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how do i chose what i want to be?

#investment-banking #marketing #doctor # #surgeon #army #detective

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Subject: Career question for you

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Mark’s Answer

Finding what you love to do makes work fun and exciting while doing a job just for a paycheck makes for long and frustrating days.

If you have multiple areas of interest I would recommend talking to people in those fields and then see which ones have internships or opportunities to talk to others in that field that can give you the ground truth.

Another option is to do part time work in your field of interest to see if you enjoy it or not. Some of the fields you noted, like the Army, you can do part-time in the Guard or the Reserves while in college and since the Army has just about every job you could think of, it allows you to try out two areas at the same time. Just make sure the recruiter understands how long you want to be in and they can normally help you towards what you want.
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Joe’s Answer

This is a sometimes hard question to answer for people, so don't feel too concerned if you don't know quite yet. I would start with what do you like to do and are you gifted at it? If there is something others like your family or teachers has recognized that you can do better than most people, then that is your gift. For example, if you like speaking to audiences, telling a story, doing math problems, playing certain sports, and you seem to have a natural ability at it, that is your gift. Now, if you gift is something you love to do, that may be the direction you want to start heading towards for a career or job down the road.

It took me a while to figure out my gift which is database management and administration. I didn't get to do this type of work until I was in my third role at my third employer out of college. I started out in collections, which I did not like, then moved into Marketing that I did enjoy, but found my gift in working with databases as a Financial Analysts where I could write SQL code or scripts to get data out of databases. I have held similar or advanced positions ever since and now enjoy my dream job as Product Data Manager for a great company near my home. My hope is that you find your gifts before I did and that your enjoy whatever you decide to do. Don't be afraid to try things or even fail at things, since that is how we learn. I learned pretty quick I did not want to do collections forever, but it helped me get into Marketing that led me to finding my gift. It all worked out.

Best of luck!
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Ryan’s Answer

This is an extremely challenging and important question everyone has at some point.
Some questions to ask yourself may include:
- What are you naturally gifted at?
- What are your interests/passions
- What do you enjoy doing?
- What do you NOT enjoy doing?
- Do you like working in the public?

As the saying goes, if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.
There are career and personality tests online to point you in the right direction.
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Jennifer’s Answer

Do what lights you up! What brings you joy? What motivates you? What makes you feel good about yourself and the contribution you are making? When you do something you love that you are also good at, it can often not feel like "work!" And remember, it's not just a ONE time choice or path you need to take in life. If you can, take the time to try different things by volunteering or interning, especially when you're young and still in school. Good luck!
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Woodson’s Answer

Here's an alternative question: What do you want to learn? Most people think about jobs/careers as a way to make money, and that's an important element. But truly successful people pursue jobs that that help them learn. What areas are interesting to you? What do you want to learn about? What do you want to learn about next? Focus there - then ask, who can I learn that from? Who already knows what I want to know? Then work on getting conversations with such people. Ask for introductions. Introduce yourself and tell them that you want to learn about their field, their work. Then, ask them if they have suggestions on how you could learn more. Take a learning focus in your career conversations and you will be surprised how much more people are open to helping you.

Woodson recommends the following next steps:

Write down three things you really want to learn
Research and write down the names of people who know these things
Contact these people and tell them what you are trying to learn
Ask them for suggestions on how you might be able to learn more
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Ramesh’s Answer

I'm with Barry-- find out what you really LOVE first. What is your dream, your passion? You'll find the motivation to overcome all obstacles to get there, and you will be great at what you do, because you love it.
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Josh’s Answer

Great question! This is an important question that everyone has asked themselves. Some of the best advice I ever received was to follow your passions, be involved in as many activities as possible and this will help guide your interests!
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Barry’s Answer

That is always a challenge. I think it is a combination of several things. First, ask yourself what is your passion and what are your interests. What do you most love to think about or do? Then, consider how you can apply your passion and those interests to working. Maybe you have to start out by volunteering or getting a part-time job. If you are applying for your first full-time job, try to find a job in which your passions and interests can be put to good use.

It is also a good idea to do some research with the help of a mentor, such as a parent, teacher or guidance counselor to explore how your passion and interests can be applied to available jobs or careers. When you find a job or career you think would interest you, ask your mentor for help in finding out how you can speak with someone who works in that area. That is one of the best ways to learn about what you might want to do.

Barry recommends the following next steps:

Identify your passion and interests.
Look for ways you can apply your passion and interest to volunteer or part-time work before applying for a full-time job.
Research jobs and careers that relate to your interests with the help of an adult mentor.
When you find a job or career that might interest you, try to speak with someone who works in that area.
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