I was always so jealous of those kids that it seemed from birth knew exactly what they wanted to be when they grew up. A nurse, a veterinarian, a chef, a designer. Me… I had no idea. What I wanted to be changed from one day to the next. I just knew I wanted to be something!
So How Do You Figure Out Your Career Goals?
For many, myself included, it was school that helped direct my path. Before I went to University I took a wide variety of courses in my secondary education that opened my eyes to many new areas. Some I found fascinating and others I realized were not for me. It wasn’t until I needed an extra credit and took a paralegal course that I realized that I wanted to be a lawyer. And a lawyer I became.
How Else Can You Identify Your Career?
For many of us, we’ve looked toward our families and friends. Through these relationships, you can learn what a day-in-the-life is for their professions and have the opportunity to learn first-hand what particular jobs are like and whether they capture your interest. For example, you often hear stories of three generations of police officers in a family. Or family businesses that have carried on throughout many generations.
What if You Can’t Identify Your Career?
First, don’t panic. Let time be on your side. Take time to learn more about careers through career surveys, internet searches, job shadowing, and talking to friends and family. In addition, as mentioned above, school is a great way to become introduced to new topics that may spark your interest.
What if you Still Can’t?
First, remember that many of us change careers these days at some point in our work history. So, what you choose doesn’t have to be an end-all be-all. Leverage your resources to do what you can to identify your interests. Perhaps make a list of what you like to do (i.e. be outdoors, build things, etc..) and take that list and figure out what jobs fit those interests. That may prove to be the back door into your new career!
Have Patience… It Will Come to You!
Whatever you choose, remember it’s not in stone. It’s a hard decision that we all face and that most of us don’t know what we want to be until we’ve progressed through secondary school. It’s a tough decision. Trust your passions, trust your gut, trust yourself. It will come to you!
More ideas?
I’d love to hear from others how they found their careers. When did it come to you? How did you arrive at the decision? What made you “know” that was the “one?”
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