Osmar
What to do if I cannot imagine myself in the type of career I am planning on going into?
I have always been excited about being involved in the business world, but I cannot see myself working in a office or anything that has to do with that. I think it is a mental barrier because I am a first generation college student and many kids in my community just start working after high school. Is it okay to feel like that or what can I do?
#Business #first-generation-college-students #latino #english-as-a-second-language
7 answers
Austin L.
Austin’s Answer
Osmar, it it completely valid to feel the way you do and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Knowing a little bit about you based off of what you said, I bet college is pretty daunting and you may be second-guessing yourself and the decision you made, but hold fast. Working right after high school is a valid option and there is nothing wrong with that, but that path you've chosen by going to college will open up many opportunities that would be harder to get without that college degree. I wanted to be a lawyer my whole life, my parents are lawyers, I have lots of lawyers in my family and guess what...I'm not a lawyer, I'm a consultant. I decided not to pursue the law path after having wanted to for my whole life and I don't regret that choice for a second.
If you are questioning your major, think about what you enjoy doing and what your interests are. There are a million different career paths to choose from, all you have to do is discover them. Focus on your interests, be decisive, don't second guess yourself, and most of all be true to who you are. Don't pursue a career based on what others think or say, it's your life and you are in control. Hold fast and get that degree!! It may be hard and there may be times where you are feeling down, but look back on everything that you've done so far and how hard you have worked.
You got this!!
Austin
Giovanni Palermo
Giovanni’s Answer
I understand. It's a hard topic to think about. As a first generation I know you want to make the best decision or set of decisions for the well being of your family and yourself. You don't have to necessarily be stuck in an office if you pursue business. You can be a salesman, who are always on the go. Salesman such as realtors are always on the go; they are constantly driving around the area showing homes to those who are interested, meeting with lenders, appraisers, and other professionals in the industry. The only time I recall of an agent being in an office is when they are preparing contracts and or talking to customers in the office besides closing. There are many opportunities out there. As a first generation Latino I understand what you are experiencing because I too felt the same way when I was finishing school.
Like we say in our culture, animo! Si se puede! I believe in you and so should you. You also may not know that many believe in you besides your family. You can be the one showing that anything is possible in your community as a first time generation. Thank you.
Diego Carbone
Diego’s Answer
I'll tell you something personal: I'm a first-generation college graduate too. And I didn't end up in the career I "planned" on either. What I actually got from school wasn't a fixed picture of a job, it was a way of thinking. It taught me how to look at a problem from a few different angles, pull from different knowledge areas, and build something useful even when the path wasn't obvious. That's the part that actually carried me. Not the office, not the title, not the version of "success" I pictured at 18.
So here's what I'd say to you directly: that mental barrier you're feeling isn't really about the office. It's that you're picturing a career you don't have a mental reference for, because nobody around you lived it, so your brain is filling in the blanks with the only image it has, a desk, four walls, fluorescent lights, and it doesn't feel like you. That's normal. You're not rejecting business. You're rejecting an image that was never accurate to begin with.
What helped me was realizing the degree isn't a ticket to one specific room. It's a toolkit. And the same "business world" you're excited about shows up in a hundred forms that don't look like what you're picturing, some of it is in offices, sure, but a lot of it is out with people, building things, solving problems in ways nobody put in a brochure.
So don't force yourself to imagine the "typical" version of the career right now. Just keep going, keep learning the tools, and stay curious about the different shapes this could take. You don't have to have the final picture yet. I didn't either, and I promise you, the path finds a way to surprise you.
You're doing something your community didn't have an easy map for. That takes real courage, and it's already working.
Keep going!
Kim Igleheart
Kim’s Answer
Osmar, MANY kids feel like that! For this reason, Texas State University has a business bldg where you take your classes, and it is all decked out in fancy artwork and expensive furniture, so, by the time you finish, you WILL feel right at home in those surroundings. You are not alone! Check it out!
Jessica Serna Saraswat
Jessica’s Answer
Finally, take it a day at time. To get to that point in your life when you're working in the business world (and you can!) you first need to focus on the present. Work hard, get good grades, enjoy the journey and this will help you become more confident and succeed in the future.
Tracy Phillips
Tracy’s Answer
