I do not know what career to choose. Serious help needed!

Each person's views are shaped by what did and did not work for them. In my case, I was heavily money motivated and that was all that mattered. I wanted to support my family, have pride in the lifestyle I could provide, and do something that my kids thought was impressive. Tall order for someone with no connections and only a mediocre school record.

I chased the almighty dollar and ran from one failed attempt to another. One day, when I was reeling from another setback, my wife asked me what I would do if money was no object. Being snarky, I said: "I would play video games all day." I look back on that being the formative moment in my career.

Gaming was all I really cared about, aside from family. I knew I needed to support them, and the idea that games could factor into that somehow seemed like a pipe-dream, but I kept trying things and supporting my family.

Eventually, I wound up as a system administrator for... wait for it... a video game company! (Not by accident, I chased that job for a long time). Two years later, they shifted me to being a Designer, and I have not stopped on that road. I make a bunch now, support my family as I wished to, and more importantly, I go to a job that is basically a hobby that pays well.

When I stopped chasing money and chased passion, the money followed. Not immediately, but most of the very wealthy people I know (and I have met very many) all chased their passions instead of some arbitrary money value.

I hope that helps.

Hi, I'm wondering if the other professionals started in the same place as you. Your story sounds very similar to mine around the 10th grade. I remember I was torn between being a Computer Engineer, a Tennis Pro, an Actor, and an Architect! This were my conservative stances because before high school, I really just thought I was going to be an Artist or a Game Programmer.

Being the eldest child, I felt that I couldn't afford to hold that position, but the truth is, it wouldn't have been too bad. Cool careers have been increasing since I started, and they probably will continue to grow. I still have always made more money than my younger siblings, but you will never feel like its enough. For yourself first, but for the ones you love, much more so.

I took preparations at a very young age to be able to choose between any of these career paths. After all, you do have multiple electives in school. It's not a bad idea to decide early - I started writing programs in the 3rd grade just because I liked video games. Back then nobody had computers but businessmen. I would steal my dad's work computer to sneak in my video games. I would get in trouble in computer class for modifying the computer too much. I thought I would never go to prom since I studied so much, but there were a lot of girls in Science Club that needed a date, and they're doing really well now 20 years later.

So don't be afraid to choose a career, don't be afraid to be hero to your family, and don't be afraid to follow what you love instead of when they tell you!

Whoever told you that Software Engineering is going to go out of demand is just plain wrong. Maybe in 500 years when someone creates a computer that can program itself, but certainly not in the next few years ;) And right now I would say there is a shortage of great Software Engineers, not a surplus (at least in the US).

Being a Software Engineer is, in my opinion, the best job in the world (though, I may be biased because I love it SO MUCH). That being said, it's not an easy job. It takes an incredible amount of time to learn the craft well and you basically never stop learning. I've been doing it for 10 years and I feel like I have so much more to learn, now more than ever.

Another great thing about being a Software Engineer is that basically every field of work needs them. Biotech, agriculture, government, food, business, education, entertainment, philanthropy, architecture, medicine, etc, etc, etc. Every time you use a computer, a Software Engineer had a part in making that happen. When you order food at McDonalds, Software Engineers made that a reality by writing that program. When you do your banking, Software Engineers did that. When you text someone on your cell phone, yep Software Engineers. Ever bought something at the grocery store? Software Engineers. Does your doctor use a computer? I'm sure you see where this is going. Software Engineering is the most versatile profession I know. If all that appeals to you (it does me), and you want to build things out of nothing using just your mind, then Software Engineering could be the job for you.

I agree with the other answers here, software engineering does not seem to be going anywhere in the foreseeable future. Having said that I would steer clear of technical school IT degrees and go for a full Computer Science degree instead as that will give you much more fundamental knowledge that you can leverage later in your career to stay current and up to date with new tech.

One mistake a lot of people make is they get a degree which teaches them programming without teaching them the fundamentals of software design and software engineering. Since Computer Science is a fast evolving field there is always something new that gets invented and not having a good fundamental knowledge can quickly make you obsolete.

Remember you can learn to code by going to a library and reading a beginner Java/C++ book, you don't need to pay money to a school to learn that. On the other hand actually learning the fundamentals of algorithms, design, computational complexity, and such will give you the opportunity to quickly pick up any programming language that you might need in the future and stay relevant for a long rewarding career in the tech industry.

Hi,
The good news is that you have plenty of time to decide, do some research and think about what you want to do.
I would suggest reading about all the careers that interest you, if you want to go to college - visit some colleges and explore different things. Your interests will probably change and grow over the next few years...a lot of us older folks change careers all the time so you have your whole life ahead of you.
There are also a lot of career aptitude tests and assessments that you can take, your school counselor can help with some of them and some are free and online. Below is a link to one site that has a free personality test...once you get your "code" here, then you can research careers for the code online...
http://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
Good luck!

You still have plenty of time to decide. For all you now the profession that you may have has not yet been invented.

That said it is good to have the fundamentals down pat. So make sure you can write well and that you are good in math and sciences. Those skills will never become obsolete, and they will let you adapt to any profession.

At this point in your life you should also explore different subject, you never know what may appeal to you - maybe history, maybe sculpture, maybe music, maybe astrophysics.

You sound like you're feeling under pressure. Decisions made under pressure aren't always the right ones. Like the others said, you have plenty of time left to try and figure out your first move, but remember it is just that - a first move. Try and gain some work experience in some of the areas you mentioned, that'll give you a good idea of whether or not you like it.
You sound creative and talented, Do the things that make you happy and money will come.

Hi Jan,
I'm the eldest child in my family too. From what I read about you in your note, it seems to me that you have great imagination and you immerse yourself in deep thought. That also tells me that you are focused and passionate if you are doing something that you like.
I'd first say that you should try to learn about yourself and know your strengths and weaknesses, and learn what tools about your strengths and weaknesses you can use to navigate towards your goals.
The world is ever changing , and it will not be the same as there will always be incremental changes happening in economics and the sciences and sometimes they are exponential in nature.
However, your strengths include your imagination . What you should hold close to your heart is core fundamental knowledge in the math, the sciences and economics. If you do that, you can construct and build anything with your imagination.
Once you know the core fundamentals , you can easily learn the technical aspect of any job very easily. Keep your mind sharp all the time and be thirsty and hungry for knowledge, always !

A lot of great answers and advice here already. I would add that getting involved in your areas of interest early (while still working on your education) can help you find your path. Internships, summer jobs, and other opportunities are a great way to get your feet wet and see what it's like to be actively involved in your target professions. I've worked in professional theatre, the publishing industry and the legal field. I wouldn't give up any of my experiences, and the skills I developed in each of these have helped me in my current role. And, yes, arm yourself with great basic skills and they'll serve you no matter what direction you choose.