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How did you figure out what you wanted to do for your career?

I'm in junior year in highschool. Sometimes I have some ideas for what I want to be, but most of the time I really have no idea. I think I should have better ideas so I can go to college with some kind of plan. When did you know what you wanted to do for your career? #career-options

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Tina’s Answer

First, in the words of the great Douglas Adams, Don't Panic! Not everyone has a plan and chosen career by the time they reach their Junior or Senior year in high school. Sometimes the simplest opportunity to participate in a project, or activity, can make you suddenly realize you have found a path that you would like to follow. The best places to start determining career paths is to look inside yourself and think of those classes, moments, projects, extra-curriculars you participated in that you really enjoyed. What was it about that subject or doing that activity that excited you, made you fascinated, maybe brought you positive feedback from people on how you handled the work or people? Do you have any special interests or hobbies? From that little moment, you can then start to research how you could turn that enjoyment or talent into a career. Don't be afraid to reach out to people in those areas you might be interested in. Ask them what is the course of study needed, what brings them excitement from the work, what are the pros and cons of what it takes to follow that path. You will be surprised how happy people are to help and answer questions about their careers.
The internet can be a valuable tool in looking into areas as you research these talents and interests you have. There are new career paths and opportunities that arise every year in many areas, and there could be new and different avenues you hadn't even been aware of. A little hobby can lead to an area of opportunity you hadn't thought of. A friend of mine use to do the editorial cartoon in our school newspaper. He was going to pursue a career in accounting because he was told that his math grades and scores should lead him in that direction, though he wasn't really enthused about it. A visiting teacher saw his cartoon one week and asked why he wasn't thinking of pursuing art. He told him to look into the graphic arts field and long story short, that friend is now a happy, successful graphic artists who works in the cartoon and video fields. So Explore. Have fun researching what is out there as you work through the process.
If you are worried about pending college application season and where you should decide to go, perhaps going locally and taking classes at a community college or local university might be the answer. You can take some classes in areas you might be interested in, or take the basic core type requirements that most universities require before transferring to a location that carries the course study you want.
The important aspect to remember is that nothing is ever locked in stone. Any education or training you pursue will be valuable and careers through the years change, adapt or entirely new opportunties surprise you and open up that you would never imagine you could pursue based on the degree or education you have. You can always take what you learned and apply it to something new and exciting that develops. Good luck!

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Scott’s Answer

My advice is going to sound like something that you've heard before probably. Start figuring out what you want to do for a job by taking a look at the kinds of things that you like to do for fun. Honestly - you can actually have a job that you enjoy, but the path there can be kind of weird.


When I was in high school I really enjoyed acting on a stage. My plan (believe it or not) was to be an actor. I joined a theater group, and was usually either in a show, auditioning for a show, or teching a show (working backstage doing the lights and stuff) for my entire time through high school. For one of the plays that I was doing I needed to take a few dance classes. A little later, that dance studio had a performance of Snow White coming up and they needed someone to be the Prince. I agreed for two reasons: it was another chance for me to be on stage, which I loved, and I had a mad crush on the girl who was playing Snow White and I would get to kiss her during the performance. One thing led to another, and three years later I was a professional ballet dancer (things didn't work out with the girl). I got to be on stage for a living, and I loved it.


I've been playing video games and drawing and painting my whole life. Even while I was a professional dancer, I would paint at night after rehearsals, and I would design tabletop games (like Dungeons and Dragons) for my friends and I to play. When it became time for me to stop dancing, I decided to take a chance and go to college to learn how to be a video game artist. I thought (and still think) that video games is one place where you can make a living as an artist, and are still encouraged to be wildly creative. During school, I discovered that I really liked designing the games - more than I liked creating the environments and characters that make up the world of the games. By the time I graduated, I had a Bachelor of Science degree in Game Design, and was working as a Game Designer before I finished college.


I love designing games, and working with teams, and seeing the beautiful art that the people I work with create. Both of these stories have the same theme - I started out thinking that I wanted one thing (acting, or to be an artist); and along the way I found the path that worked for me that was a little different than what I had set out to do. At the end of the day, pursue something that you're passionate about. And as you learn more about it and get in deeper, you will find what it is that you love about your "thing", and you will find a way to make that what you get paid to do.


Have fun out there!

