How did you choose your career?

Question

Ok! I have been through MANY, MANY career optitions. Whenever I think of something, give it a while and I'll be over it, well no, not 'over' it, I'll still be thinking about it but I'll have a new career in mind. I'd like to do SO MUCH, take so many career paths, but I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO!!! I'm the type of person who is constantly thinking, what I'd like to do, is it a good stable job?, what of the future? how much training/education do I need? Will I have to move e.g. overseas. Is it a job a can still pursue when I get married and have kids? Money wise? So as you can see I'm CONSTANTLY THINKING!!!

I also wanted to ask, the career you have chosen, well do you ever think, I wanted to be something else also, I wander how that would have turned out? How do you know you have made the right choice? PLZ PLZ PLZ HELP!!! THANKS

Answer 1

Excellent question and I feel your pain. I can totally relate to you. In fact I'm not sure I have found my career path for life yet but here is what I have done so far.

Started retail jobs in high school (Mostly Pizza Places and Department Stores)

Went to tech school out of high school for Electrical Theory. Dropped out cause I hated the teacher I had (not personally), I just felt like I was learning nothing.

I went to Tech School for computer support. Graduated in 7 months. Loved school. Went into consulting and did all of the following: Helpdesk, Technical Support, Network Technician, Desktop Migration, Server Administration, etc. I worked for several major companies (including 3 listed on Dow Jones). I would jump from consulting job to consulting job. I loved it in the beginning because I would always work at some company within 40-50 miles from my home and I got to learn a lot about (Airplanes, Hospitals, Financial Institutions, Investment Companies, Electrical Companies, etc.). I also got to meet many many many people.

This got old at about 3 years in to consulting. It would suck when a job ended and I had to hunt for or wait for another one. In the mean time the computer industry changes rapidly and there are a lot of cut throat people out there so your ability to to play the politically correct but likeable game is crucial! I got so very sick of it. I did not want to read a new 1000 page technical manual every year or so and take another test also. Because this is neverending. I like learning new things but it got ridiculous. I also hate Microsoft with a passion. But thats another very long story in and of itself.

So I looked for change and went to a job recruiter. Got into the mortgage industry in in 2001. I was hired by the company that had me temping and worked my way up a little bit. I hated the company I worked for because they always had mandatory overtime and always pushed quota's. I ended up leaving and going into property taxes. I have been happily doing that for 3 years now.

To sum it all up. Working in the computer industry prepped me for the mortgage industry. I had a major advantage over most people due to the fact i could work and troubleshoot a pc better than all my coworkers. I lef tthe mortgage industry and went into property taxes. I had an advantage over most of my coworkers because of strong computer skills and strong background in the mortgage industry.

My point is, my previous jobs always helped my future positions.

If you try a new job and don't like it. Try to hang on for even just a few months if it can give you valuable experience towards your next job. If it doesn't, leave asap.

Think about basic classes in school. Math, Science, Reading, Language, History, Art, Music. Now determine which one interests you the most. Find a job with a focus on that particular topic.

If you still have trouble finding your inner strengths/happiness try an online career quiz like:
http://quiz.ivillage.co.uk/uk_work/tests/career.htm

This one is pretty good, I tried it and agreed with the results.

You can also google the search term "career quiz" and find a bunch more of these tests.

Yopu also asked "How do you know you made the right choice?"

I know cause when I'm driving around, which I do every single day on the job, I love loooking at scenery on backroads such as wide open farms with rolling hills and someyimes seeing things like thousands of birds hanging out in a sun drenched field. I also love being able to stop at Wawa if I want and pick up a coffee or sandwich. My point is it's the little things that make a job worthwhile.

Good luck!

Answer 2

My advice is: find out what you're really good at and what you can be good at given the right training. Since you're interested in very many things, look for ways to combine them e.g. I'm not sure whether you're in high school or uni, but you can take classes to explore fields you're curious about.

Secondly, worry less. Too much worrying can lead to inaction. If you're lucky to get a job you like, more power to you. If you're not, just hang in there to get professional experience (there are skills that are vital in almost every profession e.g. dealing with people) but still look around for opportunities.

Thirdly, about marriage, kids, moving, you never know what the future holds so don't stress. You'll just have to take things as they come, and make the best out of it.

The career I'm in right now, I regret my choice. I wanted to be something else but I let others decide for me instead of following my heart.

Answer 3

I haven't completed my career path, but I've faced the same problem. I want to learn everything and do everything, but after a while I tend to get interested in something else, because it all seems so... well... interesting.

In the end, what I've done is chosen one thing and said that, for better or worse, I'm going to stick with it, see it out through doubts and disinterest, and if I later realize that it was wrong, fix it if I have to. At the very least, I'll have something I can fall back on if things fall apart, and still have the future to work toward something better.

Dunno if that helps, but there's my thought. (-:

Answer 4

You're definitely not alone in your thoughts and feelings. The best career in the world is one that you thoroughly enjoy. Some people don't find that career until they're in their 30's and 40's these days! So never think that you won't find your niche because you will, even if it's not at the same time everyone else does.

I'm a stay at home mom and knew that my career would be just that, a wife and mother. I feel that it's my child and my responsibility to raise her, not some daycare teacher. Not everyone can afford to stay at home, so I can understand why some parents send their children to daycare, but for me, it was never an option to consider.

Answer 5

hey:)I'm a teachers aide which basically means i assist children with special needs and i love my job!
I got my job by volunteering(i completed a course as well so i am fully qualified).I also didn't know what i wanted to do for a while but i knew i wanted to work with children so i tried many different areas , mainly volunteering, until i knew it "felt right".
So...my advice is just do heaps of volunteer work/work experience and you'll also be able to decide if it's what you want to do plus you can ask loads of questions about the job.It'll show you are keen and will give you heaps of experience.I mainly worked in retail prior to my job so i was surprised when they offered me a job after 2 months(from doing2days volunteer work a week).
I sometimes wish i followed my dream of being a hairdresser,but,right now i really enjoy my job and if i still find myself thinking about hairdressing 10 years down the track then i might just do something about it:)

Answer 6

a good place to help you with a career decision is www.assist.org. It is a website that allows you to explore all sorts of fields and helps you plan your education.

I am in school right now and my major is Landscape Architecture. I have chosen this field for many reasons: I love to work with people, to be in the sunshine, to design and create, I love nature and gardening, I love lots of stuff!

Answer 7

Well, I am naturally a good poet but where is the money in it, so after a number of botched plans, several years and much deliberation, I decided to do a novel in journal form, complete with poetry, recipes and maybe some pictures or drawings. "Journals from Daria" should be interesting--half life, half fiction. My name is not Daria, it just sounded exotic, passionate and Russian.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Mine was an epiphany. I was diagnosed with a neuro-muscular disease and I decided to use it to help others in the same type of situation. I became a yoga teacher to help myself and others. Then when I was in school for massage therapy, I learned I had been misdiagnosed. It left me with the most rewarding career I could hope for.

Answer 10

I went to a job agency and took a test, then they decided for me!
But, of course, I'm still always thinking too what else I could or should do because I'm hyper in thought and activities.