great way to gain insight into what you enjoy and what you are good at. Reach out to local dental offices and ask if you can shadow a dentist for a day. This will give you a chance to see what the day-to-day work of a dentist is like and get a better understanding of the profession. Consider volunteering at a local hospital in a department that interests you, such as the neurology or cardiology department. This will give you a chance to see what goes on in these departments and learn more about the work of neurosurgeons and cardiac surgeons. Look for internships in the fields that interest you. This could be a summer internship at a dental office or a hospital, or an internship at a business that you find interesting. Attend career fairs and networking events in your area to meet professionals in the fields that interest you. You may be able to learn about different career paths and get advice on how to get started. Consider taking courses that are relevant to the fields that interest you. For example, you could take classes in biology, chemistry, or anatomy to learn more about the medical field. Alternatively, you could take business courses to gain a better understanding of that field.
I never thought about it, it sounds great. Thank u for your advice.
Maryuri
Updated
Waseem’s Answer
It depends upon the interest in the field.
Thank you for giving me advice.
Maryuri
Updated
Ryan’s Answer
Great answers. I would:
- See if you can do a "ride-a-long" or shadow someone for a bit. Some medical facilities may allow
- Reach out to a few people in the field. Ask them for coffee or a quick Zoom. Let them know it's a big decision for your life and you want to learn from someone accomplished. Most will be happy to help. Strangely enough, according to Dan Gilbert (Harvard Psychologist), a good gauge to estimate how happy you'd be doing a job is to gauge other workers' happiness toward that job. (when I was younger I wanted to be a guitar teacher at a music school, but at music school all my 30 teachers were miserable except for one who was happy that he was going to quit. This is a legitimate concern. There's always exceptions, but worth noting).
Another quick way to gauge is to find a part time receptionist job at a medical clinic. You'll get a good sense of all the departments and roles very quickly. When I was a pharmacy tech, I met pharmacists who went to school for 8 years, then the first day or week as a pharmacist, they quit. The job was so stressful and nothing what they imagined. Working as an entry level worker will connect you with many roles for questioning and give you insight.
Good luck!
- See if you can do a "ride-a-long" or shadow someone for a bit. Some medical facilities may allow
- Reach out to a few people in the field. Ask them for coffee or a quick Zoom. Let them know it's a big decision for your life and you want to learn from someone accomplished. Most will be happy to help. Strangely enough, according to Dan Gilbert (Harvard Psychologist), a good gauge to estimate how happy you'd be doing a job is to gauge other workers' happiness toward that job. (when I was younger I wanted to be a guitar teacher at a music school, but at music school all my 30 teachers were miserable except for one who was happy that he was going to quit. This is a legitimate concern. There's always exceptions, but worth noting).
Another quick way to gauge is to find a part time receptionist job at a medical clinic. You'll get a good sense of all the departments and roles very quickly. When I was a pharmacy tech, I met pharmacists who went to school for 8 years, then the first day or week as a pharmacist, they quit. The job was so stressful and nothing what they imagined. Working as an entry level worker will connect you with many roles for questioning and give you insight.
Good luck!
Updated
Janet’s Answer
Great question and hard to give a straight answer. This really depends on what your interests and talents are. A business degree will give you the opportunity to go in many different directions but if you are genuinely interested in a medical or dental profession you should explore those options. The good news is you can always change your mind, nothing is permanent and that is part of the journey of finding a career that fits well with the life you want to live. Good luck!
Thank you, this is amazing! I really needed it.
Maryuri
Updated
Megan’s Answer
Hi, Maryuri! I used to think I wanted to be a tax attorney, but then I did some job shadowing and realized I had romanticized what the job would be like. You couldn't pay me to do it (haha, which is essentially what a job is). Afterwards, I went back to the drawing board and reached out to some individuals - both professionals and recruiters - on LinkedIn to get a flavor of what job responsibilities, projects, and career growth looked like for them. It can be hard making a decision once the decision paralysis hits, but be confident in yourself and whatever you end up choosing. Best of luck!
Updated
Sean’s Answer
Totally agree with Janet and Chirayu's answers! One other avenue I would add are externships. These enable you to shadow a professional and learn more about the day-to-day without actually having the full responsibilities of an intern. Not all companies offer these, but it could be another low risk way to start to figure out what you like. Also, outside of the actual work, the people you work with will make a HUGE difference in whether you enjoy a job, so make sure to find places where you like the people! Best of luck!
Thank you so much!
Maryuri
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. Many question have the same question.
Below are my suggestions :
1. Think about your interest, your favorite subjects, etc. and identify the related careers
E.g. If you have interest in Maths, would you like to be engineer, accountant, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc.
If you have interest in Music, you you like to be a music teacher, singer, musician, composer, etc.
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak someone who are interested in these career. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counsellor, your parents, etc.
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you have interest
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in the college
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Below are my suggestions :
1. Think about your interest, your favorite subjects, etc. and identify the related careers
E.g. If you have interest in Maths, would you like to be engineer, accountant, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc.
If you have interest in Music, you you like to be a music teacher, singer, musician, composer, etc.
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak someone who are interested in these career. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counsellor, your parents, etc.
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you have interest
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in the college
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Thank you so much for your advice, it’s helpful.
Maryuri