Students: Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in Oz, searching for the Wizard?
Someone who can help you make the best decision about your career?
What’s most important, anyway?
Best-selling career books will encourage you to think about any number of things:
- the emerging “green” jobs
- the international job landscape
- the trades
- your personality
- job security
- the healthcare industry
- the service economy
- job security
- the IT industry
So with all this advice about good opportunities, how do you finally decide where to start?
First, realize that almost half of college students switch majors; at least once. The best planning can’t account for “happenstance”. In other words, along the “yellow brick road”, you’re going to meet people and experience things that will change your thinking about jobs. And that’s a good thing.
Second, don’t let your career indecision drive you into debt. Take a pause, if necessary, to get clarity; especially if you’re a junior or senior and still really uncertain about your major. The longer you take to find a major that fits; the longer it may take you to get a job in that field; if that’s your expectation.
Third, get some help! Where?
If you’re a college student:
Go to the career center of your college, talk to your advisor AND another faculty member you respect about what recent graduates in the major are doing; what their job titles are and what career paths they’ve taken. The more talking you do, the more information you’ll gather.
If you’re a high school graduate, but not a college student:
Get the same kind of advice from a “one-stop” employment center. They offer assessments and advising at a very low cost; and sometimes, no cost, depending on your circumstances. If you can afford it, find a career coach (someone like me). They help you fact-find, set realistic goals and keep you on track. Many coaches offer a sliding fee scale, making this service very affordable.
Fourth, get some field experience:
An internship (paid or unpaid) -- or a series of informational interviews, professional association meetings, networks on Linked In, job shadows, or lunch dates, with people in jobs that you find intriguing.
Maybe you could spring for coffee or lunch; although many people will gladly “go Dutch” in the interest of helping a young person get started in a career. Everyone likes to talk about themselves; including the details about their successes and failures. It’s human nature!
Contact me for more help. Your first in-person or phone coaching session is free.
My mission is to empower youth with: - The knowledge about career possibilities, and the education and training needed to attain them - The creative-thinking and emotional skills that make for good career decisions and which employers prefer; - And the resilience needed to flourish in life.
