The career you've chose this year seemed like the one that best fits you, but if you had a choice to pick a new career, would you change it or not?

Hello Jazmine.

Great question and I know you are not alone in asking this. As others have answered, I too started out on one path (I was a music major) but ended up changing my major to Organizational Management for my B.A. Degree.

While it’s helpful to have a plan and develop your path to get there, I found it helpful to also keep an open mind and look for opportunities I hadn’t considered. I also agree that you’ll likely be happier when your career is also something you love doing. It may take some time to find your "dream job" but often, trying out different types of careers and opportunities you come across can help you decide what you like most.   

This is a link to an older article, but I've always liked the concept of asking these key questions. Think about three simple questions to ask yourself to find your own Career Sweet Spot. 1. What brings you joy? 2. What are you great at? 3. What will people pay you, enough, to do? http://developmentcrossroads.com/2012/08/3-questions-to-find-your-career-sweet-spot/

You are off to a great start by even asking these questions and seeking advice. Best wishes for success in your education and career goals.

career college career-choice  

This is a great question, Jazmine. These decisions are somewhat personal in that two people who think differently may end up with different answers. I think many people typically choose college majors thinking that that is the field that they would want to go into after college. For example, I chose a finance major because I wanted to get a job in finance.

If at the moment your career ambition is something around home building or remodeling, then it may make sense to pursue the major that lines up with that. You can always minor in Anthropology so you can scratch that itch, or perhaps you could double major if you want to learn both at the same time. Also, many home remodeling jobs such as interior design may actually fall into a grad school program as opposed to undergraduate, so you may be able to do both the anthropology major and then go to graduate school for the interior design / home remodeling degree.

And similarly to what some of the other responders have said, careers are not static. They evolve and change over time as your interests and ambitions change. I have had 6 jobs in the 13 years since I graduated college, spanning investment banking, wealth management, trading, corporate strategy, and business planning; and I've also gone back to graduate school. At 22 i wanted to do finance. By 28, I didn't want to do that anymore because I wanted different things out of my life. There is no reason to think that you can't make a decision now and change your mind later. It may come at a cost (take more years, cost more money for tuition, etc.) but nothing in life comes without a cost, and the experience you build along the way will be valuable because it was a building block that helps get you to what you do next.

I went to school for "Pre-Med" hoping to become a doctor. 3 years in I realized that I was not happy with my path and looked at he best (and fastest) way to graduate with a degree. It took 3 more years and 2 jobs for me to find that I enjoyed human resource which is where I have built my career.

Use college and your first few jobs as time to explore different areas of interest, but stay on course to graduate/ keep your finances in mind to avoid too much debt. You will continue to learn throughout each job and everyone will teach you some things you like a don't like.

I'm thankful for my degree because it helps to have one when applying to jobs, but what I do now I learned through life/working.

When choosing a field, consider where you'll be 10 to 20 years down the road. Do you think you'll still be happy? Is it a field that you can continue doing equally well or better 20 or 30 years from now? Will it work well with having a family, being able to support and spend time with them?

If you go to college you will be investing time and money (lots of money). Will the return on your investment be worth it? Will you be able to find a job that will pay enough for your investment to have made sense?

The advice I gave my kids is "decide where you want to be, and then make the decisions that will get you there".

My career has evolved over time. I started off in college expecting to come out as a news reporter. I have spent the majority of my career in human resources. What I have learned over time in my "career" is to expect the unexpected. Having a "plan B" is a good idea. Just when you think your journey is headed in one direction, it can suddenly take a turn in a different direction. Be agile to change. Change will happen within your personal and professional life. Think of your learning experience as infinite. With each new journey you take, learning will most likely be a top priority. I would not change my career path. I have learned so much along the way. I have learned a lot about myself, my learning style and built valuable relationships along the way. Best of luck!