7 answers
Elliot
Student
Milton, Vermont
1
Question
Asked
2848 views
How can u start a career ?
How can I start a career and make good money to support myself fainacially withought screwing it up
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7 answers
Anthony Rosage
Operations Specialist
2
Answers
Augusta, Georgia
Updated
Anthony’s Answer
One of the best things you can do is to ask yourself what you enjoy and what you would like to see yourself doing in the future. Have one or two backup plans as well, and those should also be things you think you'll enjoy! Start researching the career fields for those jobs - find out what it takes to get into entry-level positions for those career fields. Some may require a college education, and some may not! Once you've found a career that sounds interesting, find companies that offer jobs in that career field and see if they have openings. (Most company websites will have a "Careers" or "Jobs" tab, or you can use site like Indeed or Glassdoor.) There really isn't anything you can do to "screw up" getting into a career field. As long as you're willing to put in the work to meet the requirements of a job (training, education, etc.), then go for it and don't give up!
When it comes to making enough money to support yourself and finding a job, the best thing you can do is make a budget first. Find out what your expenses are (rent, bills, groceries, etc.) and do your best to determine the minimum amount of money you would need per week/month/year just to get by, then add a bit more for things like entertainment and emergencies. This will give you a baseline for the wages/salaries you should be looking for from jobs.
Good luck!
When it comes to making enough money to support yourself and finding a job, the best thing you can do is make a budget first. Find out what your expenses are (rent, bills, groceries, etc.) and do your best to determine the minimum amount of money you would need per week/month/year just to get by, then add a bit more for things like entertainment and emergencies. This will give you a baseline for the wages/salaries you should be looking for from jobs.
Good luck!
Arabhis Nicholson
Social Media Manager
10
Answers
Charlotte, North Carolina
Updated
Arabhis’s Answer
Hey Elliot!
First, I'd like to say congrats on already starting. By creating this post you've taken the first step to building a successful career. You are giving yourself the opportunity to plan and receive career insights from seasoned professionals. That's amazing!
To answer your question, I would say that building a career starts with knowing your professional superpowers! You can find this out by asking certain people you've previously interacted with, from their perspective, what exactly stood out about you as far as projects, assignments or tasks you've either worked on or helped with. Examples of who to ask this question to are mentors, classmates, teachers and supervisors who you either volunteered for or interned with. This is a great place to start. Then, start reflecting on the impact you made while being in previous environments such as an internship, places where you volunteered, school clubs/organizations, or even a side gig.
If you don't have the above experiences, I encourage you to connect with your student career counselor, or find a local organization that is seeking volunteers. Always remember that the world is your oyster! Opportunities to build your career could be right under your nose.
Your natural abilities and strengths as a person are great soft skills that will be transferable throughout your entire career and can even set you apart from other job candidates. By knowing where you shine in the workplace, you can begin building a career around who you are and what you can offer, even if you have limited work experience. We all have natural gifts, it's all about identifying them and using that to stand out!
Lastly, the financial aspect of building a career is very understandable. You want to have a sense of stability. Earlier in my career, I took on two or three freelance roles that helped me have steady income. One of those freelance roles was to help me build professional experience, the other role was for side income, and lastly I worked as a Barista at Starbucks to help supplement my income as well. Initially, you may have to get a little creative when it comes to working at different jobs, but I know absolutely everything it takes to build a successful career that provides you financial safety net and career fulfillment.
We all take different paths in our lives and careers, and trust me I've made some mistakes. But everything I went through prepared me for a career of joy, great income, and lifelong mentors and friends.
You got this Elliot!
Get out there and build a career you love.
-Arabhis Nicholson
Sit down and make a list of people in your network who can offer insight on your superpowers
Research local organizations looking for volunteers
Connect with your career counselor
Believe in yourself!
First, I'd like to say congrats on already starting. By creating this post you've taken the first step to building a successful career. You are giving yourself the opportunity to plan and receive career insights from seasoned professionals. That's amazing!