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Gloria’s Answer

Hi Clareta,

Wow, it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do every day. I actually started by taking the route of using my favorite hobby - writing - to direct my career hopes. I started as a journalism major. I did not realize how competitive that major was going to be. I was going to be have to bid into the journalism major. My school only took 20 juniors each year. I was never going to be the top 20 of a student body. It is just something that wasn't going to happen. So I had to change my major. Eventually I stopped going to college for a while, because I didn't want to spend money on a major that i was not passionate about. I didn't have the money to go to school with no purpose.

I actually didn't find a job where I could use my writing talent until I was actually in the workplace. I started as a data entry and customer service person. In my job, I was found to be someone who was good at teaching other people how to do the job that I had. This is often referred to as a Subject-Matter Expert. I started to write down what I did and sharing it with others to help them with their work. This actually brought me to the attention of a training department. I eventually became a trainer who was lucky enough to write the training that i taught. Later, I learned that writing content is its own skill set. I became fascinated by the idea of training through my writing on its own. Ultimately, I went back to college in order to get a degree in my job, ending up with a Master's Degree in Instructional and Performance Technology. I had to live life a little bit before I could truly find my place.

Gloria
Thank you comment icon Congratulations on over 400 Questions with CareerVillage Gloria. Lots of people know what to do, but few actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! We must take action. Doc Frick
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Heather M’s Answer

Start making lists of what you're great at and marketable skills you enjoy. It might be things like writing, troubleshooting technology, creating digital graphics... keep in mind this is a brainstorming session, so there are no wrong answers!


Which of these things do you feel the most strongly about? It's good to take a time out at this point and see if that particular thing is marketable. Are there jobs in this field out there? That's really important to assess. The last thing you want to do is go to college for something you're super passionate about, but then find out when you graduate that there aren't any jobs. Browse job listings in your desired field and visit sites like Glassdoor.com and see what people are making in your area. Narrow it down to at least one thing that you're excited about AND you've found is a viable career path.


Now I suggest immersing yourself in the winning choice from above. Say you're really into graphic design. Start doing it yourself! No one is stopping you. Maybe go looking for design challenges online, read books about it, learn software on trials, get involved with local professional organizations or clubs (in which you can probably find a mentor,) join forums online and talk shop. Perhaps even take it a step further and try to do some jobs (for free or otherwise) for friends or family, like photo-retouching, T-shirt design, etc. If you've completely immersed yourself in it, you're doing well and aren't sick of it, then start researching what your next steps might be to develop your career. However, if it isn't working, go back to your list and try another one.


Now please keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to plunge right into a full degree program at a university. You might take a class or two, or start out in community college. Maybe you start teaching yourself with tutorials online or get an apprenticeship/coop. Research the job requirements for common listings in your desired position and see where you need to go!


Keep in mind these are my personal pieces of advice.
A book I see recommended again and again is "What Color is Your Parachute?" It contains a lot of career-building exercises and job-seeking tips that could also be helpful.

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Elena’s Answer

Knowing what career and finding that perfect one is hard. One thing to know that even if you select a path to start with does not mean you have to follow through the path till the end. Many things change throughout time and different factors, such as getting married, or having children, may change what you want to do since different careers have different work/life balance.


For now since you're still in high school, analyze which classes you enjoy the most. For example, if you love your English class and you do well in English classes as well, then that can lead to careers such as journalism, communications, etc. Or if you love your science classes, such as Biology, that can lead to being a researcher in a biology related field, being a doctor or a related medical field.


It was from the classes that I took that led to my career decision. I took an accounting class in high school and I loved it. It was just simple debits and credits but I love balancing the books and making sure everything ties out. I also always loved my math classes the most. From these classes, I learned I'm a more detailed person and like working with numbers, which led to my current career in the accounting field.


I hope that helps!

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Estevan’s Answer

I was pretty pragmatic in my choosing of a career. I knew a couple of things about myself by the time I was in my junior year of high school.



  1. I've always been a creative person. Since I was a kid I liked to draw, make comics, do arts and crafts, make up games, edit movies, etc. I knew that my ideal career was doing something creative. Specifically I really liked video games and thought I wanted to get into that field.

  2. Knowing I wanted to do video games it became of a question of "What do I want to do for a career in the video game industry?", so I went out and researched the various roles, got a couple of books from the library on the subject (this was in the early 2000's so they just started coming out with "how to get jobs in the game industry" books that were mass market and you could find at a public library).

  3. I thought, but didn't exactly know, that I wanted to go to college. I did know however that college was a huge investment in terms of not just money but also time (you could work those 4 years and not only get paid but gain job experience for example). If I was going to college then it was going to be to study a major that I believed I could make a reasonable amount of money with once I graduated.


