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How do you know what you want to become in your future?
#college #medical #career
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10 answers
Updated
Bri’s Answer
Hi,
Everybody goes through a different process when trying to figure out what they want to do in life. When I went to college I thought I wanted to be a lawyer because they make a lot of money. My major was political science and I was good at my classes. But it wasn’t something I was passionate about. I went through 5 majors in college lol When I found the right advisor we sat down and talked about what I was interested in and what can I see myself doing for the rest of my life. My answer was helping people and the advisor told me about social work. I have a degree in sociology and work for the State of Illinois as a Mental Health Technician. It can be a challenging job as any but when I started working I just knew it was meant for me. I felt it and I felt good. You should start off with a lists of interests you have then what job careers can be associated with it. Also add what majors can go with it too. Talk to family or friends about what your interested in doing as well. Other people close to you maybe of help. Doing some research online won’t hurt either. Hope this helps, good luck!
Everybody goes through a different process when trying to figure out what they want to do in life. When I went to college I thought I wanted to be a lawyer because they make a lot of money. My major was political science and I was good at my classes. But it wasn’t something I was passionate about. I went through 5 majors in college lol When I found the right advisor we sat down and talked about what I was interested in and what can I see myself doing for the rest of my life. My answer was helping people and the advisor told me about social work. I have a degree in sociology and work for the State of Illinois as a Mental Health Technician. It can be a challenging job as any but when I started working I just knew it was meant for me. I felt it and I felt good. You should start off with a lists of interests you have then what job careers can be associated with it. Also add what majors can go with it too. Talk to family or friends about what your interested in doing as well. Other people close to you maybe of help. Doing some research online won’t hurt either. Hope this helps, good luck!
Updated
Avinash’s Answer
One of the important point to be considered here is how sustainable and enjoyable a job for your kind of personality and how would you like to visualize yourself up in the ladder. You may get excited by looking at some careers but if you carefully dive into the various responsibilities of such careers you may not like to do them continuously or simply put you may get frustrated if you need to do them for long term. You should carefully think through whether you are a kind of person who would like to sit and do some work all by yourself and create a value or whether you are a kind of person who is actually enjoy speaking to people, inspiring them to be their best and guide them to achieve their best. All kind of jobs are very important and no job is superior and no job is inferior. If you have some biases towards any professions just take a step back and look at them in every perspective. You should think what is that one thing which you can make a great difference in which nobody else can make it. That is your perfect fit. Think if that kind of work gives you self satisfaction at the end of the day along with decent income to lead a respectable lifestyle in the society.
I would suggest these before deciding on your question:
1) List all kind of professions/works that appears attractive to you
2) Speak to at least 5 people in each of these area and list down the responsibilities and Roles
3) Strike out which you feel you hate doing
4) Strike out which you do not enjoy doing them for long term
5) Remaining areas are your probable potential careers that you enjoy.
6) Decide the one which is the best suite to your kind of personality and in which you think that you will be able to make huge impact in that discipline.
I would suggest these before deciding on your question:
1) List all kind of professions/works that appears attractive to you
2) Speak to at least 5 people in each of these area and list down the responsibilities and Roles
3) Strike out which you feel you hate doing
4) Strike out which you do not enjoy doing them for long term
5) Remaining areas are your probable potential careers that you enjoy.
6) Decide the one which is the best suite to your kind of personality and in which you think that you will be able to make huge impact in that discipline.
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Jessica career planning is not something that you do once and then forget. Considering that research has found that the average worker will change careers (not jobs but careers) five to seven times in their lifetime, career planning is an activity you should do at least once a year.
MAKE CAREER PLANNING A REGUAL EVENT
The first thing you have to do Jessica is define what is the meaning of success for You. You'll never find career success chasing a dream or plan that someone else has outlined for you. And... you won’t find it trying to align yourself with societal standards that you never even created. Second, you have to ask yourself whether you have the mental fortitude to be truly be successful. It is important to understand that sometimes accomplishments are not synonymous with happiness, and it is not synonymous with career success. Success requires mental fortitude. Success is what you experience when you have the courage to go after what you want even if it makes you and others uncomfortable and even if you don’t ultimately attain it. The kind of success I am talking about is hard to come by without risk.
KEEP A RECORD OF YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
Most of us don’t keep a track record of work achievements; however, this is not only useful for building your resume, it’s also useful for career planning. Learning to track and write about your professional accomplishments will serve you well when working toward your next career goal. Our likes and dislikes change over time, so it’s always a good idea to reflect on what you feel strongly about in your life and career. Make a list of what you like and dislike about your job. Hopefully you still enjoy a lot of your work activities, but if that’s not the case, it might be time to start considering a new job or career. It’s also important to have a clear and meaningful purpose that you find emotionally engaging. What do you really need from your work? To make a difference? To become financially independent? Also, do some research on what skills you need to gain. If your goal is to become the VP of Finance, for example, what experience and skills do you need to gain in the next year, or in the next five years, to be qualified for that job title? Then create a plan for achieving your long-term career goal.