To answer your question, I would say that building a career starts with knowing your professional superpowers! You can find this out by asking certain people you've previously interacted with, from their perspective, what exactly stood out about you as far as projects, assignments or tasks you've either worked on or helped with. Examples of who to ask this question to are mentors, classmates, teachers and supervisors who you either volunteered for or interned with. This is a great place to start. Then, start reflecting on the impact you made while being in previous environments such as an internship, places where you volunteered, school clubs/organizations, or even a side gig.
If you don't have the above experiences, I encourage you to connect with your student career counselor, or find a local organization that is seeking volunteers. Always remember that the world is your oyster! Opportunities to build your career could be right under your nose.
Your natural abilities and strengths as a person are great soft skills that will be transferable throughout your entire career and can even set you apart from other job candidates. By knowing where you shine in the workplace, you can begin building a career around who you are and what you can offer, even if you have limited work experience. We all have natural gifts, it's all about identifying them and using that to stand out!
Lastly, the financial aspect of building a career is very understandable. You want to have a sense of stability. Earlier in my career, I took on two or three freelance roles that helped me have steady income. One of those freelance roles was to help me build professional experience, the other role was for side income, and lastly I worked as a Barista at Starbucks to help supplement my income as well. Initially, you may have to get a little creative when it comes to working at different jobs, but I know absolutely everything it takes to build a successful career that provides you financial safety net and career fulfillment.
We all take different paths in our lives and careers, and trust me I've made some mistakes. But everything I went through prepared me for a career of joy, great income, and lifelong mentors and friends.
You got this Elliot!
Get out there and build a career you love.
-Arabhis Nicholson
Arabhis recommends the following next steps:
Alfred Lee
Sales Rep
5
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Alfred’s Answer
Absolutely, don't be afraid to face failure head-on and keep pushing forward. Consider jotting down what you love doing and then match these with job listings that involve similar tasks.
In the least favorable scenario, you might discover tasks that you don't enjoy. But that's okay! It's all part of the journey to find your perfect fit. Keep going, you're doing great!
In the least favorable scenario, you might discover tasks that you don't enjoy. But that's okay! It's all part of the journey to find your perfect fit. Keep going, you're doing great!
Shelby Rush
Program Coordinator and Developer
2
Answers
Wellsboro, Pennsylvania
Updated
Shelby’s Answer
Hey Elliot! It sounds like you have some anxiety around finding the career path that's right for you. If you're feeling a little overwhelmed about the future, know you are not alone! Every person- every professional- has been there and felt that. The future is full of unknowns. That's what makes it exciting, and scary.
Sometimes we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to know the right answers and get it right the first time. One of the best skills you can develop for any career is flexibility and confidence. That starts with a deep breath and a reminder that you have the capacity in yourself to learn, grown, and adjust as you need to. So before we jump into the future and you read on, I suggest you take a few deep breaths (really- take them!) and remember a time that you did something hard or were able to accomplish something that made you feel good. Hold onto that feeling. Remember you are a person who can do hard things, has grown, and has accomplished things set their mind to.
Once you've done that I'd start with a quick exercise to help you reflect on the kind of professional you'd like to be. Draw two circles that overlap. Fill one circle with your strengths and the other with your passions. Strengths are qualities you have that will make you an asset to an organization. This might be things like "communicating," "organizing," "being a team captain," "love of learning," "writing," or "integrity." Passions are things that bring you lots of energy when you are engaging with them. Maybe it's a specific need in the world you care about filling, a hobby you love that you want to be something more, an experience you've had that you would be really excited to build on. Fill up your circles so they are as full as you can get them. Once you've done that take a look and see where there are common themes between your passions and strengths. What do they have in common? What important things do they tell you about yourself? Put those things in the space where your circles overlap.
Once you've done that you can consider what jobs might be a good fit for you. Maybe you realized you're really passionate about learning new things and one of your skills is working with kids. You might consider teaching as a profession. Maybe you see building or working with your hands as a skill and being outside as a passion. You might want to research careers that are highly interactive that allow you to be outside like an arborist or carpenter. Maybe you really love science and are passionate about taking care of others. You might be interested in the medical field. Maybe you're a great writer and are passionate about creating things. You might consider looking into marketing, graphic design, or journalism.