GIven those three factors, I decided I the best job in the industry for me would be as a programmer which meant I had to major in computer science. I hadn't actually programmed a single thing in my entire life before dabbling in senior year of high school (and getting stuck on "for loops" of all things and then kind of stopping until college) so it certainly wasn't a calling I have had since I was a kid and had a lot more to do with my education and focus on my end goal.


So my advise is to do just that.



  1. Think about what you like doing.

  2. Ask yourself what jobs exist in that field.

  3. Ask yourself how to best achieve those goals (should you go to college, start working the sales floor after high school to move up and get paid, go to vocational school and learn a specific trade like being an EMT, try to join a union and get into an apprenticeship, and so on).

Thank you comment icon Hello Estevan: I like your tips and agree with you. They are a good starting point on figuring out what you want to do for a career. Sheila Jordan
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James Constantine’s Answer

Dear Clareta,

In response to your query on www.iAsk.ai Ask Ai Questions Search Engine, here's an actionable guide on how to find your career path:

1. Self-Reflection and Evaluation: Start by understanding yourself - your interests, strengths, values, and skills. Reflect on what subjects you enjoy and what activities make you feel accomplished. This self-assessment can guide you towards potential careers that resonate with your passions and talents.

2. Investigate and Study: Spend time investigating various career options. Research different industries, job roles, and professions. Attend career fairs, shadow professionals in your fields of interest, or engage in internships for practical experience. Conversations with professionals can offer insights into the realities of different careers.

3. Seek Counsel and Suggestions: Don't hesitate to ask for advice from teachers, counselors, mentors, or career advisors. They can provide useful tips, resources, and support as you explore your career options. They might also offer assessments or tools to help you understand your strengths and interests better.

4. Establish Goals and Design a Plan: After exploring and gaining clarity on your interests and strengths, it's crucial to set goals and devise a plan to reach them. This could include choosing a college major that aligns with your career aspirations, seeking relevant internships or volunteer opportunities, or developing necessary skills for your chosen field.

5. Maintain Openness and Flexibility: Remember, career paths are not always straightforward, and it's perfectly fine to change direction or explore new opportunities. Stay open-minded, be ready to adapt to new experiences and challenges, and embrace lifelong learning and continuous growth in your career journey.

In summary, finding the right career path involves self-reflection, investigation, advice, goal-setting, and flexibility. By taking proactive steps to understand yourself and explore various options, you can make informed decisions about your future career.

Top 3 Credible Sources Used in Answering this Question:

The Balance Careers: A reliable online platform offering expert advice on careers, including exploration, goal-setting, and decision-making. It provides valuable resources for those seeking guidance on their career path.

CareerOneStop: A credible source sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, offering comprehensive information on career exploration, training programs, job search strategies, and labor market data. It provides tools and resources to help individuals make informed career decisions.

American Psychological Association (APA): A trusted organization offering insights into human behavior, including factors influencing career choices and decision-making processes. Their research-based information can provide valuable perspectives on choosing a suitable career path based on interests and abilities.

May God Bless You!
James Constantine Frangos.
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Samantha’s Answer

Hello,
There are many jobs for you to choose from! Some that don't even exist yet. I would make a list of things you really enjoy and would like to do in a job and things that you do not like/would not want to do at a job. Once you have that list, start thinking of different jobs that include your likes. Once you have that list you can then look into volunteering or interning at those jobs to see if you really like it. Sometimes there are career fairs that you can attend as well to get somewhat of an idea of all the options out there.
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Andre’s Answer

Clareta,

In high school I had no direction either. I knew I was good at school and so going to college was the next step. At that time, I've never really looked 3 steps ahead until I was close to graduating from college and even then I really had to do what a lot of people are mentioning here. What I've had to do is really commit to the subjects I'm studying at the time to see how much interests I really have for them. I ended up being drawn to economics. I wish that I had dedicated more energy and effort to my high school classes as they could have helped me to get on the right path sooner.

My guidance to you is really to look within and write down what you find to be the thing you are most engaged in. It could be classes or it could be talking to people or building something. Is there any class you take in school that you feel interested in learning more about? Many careers require continued learning so when you are thinking about what you might enjoy doing, think about the fact that this is something you would be dedicating a significant amount of attention to so it should be something you find interesting.

I hope this helps!
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