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What things can help me decide on a career path?

I want it to be something I love and am interested in! #career-paths

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Gloria’s Answer

Hi Mallory,

I would say that you should start with thinking about what you like to do every day and start there. What are your strengths? What do you like to do? I think that starting with something that you are good at or that you enjoy will help make future jobs easier. I would say that you do research on those skills or preferences. For example, if you like to talk with people, consider a career where interacting with people is a key component. Do you like to help people or convince people? You could do teaching or sales with those skills. Do you prefer to work alone for long periods of time? Consider jobs where you spend lots of time alone, such as programming code, drawing, or writing scripts, books, songs, etc. Computer Science, Graphic Design, and Marketing all have elements of time where you are doing things on your own.

The key element of any career choice is you. Working can be difficult at time. It is easier to work if most of the time you are using your talents and doing something that you are passionate about.

Gloria
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Sadia’s Answer

Hi,
First, you can make a career goal like your interest, core values, strength, and aptitude. A personality test like MBTI can be one of the options which can help discover your personality type. "O Net interest profiler" takes into account your values, interests, skills, and goals and will help you find which occupational field and career path best suit you and your character. These tests don't guarantee a perfect job, but these tests can help discover your working style, personality, and the environment you can thrive in.
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Kiirsten’s Answer

Hi Mallory!

Great questions, and you've already gotten a lot of great responses as well. My question to you is-- what excites you? For me, as an example, I always loved theme parks, I always loved making people smile-- so I now work for a world class theme park destination! It can be a challenge finding yourself and where to go, as there are SO many different professions and paths to take-- but just start out with what excites you and go from there. Once you've found a few interests, do some research on them and how you can grow a career from that! Another recommendation I have to not compare yourself to others-- some of your friends may have known what they wanted to do when they were 5 years old, other friends may not figure it out until they're in their late 40s-- just remember that everyone's story is different, and that's what makes everyone so cool!

Best wishes!
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Renee’s Answer

When I asked this question of myself, I found myself coming up short on different kinds of careers even existed.

1. Investigate the various careers that are around and what they entail. Websites such as careerzone (for CA, NY, or PA) or general searches of majors in colleges may assist in at least perking curiosity.
2. Take a personality quiz --- and be honest with it. For example, www.16personalities.com will include a section about Strengths and weaknesses, career paths, and workplace habits.
3. Do a self-assessment --- do you want... to be behind a desk? To be on your feet all day? To give presentations? To be the 'man behind the curtain?' Autonomy? To get up early or sleep in? To work 40 hrs and be done/not take work home with you? Deciding on the type of work environment you want, that also can eliminate some of the careers that you may have previously considered.
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Jose’s Answer

Lots of great answers here! I would also suggest you dive deep into what excites and motivates you as a first stepping stone into potential career paths. Doing something that you believe in will help motivate and make the career all that more rewarding.
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Jamarius’s Answer

Three things essential in helping you decide on a career path include:

1. Finding something you are passionate about
2. Finding an area of the business where you have room to grow and develop
3. Finding a career that allows you to take healthy risks
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David’s Answer

Mallory this is a great question, and something that most of us struggle with in our lives at one point or another. I believe there are several places you can go for inspiration for a chosen career path. I would propose a few thoughts you could run through to help you on your way. The first thing I would ask is have you done some real introspection on what you like to do? What things get you up in the morning, and make you feel the best when you get them done? What do people tell you that you are good at? What subjects do you excel at in school? The second question is what are your tolerances? How much money is enough? How structured of an environment do you thrive in? What type of role do you want to play? (ie. Individual contributor, leader, team player)? What kind of industry is hot right now and what's fading out? Finally, you have to put together how you feel with what is practical. This is an opportunity to articulate what you really want out of a job and begin to network with people in the markets that support your interests. I will say that your feelings, beliefs, and practicality change. Sometimes frequently and abruptly, but having an baseline idea of what you're looking for will help you be more strategic in your search and decision making. Be patience and purposeful in your approach and open to change...your career will find you.
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John’s Answer

That's a great question. Many people work at a job they don't like for years. It's best to know where you would be most satisfied before you start a career path. I would recommend starting with some career aptitude tests. Most career sites like LikedIn or Glassdoor have links to them. After that, I would spend some time talking with people who are doing the job you're considering.
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Charita’s Answer

There are several factors that can help one decide on a career path. First question to consider is: What do you like to do? Once you brainstorm for that question, you can narrow down the career paths that include what you like to do. Second question: What are you good at? That should narrow down the career paths listed even more now. Third Question: What makes you happy? Now you can look at the list that you brainstormed from and narrow it down to a career path that will make you happy. After that, you can shadow someone in that career path to see if its something that you would like to do. If you don't like the career path that you picked, start again with your lists and continue until you find a career that you love!
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Marquis’s Answer

Great question! I truly believe that the most important piece in deciding your career path is knowing and understanding yourself!!! A lot of times we choose to do go go into fields based off of different external pressures that have mounted throughout our teenage and adolescent lives. Whatever you choose to do trust in believe what your heart tells you and that its 100% about your authentic self, and no one else. also that its ok to change your mind and to try different things. success is never measured of the failures you face in life. Sometimes it takes us to trying our hands at different things to eventually find what we truly love doing!
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Anel’s Answer

Hi Mallory,

You can utilize the California Career Zone website to help you explore industry sectors, fields of study, colleges and different occupations. You can also take a quick assessment to see what careers you might be interested in doing. The website is free to use and really provides good insight to what you may want to do as a career.

https://www.cacareerzone.org/
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Madison’s Answer

Hi Mallory! I completely agree with the responses above! My suggestion is to find a combination of your passion and your top skills. Your schooling will help you identify your strengths and with experience, your true passion. Keep in mind that there are many options out there and not all of them pay particularly well BUT the reward outweighs the pay check.

For me, my strengths are engaging with people, listening, writing and problem solving while having a passion for helping people. And that's how I fell into recruiting. I have helped so many people get jobs/change careers/start a career, etc. and it's truly rewarding. To me, nothing is better than making a job offer to a person who truly deserved it and hearing how happy and appreciative they are. Gives me butterflies :)

At the end of the day, stay true to yourself, stay in school and keep an open mind! Good luck!
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