ADJUST YOUR CAREER GOAL AS NEEDED
While you can be successful in your career without setting goals, you can be even more successful with goal setting. What are your short-term (within a year) and long-term (within five to 10 years) career goals? You probably already know about SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound) goals. Always write them down and share the list with someone. This will help you to create a sense of accountability. Another big part of career planning is reviewing and adjusting these goals on a regular basis – and developing new goals once you accomplish your previous ones. So, each time you sit down for a career planning session, break out this list and review it. Never miss a chance to learn and grow more as an employee and individual. Part of career planning is finding training opportunities, courses, or workshops that will help you further your career. If your company offers professional development opportunities, take advantage of them. This is free money and can be valuable in reaching your goals.
KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR FUTURE
A fun part of career planning is picturing your career in the future. Where will you be in a year or in five years? While it’s impossible to plan everything, it’s always good idea to know where you’re going and what various career paths are available to you. As employees progress in their careers, fewer jobs at more senior levels become available, yet continuing to grow your skills and experience should still be a priority. You can continue to experience career growth by investing in your career development – e.g., you can talk to your manager about job shadowing other employees in your company to learn about different jobs, or you can attend various training sessions and workshops. You can explore lateral moves to broaden your experience or find a mentor in a different department that you’d like to explore. Build relationships with leaders within and outside of your organization, attend job-related conferences, and explore other events. The better your network, the more opportunities you have to learn from others who’ve enjoyed success. To find out more about other possible career options, you can conduct some informational meetings with colleagues or managers – people are generally willing to share advice if you ask.
Jessica regularly reviewing and planning will make you better prepared for whatever lies ahead in your career. Steer your career deliberately, but also be open to life surprising you with new adventures even if they don’t exactly match the destination you had in mind.
Hope this was Helpful Jessica
Always keep an up-to-date resume – One of the most important steps in planning for the future of your career is to be ready to pounce when opportunities present themselves. Regardless of your industry or career level, learning how to write a resume and keeping it up to date is a terrific annual exercise.
MAKE CAREER PLANNING A REGUAL EVENT
The first thing you have to do Jessica is define what is the meaning of success for You. You'll never find career success chasing a dream or plan that someone else has outlined for you. And... you won’t find it trying to align yourself with societal standards that you never even created. Second, you have to ask yourself whether you have the mental fortitude to be truly be successful. It is important to understand that sometimes accomplishments are not synonymous with happiness, and it is not synonymous with career success. Success requires mental fortitude. Success is what you experience when you have the courage to go after what you want even if it makes you and others uncomfortable and even if you don’t ultimately attain it. The kind of success I am talking about is hard to come by without risk.
KEEP A RECORD OF YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
Most of us don’t keep a track record of work achievements; however, this is not only useful for building your resume, it’s also useful for career planning. Learning to track and write about your professional accomplishments will serve you well when working toward your next career goal. Our likes and dislikes change over time, so it’s always a good idea to reflect on what you feel strongly about in your life and career. Make a list of what you like and dislike about your job. Hopefully you still enjoy a lot of your work activities, but if that’s not the case, it might be time to start considering a new job or career. It’s also important to have a clear and meaningful purpose that you find emotionally engaging. What do you really need from your work? To make a difference? To become financially independent? Also, do some research on what skills you need to gain. If your goal is to become the VP of Finance, for example, what experience and skills do you need to gain in the next year, or in the next five years, to be qualified for that job title? Then create a plan for achieving your long-term career goal.
ADJUST YOUR CAREER GOAL AS NEEDED
While you can be successful in your career without setting goals, you can be even more successful with goal setting. What are your short-term (within a year) and long-term (within five to 10 years) career goals? You probably already know about SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound) goals. Always write them down and share the list with someone. This will help you to create a sense of accountability. Another big part of career planning is reviewing and adjusting these goals on a regular basis – and developing new goals once you accomplish your previous ones. So, each time you sit down for a career planning session, break out this list and review it. Never miss a chance to learn and grow more as an employee and individual. Part of career planning is finding training opportunities, courses, or workshops that will help you further your career. If your company offers professional development opportunities, take advantage of them. This is free money and can be valuable in reaching your goals.
KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR FUTURE
A fun part of career planning is picturing your career in the future. Where will you be in a year or in five years? While it’s impossible to plan everything, it’s always good idea to know where you’re going and what various career paths are available to you. As employees progress in their careers, fewer jobs at more senior levels become available, yet continuing to grow your skills and experience should still be a priority. You can continue to experience career growth by investing in your career development – e.g., you can talk to your manager about job shadowing other employees in your company to learn about different jobs, or you can attend various training sessions and workshops. You can explore lateral moves to broaden your experience or find a mentor in a different department that you’d like to explore. Build relationships with leaders within and outside of your organization, attend job-related conferences, and explore other events. The better your network, the more opportunities you have to learn from others who’ve enjoyed success. To find out more about other possible career options, you can conduct some informational meetings with colleagues or managers – people are generally willing to share advice if you ask.
