What career do I look in to?
Hi, I'm a student that's super lost about jobs. Like, I keep obsessing over jobs ever since summer break started I can't enjoy my vacation. I know that I enjoy sport's, building, and writing finding information, and sharing resources. However, I don’t care what jobs could actually match my skills. I'm fine with sitting at a computer, but want to be useful for society and work in something that's not too stressful. Does anyone have any career suggestions to look into?
7 answers
Patrick’s Answer
1. Identify Your Passions and Interests
Start by reflecting on what truly excites you. What activities make you lose track of time? What subjects do you enjoy studying the most? Whether it’s sports, writing, building things, or researching, understanding your passions is the first step. Your enthusiasm for these activities can often translate into a fulfilling career.
2. Assess Your Skills and Strengths
Take stock of your skills and strengths. Are you good at communicating, organizing, or analyzing data? Do you have a knack for creative thinking or problem-solving? Identifying your skills helps you understand what you bring to the table and how you can leverage them in your career.
3. Research the Job Market
Understanding the current job market is crucial. Look into industries that are growing and have a high demand for new talent. Fields like technology, healthcare, renewable energy, and finance often have numerous opportunities. Use resources like job boards, industry reports, and career websites to gather information.
4. Match Your Passions with Market Demand
Once you have a clear picture of your passions and the job market, look for intersections. For example, if you love writing and there’s a high demand for content creators in digital marketing, that could be a perfect match. If you enjoy building and there’s a growing need for urban planners, consider exploring that field.
5. Gain Relevant Experience
Experience is invaluable. Internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities can provide you with practical skills and insights into different careers. They also enhance your resume and make you more attractive to potential employers.
6. Seek Guidance and Mentorship
Don’t hesitate to seek advice from career counselors, mentors, and professionals in your field of interest. They can provide valuable insights, share their experiences, and help you make informed decisions. Networking can also open doors to opportunities you might not have considered.
7. Stay Adaptable and Open-Minded
The job market is constantly evolving, and so should you. Be open to exploring different roles and industries. Sometimes, the perfect job might be something you hadn’t initially considered. Staying adaptable allows you to seize new opportunities as they arise.
8. Focus on Continuous Learning
Invest in your education and skill development. The more you learn, the more versatile and competitive you become. Whether it’s through formal education, online courses, or self-study, continuous learning is key to staying relevant in the job market.
9. Be Patient and Persistent
Finding the right career path takes time and effort. It’s okay to feel uncertain and to change directions along the way. Stay patient, keep exploring, and remain persistent in your efforts. Every experience, whether good or bad, contributes to your growth and understanding of what you want in a career.
Betsy’s Answer
Remember, it's important to align your interests and skills with your career or "job". If not, you might find yourself unhappy and possibly leaving your job or even several jobs.
If possible, have a heart-to-heart with a close friend, a college advisor or maybe a therapist about your concerns. Understand that it's okay not to know the future or have all the answers right now. You can't control everything in your life, but you can control your thoughts and actions.
So, make the decision to enjoy your vacation.
Wishing you all the best!
Zoya’s Answer
1. **Content Writing or Journalism**: Since you enjoy writing and sharing resources, you might consider content writing or journalism. These jobs can involve researching information, sharing insights, and creating useful content. If you like sports, you could even specialize in sports journalism.
2. **Research Analyst or Librarian**: These roles involve gathering and organizing information, which could align with your interest in finding and sharing resources. Research analysts often work in various fields, from business to social sciences, to help companies make informed decisions.
3. **UX/UI Design**: If you like building things, UX/UI design might appeal to you. It involves creating user-friendly websites or apps, combining creativity with a focus on making things accessible and useful to people.
4. **Project Management**: You could consider a project management role where you oversee projects in different fields (tech, construction, etc.). It can be a mix of sitting at a computer, organizing, and occasionally working on-site, depending on the industry.
5. **Community Outreach or Nonprofit Work**: These roles involve helping people, organizing events, and sharing resources with communities. It allows you to feel useful while contributing positively to society.
Amanda’s Answer
In addition, based on what you've described, I would recommend looking into reporting. I know print news is heading into a lot of AI land, and can be difficult, but there are still publications out there looking for people who actually want to find the answers and print the truth, and with your interest in sports, writing, finding information, and sharing, you are probably heading in that direction already without even knowing it! Even your interest in building can be helpful, since there are architectural angles for local papers, and even architectural publications who may be looking for people! It may also be worth looking into Radio, or pod-casting, since a lot of those are pre-scripted reporting, sharing information that you've found with others who want to know. And also all of those skills can be used in Public Relations for various companies as well! Being able to describe exactly how fun it is to build with your favorite building set can be more useful than you might expect!
There are many options out there, and you have time - stressing won't help you find the right answers, but thinking about it, calmly, when you have time, is always good idea. If you find yourself stressing about it, stop thinking about it and do something else until you're calm again. Your mental health is important!
Kevin P’s Answer
You mentioned that you wanted to make an impact, something useful to society. You listed a couple hobbies like sports and building things. I was in a very similar situation when I was 18. I loved money and how money worked in our society. So I became a personal banker for a large bank. I did not want to work with my hobbies because i was afraid if i get paid for my hobbies i would no longer enjoy them.
I love movies, working out, and grilling steaks. Well I did not want to make movies, I am not good enough play sports, and grilling steak is more fun by the pool so making money with those was out of the question. It was important that whatever job I had would pay for my hobbies.
Since then, 13 years later, I am still in banking and I learned a valuable lesson. Never let work consume you. You deserve to enjoy both. Work and life. They are not the same.
Good luck and take your time.
Madeleine’s Answer
Remember, life isn't meant to be a constant grind. If you're feeling overwhelmed, it might be a sign you're not in the right field. Consider a serene environment like a library, ripe with opportunities.
Speaking from experience, I've been a professional writer since 1988. Yet, I find joy in being an Independent Contractor and balance that with substitute teaching. You only need 90 credits to substitute teach, though I have my B.S. and an associate in business administration. I strongly endorse starting with a two-year college. It's a stepping stone that can lead to a four-year college, plus you'll already have a degree under your belt.
Remember, life is a journey, unique to each of us. Be patient with yourself. You'll find your way.
Jerome’s Answer
Non-profit work can be very rewarding, but the pay isn’t usually great. The other side is finding something that pays well and you can always donate time of give back to the community with the resources you build.