So, you just started high school and feel the relief of having a few years to breathe and relax before thinking about college. But, not so quick! College guides recommend starting to research and thinking about which college you want to attend, and what you want to major in as early as 6th grade. They say, the earlier the better. There are so many choices out there that it can easily get overwhelming and confusing.
But, don’t worry, you don’t have to make a firm decision of which career path you would like to take when you apply to college. It is definitely recommended to have an idea of what you would like to do so that you can get the right prerequisites that are required in your field of choice, and get a head start on your schooling.
How do you choose what career to make your own?
Do What Your Enjoy
Choosing a career that you will enjoy is one of the most important things to keep in mind when going through your options. Usually if it in a field that you like, you will be good at it and won’t find it boring or too difficult. As the saying goes: “do what you love, and you won’t work a day in your life”. And it is true! When you truly enjoy your work you will feel great satisfaction and come to work each day full of energy and excitement ready to tackle the work that lies ahead of you.
Not everyone has a dream career. Of course there are always those children who did surgery on their dolls and pretended to be wearing a set of Grey’s Anatomy scrubs; and guess what? When they grew up they became a doctors and nurses. But, not everyone is like that, and it is ok if you do not have a clear idea of what you want to do.
In order to figure out where your interests lie it is a good idea to check out work environments that may interest you. Once you are on scene you will get a feel if you can imagine doing that kind of work. For example if you are considering becoming a lawyer, find out if any of your mom or dad’s lawyer friends would allow to visit their office for the day and observe. People are usually happy to be able to help assist you figuring out what line of work you should go into.
Do Your Research
There’s a big wide world out there and the options are literally endless. Talk to people about their jobs and see if what they do holds any interest to you.
Nowadays, with everything at your fingertips by the click of a button it is easy to find out about jobs in a short amount of time, whether you are looking for a reference on how to become a nurse practitioner or think you may want to pursue a career in criminal justice. Do a Google search on jobs that pique your interest, and see what you can find out about them. There are tech companies in San Francisco if you desire to pursue a career in the IT field. Or if you’re into video and motion graphics, look for job posts and determine the geographic area where this career is the most in demand. Watch videos about them or read a book about the given field of work. You will be able to get a pretty good picture if this career choice is something for you once you do all the above noted things.
Financial Considerations
It is important to take financial considerations into account when making this important decisions. You will firstly need to make sure you can afford the schooling required for your dream career. There are many options for scholarships and student loans out there can help out with paying for college. But some programs can still be quite costly and expensive. Having a clear plan on how you are going to pay for your education will help you avoid accumulating financial debt.
It is also important to research the pay for the field that you are looking to go into. You may love a certain line of work, but the pay may be minimal or not enough to support yourself sufficiently. You will also need to make sure that there is a job market out there in the given field. Some jobs are extremely popular, and there are not enough positions to employ all those in the field. It is extremely frustrating to work hard and train in a profession, and then find that there are no available jobs in your area.
Take a Test
There is plenty of job test and career quiz that you can take that will help determine what type of job you will be good at based on your personality and other factors. Many of these tests are free or quite inexpensive, so it may be worth a try if you are unsure where your strengths lie and what you would enjoy doing.
At the end of the day you need to feel comfortable with the job that you go into. Don’t give in to people pressuring you to choose a specific career that you feel is unsuitable for you, or you will not enjoy.
It’s your life and you deserve to live it to the fullest!