The best, and generally most fulfilled professionals, are the ones who really care about what they do. You are going to spend 1/3 of your life working. You want to make sure that work not only provides for your needs but supports the person you want to be. Once you know what kind of profession you'd like to work toward long term, you can consider things like schooling and degrees, work experience, or internships that would build your resume in the way you would need to, to get the job you want.
There are no right or wrong directions to go when making a choice about a career, as long as you are making that choice with intention and a purpose. Maybe you explore working in the medical field because that is where your strengths, skills, and passions align but you also find you really don't want to invest 8 years in school to become a doctor. You might be able to look into careers with less educational requirements to better fit your needs that way.
One thing I always encourage is to try to get some hands-on experience if you can before you commit to a career path. If you're going to invest a few years of your life and a lot of your financial future into a degree, do some job shadowing or see if you can find an internship that gives you a real idea of what that job will be like to make sure it's a good fit. Reach out to a local organization doing the work you're interested and see if there are any job shadowing or internship opportunities. Going in person, if you can is great! But if you can't, reach out via the "contact us" link on their website to send an e-mail to ask about opportunities.
Also, now that you've done all that reflecting on your strengths, skills, and passions you'll have some great things to talk about for an interview! Remember that the unknown is both scary- and exciting. But allowing yourself to explore the future and make adjustments as you go based on what you learn about yourself in the process is as much a part of fulfillment as setting a goal and making yourself make that happen. Goals are great! But listening to yourself and making an active choices based on the feedback your body is trying to give you about what is right for you is also important! Get to know yourself, try some experiences that help you better understand the jobs you're interested in to see what they really entail, and then make some decisions about what steps you need to take to pursue the path you find feels right!
Finding the right opportunities is sometimes more of an art than a science. Be goal oriented but try not to be too rigid. Be intentional and trust yourself! If you're willing to learn, grow, and adjust course when you need to, you will get to where you need to go.
Take a deep breath. Remember you're a person who has already done hard things. You can do this too.
Reflect on your skills, strengths and passions. See where they align.
What jobs or careers seem like they might be a natural fit for you. Research them. See what the options are, what they require, and which match the kind of investment you want to give.
Try to get some hands-on experience to see what the jobs you're interested in are truly like and build your resume in that direction.
See what you learn along the way. Be committed to the path you're making, but don't be so rigid you can't adjust course if you need to. What you want and what you need can be separate but related things. See how you can honor both!
Sometimes we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to know the right answers and get it right the first time. One of the best skills you can develop for any career is flexibility and confidence. That starts with a deep breath and a reminder that you have the capacity in yourself to learn, grown, and adjust as you need to. So before we jump into the future and you read on, I suggest you take a few deep breaths (really- take them!) and remember a time that you did something hard or were able to accomplish something that made you feel good. Hold onto that feeling. Remember you are a person who can do hard things, has grown, and has accomplished things set their mind to.
Once you've done that I'd start with a quick exercise to help you reflect on the kind of professional you'd like to be. Draw two circles that overlap. Fill one circle with your strengths and the other with your passions. Strengths are qualities you have that will make you an asset to an organization. This might be things like "communicating," "organizing," "being a team captain," "love of learning," "writing," or "integrity." Passions are things that bring you lots of energy when you are engaging with them. Maybe it's a specific need in the world you care about filling, a hobby you love that you want to be something more, an experience you've had that you would be really excited to build on. Fill up your circles so they are as full as you can get them. Once you've done that take a look and see where there are common themes between your passions and strengths. What do they have in common? What important things do they tell you about yourself? Put those things in the space where your circles overlap.
Once you've done that you can consider what jobs might be a good fit for you. Maybe you realized you're really passionate about learning new things and one of your skills is working with kids. You might consider teaching as a profession. Maybe you see building or working with your hands as a skill and being outside as a passion. You might want to research careers that are highly interactive that allow you to be outside like an arborist or carpenter. Maybe you really love science and are passionate about taking care of others. You might be interested in the medical field. Maybe you're a great writer and are passionate about creating things. You might consider looking into marketing, graphic design, or journalism.
