5 answers
nylaia
Student
Lowell, Massachusetts
1
Question
Asked
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How do I start looking for careers I could possibly interested in?
Im wondering this because I need help finding what careers I would be interested in.
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5 answers
Howard Pierceall CEC, CCE WCEC
Chef, Chef Instructor, Business owner
99
Answers
Sun City, Arizona
Updated
Howard’s Answer
You are going a little backward. You need to see what you are interested in. Then look for careers in that field of work.
Research and find things you think you would like to do. Then try them or look for a mentor.
You have to choose something you like and enjoy doing first. Then take classes to learn as much as you can about that career.
Research and find things you think you would like to do. Then try them or look for a mentor.
You have to choose something you like and enjoy doing first. Then take classes to learn as much as you can about that career.
Rebecca Tang
Banking
1816
Answers
Hong Kong
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. Many students have similar question. In fact, there is no fix time when to start considering the career path in the future. I would recommend you think about this on the last year of your high school the latest. You will need to choose the major & minors in the college which is subject to the career choose.
Below are my suggestions :
1. Think about what you have interest, e.g. your hobbies, favorite subjects, etc. and identify the related careers
E.g. If you are interested in music, would you like to be a singer, musician, musical actor, music composer, music producer, etc.
If you like maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, financial analyst, maths teacher, banker, etc.
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counsellor, your parents, etc.
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in the college
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Below are my suggestions :
1. Think about what you have interest, e.g. your hobbies, favorite subjects, etc. and identify the related careers
E.g. If you are interested in music, would you like to be a singer, musician, musical actor, music composer, music producer, etc.
If you like maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, financial analyst, maths teacher, banker, etc.
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counsellor, your parents, etc.
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in the college
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Niha D
Physical Therapist
60
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Niha’s Answer
You are totally not alone in this! Out of the 20 or so close friends I had in college, I know about 8 of them that DIDN'T change their mind after we got to college. I would say have a general idea of what field you want to go into (ie, business, healthcare, fine arts, education, etc), so you can at least get general credits for college out of the way (these are courses required by the UNIVERSITY for graduation regardless of major or graduate schooling) with classes you have vague interest in. Those general classes may spark something for you, which is an added bonus!
There are hundreds of careers for every field of interest, and many of them you just won't even HEAR of if you're not looking for it. What I would recommend is two different ways of thinking:
1) Look at what you absolutely do NOT want to do. Cut those fields or careers out of your list. For example, people who have trouble sitting for long periods might not want to do a computer/desk job, or someone who doesn't prefer to work with kids wouldn't want to be an educator. This can make looking for what you do like a little easier.
2) Look at what you want your life to look like. Make sure your future job will allow for you to pursue other factors of your life you find important. If you want enough time to spend time with your future spouse and/or kids, choose fields with regular hours. If you want to travel, look at what jobs will offer that for you.
The most important thing is that while your career will take up a significant portion of your adult life, it won't be the only thing. No job is perfect, but you want to make sure it is both livable and comfortable for your work and personal life, not just as a career.
There are hundreds of careers for every field of interest, and many of them you just won't even HEAR of if you're not looking for it. What I would recommend is two different ways of thinking:
1) Look at what you absolutely do NOT want to do. Cut those fields or careers out of your list. For example, people who have trouble sitting for long periods might not want to do a computer/desk job, or someone who doesn't prefer to work with kids wouldn't want to be an educator. This can make looking for what you do like a little easier.
2) Look at what you want your life to look like. Make sure your future job will allow for you to pursue other factors of your life you find important. If you want enough time to spend time with your future spouse and/or kids, choose fields with regular hours. If you want to travel, look at what jobs will offer that for you.
The most important thing is that while your career will take up a significant portion of your adult life, it won't be the only thing. No job is perfect, but you want to make sure it is both livable and comfortable for your work and personal life, not just as a career.
Malar Velappan PMP, CPM, CSM, BoardBuild certified
Product Management
15
Answers
Palo Alto, California
Updated
Malar’s Answer
I completely agree with all the advice given above! If I were in your shoes, here's how I would approach it -
1. Identify your strong points. (For instance, you might excel in mathematics, logic OR you could be highly creative OR you may have a knack for dealing with people, and so on.)
