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How do I reach my career goals?
I have more than one career goal. Some of my career goals are also combined, like music/art therapy. How do I choose which goal and how do I reach that goal?
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Thom’s Answer
Hello Arianna,
Terrific question! It's fantastic that you're already thinking about your career goals. In high school, my dream job was entirely different from my current web/graphic designer profession. The direction you choose is entirely up to you, and there's no right or wrong answer. If your goal was to bake a cake, you could learn that over the weekend. However, if you're interested in the psychology of art therapy, it might take a few years.
Atul's idea of creating two columns is an excellent starting point. Additionally, consider adding two more columns to outline the details of each option. For instance, music has various subcategories. Are you interested in composing music, performing music, recording music in a studio, working as a sound engineer, or teaching music? The same applies to art therapy. Do you dream of using art therapy through drawings, sculptures, paintings, healing with dance therapy, applying art therapy in a hospital environment, or helping people in human development?
For web/graphic design, I used numerous resources such as YouTube tutorials, LinkedIn Learning classes, and SNHU (Southern New Hampshire University) courses to earn my bachelor's degree. I was also intrigued by the coding aspect of websites and the creative process behind their visuals. My journey involved learning about color theory, typography, photography, interactive animation, technology and society, digital imaging and publishing, print layout, media communication, design history, multiplatform designs, and user interface and experience. Gaining knowledge in these areas made it much easier for me to find my career path.
Reaching your goals requires time, patience, and ongoing learning, but it's worth the effort.
Wishing you the best,
Thom.
Go to the job boards (Monster, Indeed, Dice, Career Builder) and look for jobs in both career paths. Do the descriptions of possible jobs sound like what you are looking for? Do they still interest you? If so, the daily job duties will guide you on what you should concentrate on for future studies.
Look at several colleges (either two or four years) to see if they offer a degree that might include your career goal. If so, see what classes you may have to take.
Some jobs offer internships more than others; this is a great way to test the waters.
Finally, try networking with others in those fields. While this is not always easy to accomplish, it gives further insight into your desired career path.
Terrific question! It's fantastic that you're already thinking about your career goals. In high school, my dream job was entirely different from my current web/graphic designer profession. The direction you choose is entirely up to you, and there's no right or wrong answer. If your goal was to bake a cake, you could learn that over the weekend. However, if you're interested in the psychology of art therapy, it might take a few years.
Atul's idea of creating two columns is an excellent starting point. Additionally, consider adding two more columns to outline the details of each option. For instance, music has various subcategories. Are you interested in composing music, performing music, recording music in a studio, working as a sound engineer, or teaching music? The same applies to art therapy. Do you dream of using art therapy through drawings, sculptures, paintings, healing with dance therapy, applying art therapy in a hospital environment, or helping people in human development?
For web/graphic design, I used numerous resources such as YouTube tutorials, LinkedIn Learning classes, and SNHU (Southern New Hampshire University) courses to earn my bachelor's degree. I was also intrigued by the coding aspect of websites and the creative process behind their visuals. My journey involved learning about color theory, typography, photography, interactive animation, technology and society, digital imaging and publishing, print layout, media communication, design history, multiplatform designs, and user interface and experience. Gaining knowledge in these areas made it much easier for me to find my career path.
Reaching your goals requires time, patience, and ongoing learning, but it's worth the effort.
Wishing you the best,
Thom.
Thom recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Nicolas’s Answer
Remember that you have a long time to decide what you want to focus on. You also have a long time to experience many career paths. Are you a self starter? Can you learn information soley from the use of the internet? Be sure to dulvge in many things a long your journey. In this day and age 70% of the workforce are moving into new jobs that they did not start out doing. I thought it was specifically important that you mentioned you have a lot of things you want to do, and my advice to you is experience them all. You only live once so remember, when you do this have a specific timeframe for each goal, and reach milestones in each of them. Through this you will feel very achieved.
Updated
Atul’s Answer
Some goals take time to achieve, while others are easier to reach. Focus on finding a job that provides for your needs – it may not be your dream job, but it's a step in the right direction. Many people engage in activities they're passionate about, like playing musical instruments or creating art.
To make your life easier, write down your goals in two columns: "must do" and "like to do." This will help you prioritize and make decisions. Don't hesitate to seek advice from school counselors, teachers, and family friends, or even your parents. Remember, your mindset should be about contributing to society rather than being a burden.
To make your life easier, write down your goals in two columns: "must do" and "like to do." This will help you prioritize and make decisions. Don't hesitate to seek advice from school counselors, teachers, and family friends, or even your parents. Remember, your mindset should be about contributing to society rather than being a burden.