The best, and generally most fulfilled professionals, are the ones who really care about what they do. You are going to spend 1/3 of your life working. You want to make sure that work not only provides for your needs but supports the person you want to be. Once you know what kind of profession you'd like to work toward long term, you can consider things like schooling and degrees, work experience, or internships that would build your resume in the way you would need to, to get the job you want.
There are no right or wrong directions to go when making a choice about a career, as long as you are making that choice with intention and a purpose. Maybe you explore working in the medical field because that is where your strengths, skills, and passions align but you also find you really don't want to invest 8 years in school to become a doctor. You might be able to look into careers with less educational requirements to better fit your needs that way.
One thing I always encourage is to try to get some hands-on experience if you can before you commit to a career path. If you're going to invest a few years of your life and a lot of your financial future into a degree, do some job shadowing or see if you can find an internship that gives you a real idea of what that job will be like to make sure it's a good fit. Reach out to a local organization doing the work you're interested and see if there are any job shadowing or internship opportunities. Going in person, if you can is great! But if you can't, reach out via the "contact us" link on their website to send an e-mail to ask about opportunities.
Also, now that you've done all that reflecting on your strengths, skills, and passions you'll have some great things to talk about for an interview! Remember that the unknown is both scary- and exciting. But allowing yourself to explore the future and make adjustments as you go based on what you learn about yourself in the process is as much a part of fulfillment as setting a goal and making yourself make that happen. Goals are great! But listening to yourself and making an active choices based on the feedback your body is trying to give you about what is right for you is also important! Get to know yourself, try some experiences that help you better understand the jobs you're interested in to see what they really entail, and then make some decisions about what steps you need to take to pursue the path you find feels right!
Finding the right opportunities is sometimes more of an art than a science. Be goal oriented but try not to be too rigid. Be intentional and trust yourself! If you're willing to learn, grow, and adjust course when you need to, you will get to where you need to go.
Shelby recommends the following next steps:
Megan McCoy
Career Coach
162
Answers
Lakeland, Florida
Updated
Megan’s Answer
Hi Elliot!
Do you have an idea of what kind of career you want? Maybe I can help better if I know your interests.
I would start by looking at high-demand, high-wage career opportunities in your state or the state you want to live in. This can give you an idea of what careers might help you be financially stable.
You will want to think about the cost of a degree, the cost of living, and starting salary of the career you are interested in. I always tell students that the cost of the degree should not cost you more than the starting salary of the career you are going into. This way you can prevent yourself from taking on too much student loan debt.
To explore careers of interest and start a successful launch into a career I would suggest the following:
Job shadowing careers you are interested in
Look for a part-time job or internship related to the career you are interested in
volunteer to do something related to the career you are interested in
attend a summer camp related to a career of interest
The more experience you can get the better off you will be when it comes to finding the right career and building a resume to get started in a career.
I hope this helps!
Do you have an idea of what kind of career you want? Maybe I can help better if I know your interests.
I would start by looking at high-demand, high-wage career opportunities in your state or the state you want to live in. This can give you an idea of what careers might help you be financially stable.
You will want to think about the cost of a degree, the cost of living, and starting salary of the career you are interested in. I always tell students that the cost of the degree should not cost you more than the starting salary of the career you are going into. This way you can prevent yourself from taking on too much student loan debt.
To explore careers of interest and start a successful launch into a career I would suggest the following:
Job shadowing careers you are interested in
Look for a part-time job or internship related to the career you are interested in
volunteer to do something related to the career you are interested in
attend a summer camp related to a career of interest
The more experience you can get the better off you will be when it comes to finding the right career and building a resume to get started in a career.
I hope this helps!
Keyston Rice
Supervisor
178
Answers
Lawrence, IN
Updated
Keyston’s Answer
To start a career, I'd recommend finding something you're passionate about and have a knack for. Look for opportunities in that field, learn as much as you can on the job, and show dedication. Stay focused, work hard, and keep learning to build a strong foundation for financial support.
Tukaram Pechaki
9
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Tukaram’s Answer
Take better training on specific topic and start career.