2. Recognize your passion. (What is that one thing you can spend hours doing and still feel enthusiastic about?)
3. Figure out your personal vision. (It's challenging to have this sorted out, but you might have an instinctive sense of your future self. Ponder on those ideas. For instance, it could be as straightforward as - a solution-finder, a harmony-creator, etc.)
4. Explore the potential/profitable careers that lie at the crossroads of your strengths, passion, and vision. Look into some of these job prospects, and assess the ones that resonate with you more.
This approach will assist you in introspecting more about your identity, your skills, and your interests, thereby helping you gauge what you aspire to become. Best of luck and warm wishes!!
1. Identify your strong points. (For instance, you might excel in mathematics, logic OR you could be highly creative OR you may have a knack for dealing with people, and so on.)
2. Recognize your passion. (What is that one thing you can spend hours doing and still feel enthusiastic about?)
3. Figure out your personal vision. (It's challenging to have this sorted out, but you might have an instinctive sense of your future self. Ponder on those ideas. For instance, it could be as straightforward as - a solution-finder, a harmony-creator, etc.)
4. Explore the potential/profitable careers that lie at the crossroads of your strengths, passion, and vision. Look into some of these job prospects, and assess the ones that resonate with you more.
This approach will assist you in introspecting more about your identity, your skills, and your interests, thereby helping you gauge what you aspire to become. Best of luck and warm wishes!!
Daniel Maynes
Credit Manager
187
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Daniel’s Answer
Hi Nylaia!
First things first - that's ok. Most people do not know what they want to do the rest of their lives and it can be stressful to think about. I felt the same way a couple of years ago right before I graduated high school. My suggestion is to go to a community college to obtain your basics. This will help you have time to try some different jobs in completely different fields. Also, by going to a community college you will be saving money and giving yourself more time to decide on a career/job while making progress on your degree. Don't let people put pressure on you that you have to decide now on the rest of your work life. I had a teacher in high school tell me that I would be a failure if I did not know what degree/career I wanted by the time I graduated high school. Well, I did not by graduation but decided a year later on what I wanted to do and absolutely love it (operations)
I really think business is a great field to go into since it keeps your options wide open. That way you are not committing to one specific field and find out later that you hate it. Some fields in business include:
1. Operations
2. Finance
3. Sales
4. Marketing
5. Human Resources
I decided to go into Business Operations since operations touches almost every facet of the organization. I enjoy the different challenges and operations also gives me the flexibility to try new things. Another great aspect about operations is they usually support the other divisions of an organization. Since, there are many divisions of an company if you do not enjoy one area its not a big deal since you can support other areas of the business.
Many larger companies will start you in a rotational analyst program. By doing this you will get to see usually 2-4 different sections of the business. Companies offer this to not only help you hone in on your career path but many companies have realized that if there employees actually enjoy their job they will get better overall performance.
I know this can be a stressful time in your life. Please know that you are not alone.
First things first - that's ok. Most people do not know what they want to do the rest of their lives and it can be stressful to think about. I felt the same way a couple of years ago right before I graduated high school. My suggestion is to go to a community college to obtain your basics. This will help you have time to try some different jobs in completely different fields. Also, by going to a community college you will be saving money and giving yourself more time to decide on a career/job while making progress on your degree. Don't let people put pressure on you that you have to decide now on the rest of your work life. I had a teacher in high school tell me that I would be a failure if I did not know what degree/career I wanted by the time I graduated high school. Well, I did not by graduation but decided a year later on what I wanted to do and absolutely love it (operations)
I really think business is a great field to go into since it keeps your options wide open. That way you are not committing to one specific field and find out later that you hate it. Some fields in business include:
1. Operations
2. Finance
3. Sales
4. Marketing
5. Human Resources
I decided to go into Business Operations since operations touches almost every facet of the organization. I enjoy the different challenges and operations also gives me the flexibility to try new things. Another great aspect about operations is they usually support the other divisions of an organization. Since, there are many divisions of an company if you do not enjoy one area its not a big deal since you can support other areas of the business.
Many larger companies will start you in a rotational analyst program. By doing this you will get to see usually 2-4 different sections of the business. Companies offer this to not only help you hone in on your career path but many companies have realized that if there employees actually enjoy their job they will get better overall performance.
I know this can be a stressful time in your life. Please know that you are not alone.