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How do I know what is the best job for me?

I don't want to work a job I hate after going to college for it.

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Maeve’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team

Hi Cohen,

Sometimes it can be really hard to figure out if you will like a job unless you try it out. I would recommend if you are curious about a certain career path but not sure if you will like it, try looking for internship opportunities that you can do over the summer or part-time during school. Getting internship experience is always a great way to learn new skills and add to your resume, and the beauty of it is if you realize you hate it, it's a short term commitment!

There are a few important things to ask yourself when thinking about college programs and what career paths you may be interested in. For example, do you like being around people a lot or are you happiest when doing independent work? Do you enjoy creative projects, or do you like working with numbers and solving problems? You could also start by thinking about the hobbies you enjoy most and research if there are careers that allow you to tap into those interests. For example, if you love playing a sport- there are SO many sport related careers not including be a professional athlete that you can pursue. Similarly, if you love music there are tons of career paths in the music industry that don't require you to be a professional musician or singer etc.

Last, keep in mind that you can ALWAYS change your mind when it comes to careers. No matter what you study at school, or what initial career path you follow, it is okay to change your mind. Many people I know have changed career paths several times. I studied economics at school, then went on to became a kindergarten teacher, and now I run corporate volunteer events. It's okay to change your mind when it comes to your career path.
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Stacy’s Answer

I recommend searching for a career test online to narrow down potential jobs based on your areas of interests and passions. There are a lot of career assessments that are available online and are intended to guide you in choosing a career path. Most of these tests ask questions to help you decide what sort of work will suit you best, depending on your personality type, your skills and preferred ways of working. Then, maybe seek to do some job shadowing or a potential internship to see if your passion and interests align.

Stacy recommends the following next steps:

Email someone who does your dream job to ask for “an informational interview”
Reach out to someone for a potential job shadowing to see if your passions and interests align with career test.
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Daniel’s Answer

This is a great question Cohen! I felt the same way a couple of years ago right before I graduated high school. My suggestion is to go to a community college to obtain your basics. This will help you have time to try some different jobs in completely different fields. Also, by going to a community college you will be saving money and giving yourself more time to decide on a career/job while making progress on your degree. Don't let people put pressure on you that you have to decide now on the rest of your work life. I had a teacher in high school tell me that I would be a failure if I did not know what degree/career I wanted by the time I graduated high school. Well, I did not by graduation but decided a year later on what I wanted to do and absolutely love it (operations)

I suggest reading a book below. Good luck on the journey!

Daniel recommends the following next steps:

Read Dream Big by Bob Goff
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Baljit’s Answer

Hi Cohen,
Have you tried the online career personality tests. They outline a number of career choices after you fill in the answers. The careers are usually varied and there could be a few that you are interested in pursuing. You could also narrow down the choices by volunteering at local places of interest. It would be an experience that allows you explore certain avenues of career choices. Volunteers also can meet new people that could offer advice on whether to stay in that field you are volunteering in or choose something else. Talk to peers and ask them questions on what works for them. It could be an eye opener for you. Also while out of school consider a summer job.
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Catherine’s Answer

Some people hate their job because of their manager/leader. As you grow in your career, you will have different interests and your career goals will change, but having a good manager that can guide you and support you, makes any job easier. I would say that it is key to be honest at your interview about what your career goals and ask lots of questions to the hiring manager to make sure they are a good fit.
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Rita’s Answer

I think this is a difficult question to answer. I wanted to be a physician when I was young. After practicing my job, it is a lot different than I imagined. I think getting an internship and speaking with people who are in the field you are interested in pursuing is a great way to start. But even after going to medical school and becoming a doctor, there are so many opportunities that I could pursue without actually practicing medicine. For example, I could do clinical research, I could teach medical students, I could write. I would be an "expert witness."

Even if you change your mind in your study, you still learned something and can use that knowledge for another field. It is not wasting your time.
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