2 answers
Heather
Student
Hondo, Texas
1
Question
Updated
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How can I figure out what career path fits me best if I have multiple interests and responsibilities outside of school?
How can I figure out what career path fits me best if I have multiple interests and responsibilities outside of school?
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2 answers
Deenasini Sathasivam
Legal Counsel
9
Answers
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Updated
Deenasini’s Answer
Internship is always a good place to start, to know what works best for you. We may not be able to have multiple careers (sometimes you might be able to depending on the job in question). but in starting out, its always good to narrow your options. And you do this, by familiarising yourself with the real life demands of the particular job. Aside from internship, networking and having discussions with people who work in the fields you are interested in also would make a lot of difference - they may be able to offer you perspectives you have never considered before, something you have not seen from the outside. So don't be afraid to reach out to people and ask questions. Linkedin might be able to provide you with these insights and connections.
Steve Sterner
IT Management
67
Answers
Easton, Pennsylvania
Updated
Steve’s Answer
That's a great question Heather but there are many answers some of might work for you and your interests and others may not. Great thing about advice it is free so there is no loss if you don't use it. Remember what works for one person and may be how they tell you it needs to be done always needs to be tempered with your situation, personality, and other factors.
That being said here are a few things I have seen work in my kids and some of the young people I have worked with and mentored:
Internships - If you can find an internship that is either directly related or adjacent to something you are interested in it can be a great way to have something to put on your resume as well as give you an inside look of what the role, related roles and even adjacent professions may really be about in the real world. This is also a great way to network or if you are lucky and find the right organization a potential employer (2 of my 3 kids had internships and 1 was hired by that company right out of school)
Side Jobs- If you have an interests that lend themselves to part time work and your schedule allows it, similar to internships gives you some money as well as some experience
Volunteer work - Many tasks on campus or in your campus community tie back towards vocational interests and can give you some practical experience, some different perspectives and even some network opportunities. For example if you think you may be looking toward veterinary medicine and there are no roles in local animal hospitals, working with the local animal shelters would give you more insight into working with animals and possible connections to Vets and animal hospitals, if your into event planning most schools have a Campus Activities Board that plans many of the campus events (my one daughter planned 4 different weekend long events in her 4 years of school including fairly well-known recording artists and wile that is not what she wanted to do it helped her develop other skills).
Reach out to people in roles you seek to know more about - This can seem very daunting to cold call someone and say hey can I talk to you about what you do but someone who is willing to give their time will give you real insight and become another contact. I can tell you we have had interns in other areas in my company that have reached out to me to find out more about what my department and I do and I remember them. One we hired for an internal role because when I was going through the resumes I saw her name remembered the 15 minute conversation and the guts she showed to initiate it and knew she was serious, I think she is happy, I know I am :)
In the end keep looking at things that you are interested in because usually you will be better and happier in something that interests you and usually be interested in things your good at. Ask lots of question, be curious and don't be afraid to be wrong and change directions.
I wish you all the luck in the world and I am confident you will end up somewhere you want to be!!!
That being said here are a few things I have seen work in my kids and some of the young people I have worked with and mentored:
Internships - If you can find an internship that is either directly related or adjacent to something you are interested in it can be a great way to have something to put on your resume as well as give you an inside look of what the role, related roles and even adjacent professions may really be about in the real world. This is also a great way to network or if you are lucky and find the right organization a potential employer (2 of my 3 kids had internships and 1 was hired by that company right out of school)
Side Jobs- If you have an interests that lend themselves to part time work and your schedule allows it, similar to internships gives you some money as well as some experience
Volunteer work - Many tasks on campus or in your campus community tie back towards vocational interests and can give you some practical experience, some different perspectives and even some network opportunities. For example if you think you may be looking toward veterinary medicine and there are no roles in local animal hospitals, working with the local animal shelters would give you more insight into working with animals and possible connections to Vets and animal hospitals, if your into event planning most schools have a Campus Activities Board that plans many of the campus events (my one daughter planned 4 different weekend long events in her 4 years of school including fairly well-known recording artists and wile that is not what she wanted to do it helped her develop other skills).
Reach out to people in roles you seek to know more about - This can seem very daunting to cold call someone and say hey can I talk to you about what you do but someone who is willing to give their time will give you real insight and become another contact. I can tell you we have had interns in other areas in my company that have reached out to me to find out more about what my department and I do and I remember them. One we hired for an internal role because when I was going through the resumes I saw her name remembered the 15 minute conversation and the guts she showed to initiate it and knew she was serious, I think she is happy, I know I am :)
In the end keep looking at things that you are interested in because usually you will be better and happier in something that interests you and usually be interested in things your good at. Ask lots of question, be curious and don't be afraid to be wrong and change directions.
I wish you all the luck in the world and I am confident you will end up somewhere you want to be!!!