Jessica regularly reviewing and planning will make you better prepared for whatever lies ahead in your career. Steer your career deliberately, but also be open to life surprising you with new adventures even if they don’t exactly match the destination you had in mind.
Hope this was Helpful Jessica
Doc recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Cade’s Answer
Honestly, you never know where you will be far in the future and you shouldn't have your career planned out already. Focus on passions that you will have right now and you will find the right path for you eventually.
Updated
Blake’s Answer
Hey Jessica,
I would highly recommend taking a career interest survey online. They are free and will help guide you to what fields might interest you for a potential career.
Blake
I would highly recommend taking a career interest survey online. They are free and will help guide you to what fields might interest you for a potential career.
Blake
Updated
Sydney’s Answer
This is a really interesting question. I think life is really unpredictable. I think we can only do so much, so it's more about the type of person you'd like to be when you're older. Are you happy with X Y or Z job? Or do you think a very specific job is something you're after.
Look at what you enjoy most and see if that can be applied to job. As someone who is studying to be an engineer, I really enjoy solving problems and I don't mind working in groups and getting a job/task done. But this may not be the case for you so think about something you enjoy and see if you can apply it to a career.
Look at what you enjoy most and see if that can be applied to job. As someone who is studying to be an engineer, I really enjoy solving problems and I don't mind working in groups and getting a job/task done. But this may not be the case for you so think about something you enjoy and see if you can apply it to a career.
Updated
Gina’s Answer
You could start with careers that you feel interest you-- go to job boards and look at job descriptions. From there you can get a good idea of what day to day responsibilities you would have and if the align with your personality. Talk to people indifferent industries-- job shadow and talk to advisors.
Updated
Aaron’s Answer
As others have said, I think this happens differently for everyone and can happen at any stage in life- some people (not me!) have known what they want to do from a very young age and spend their entire lives striving to achieve that goal. For others, this can be a lifelong journey that can change and develop as they gain more experience. One thing I didn't see mentioned above: don't be too hard on yourself. If you don't know what you want to do, don't push yourself to something just because you don't want to seem unmotivated or fickle. Set goals, benchmarks, aspirations, and deadlines that you can control and keep looking for your passion while you hit those goals. I graduated college with a Political Science and Communications degree and had no idea what I wanted to do when I left the safe haven that is College. But I did know I wanted to live in New York so I moved there the summer after I graduated. I remember knocking on doors for a PAC in deep Queens, NY and calling my mom to cry because I felt that I had failed. What was a young, smart college grad doing knocking doors for a relatively low, hourly wage (compared to my NYC peers)! That summer, I spent 1-2 months canvassing for various political organizations, groups, and firms. It wasn't long before I was promoted to a leadership position at a consulting firm and really got to do some interesting, challenging work that I felt fulfilled by and made a difference in communities I cared about. Fast forward 9 years and I've done so much work I'm proud of and LOVE the work that I am blessed to do.
Set general goals, benchmarks. Define metrics and deadlines of when to hit them (ie Move to NYC by Summer 2021)
Aaron recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Amy’s Answer
Hello Jessica H.
When I was in high school and college, I wanted to become a psychologist because I like helping people. It turns out I had a knack for business and healthcare. I currently work for a healthcare company where I use my psychology and business knowledge almost everyday. From researching and crunching numbers (all taught in psychology) to communicating co-workers, I combine both of my strengths everyday. I would encourage you to shadow, cultivate skills outside of your comfort zone, and never be hesitant to explore ask questions along the way.
Best,
When I was in high school and college, I wanted to become a psychologist because I like helping people. It turns out I had a knack for business and healthcare. I currently work for a healthcare company where I use my psychology and business knowledge almost everyday. From researching and crunching numbers (all taught in psychology) to communicating co-workers, I combine both of my strengths everyday. I would encourage you to shadow, cultivate skills outside of your comfort zone, and never be hesitant to explore ask questions along the way.
Best,
Updated
Angela’s Answer
Jessica,
As you consider a CAREER, I suggest that you start with passion - what moves you and makes your heart happy. In addition, I believe when considering a CAREER, view it from the standpoint that you can do whatever it is that you choose for the rest of my life. Now, I'm not saying you have to do it for the rest of your life but only that you can do it. Also, consider whether or not you can commit wholeheartedly to what you want to do. Best wishes on your road to a decision and do not become discouraged or frustrated if you cannot figure it out right away. Lifetime decisions require careful, deliberate and intentional consideration.
As you consider a CAREER, I suggest that you start with passion - what moves you and makes your heart happy. In addition, I believe when considering a CAREER, view it from the standpoint that you can do whatever it is that you choose for the rest of my life. Now, I'm not saying you have to do it for the rest of your life but only that you can do it. Also, consider whether or not you can commit wholeheartedly to what you want to do. Best wishes on your road to a decision and do not become discouraged or frustrated if you cannot figure it out right away. Lifetime decisions require careful, deliberate and intentional consideration.