How do I pick a career?

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Published on Tuesday, 21 February 2012 06:00

Written by Shawnee Love

Career Doctor:

I just graduated from high school and don’t know what to do for a career.  How can I pick one?

Nayeli from Winnepeg

Nayeli,  I had to do it all over, here’s what I would recommend:

Travel First

Not only is this the time to do it because there will never be another time that you have fewer responsibilities, less stuff, and greater willingness to sleep in dives or dorms.  The Ozzies & Kiwis call it a Gap Year and for some reason it is much more respected as a rite of passage than it is here in North America.  In any case, take a page from our friends down under, swallow your fear and go abroad for a year.  There is nothing like being far away for teaching great life skills such as how to be thrifty, do your laundry and cook for yourself- all key skills I have valued ever since my first trip.  You also will meet many characters who share stories and their mistakes, and for some reason their advice seems easier to accept than that of your parents.  After a few dodgy jobs that pay you cash under the table jobs to subsidize your trip, you will understand why it is important to get an education! Trust me, spend the day on your hands and knees cleaning hotel room bathrooms, or elbow deep in dishwater, or aching from shoveling ditches all day for a few weeks, and your mind will be working hard to figure out what you can do to get away from jobs that leave you with blistered chapped hands, swollen knees, and knotted shoulders.  You will also learn a lot about the world, yourself, and what is important to you.  By the time you come home, you may not know exactly what you want to be, but you will likely know what you don’t want to be. 

Start at College

Universities are outrageously expensive, so unless you receive your first year paid in scholarships, take your first year of education at a college.  It is less expensive, smaller, and usually the quality of education for the first year level courses is as good as university.  Just remember to take courses that don’t limit your options.  For example, if you can’t decide whether sciences or arts are your bag, take courses in first year that will allow you to get into either program as long as you pass.  Hopefully after your first year you will know what program you want to get into and have the grades to do it.  At this point, enroll in the best place to get that education. 

Get advice

Colleges and universities have amazing career counseling resources.  They might not find the perfect job for you, but they will remind you about your interests, and offer guidance about which fields your interests would fit best with.

Work Hard

People always value things they have to work for more than what they get for free.  Put yourself through school. You will value it more and make wiser decisions about what your major is if you have to pay for your choices, literally.

Good Luck

Since people change careers multiple times during their career, there is no guarantee that even if you pick a career that you will be in it forever.  Hence, the best advice I can give you is to choose wisely with the best information you have at the time, and then pursue your decision with single minded determination.  

Just Do It

Hopefully Nike won’t mind me using their tag line, but it works here.  With so many options, it can be paralyzing to make a decision.  The only way to get over analysis paralysis is to do something. So get out there and do anything, because even if you “fail”, you will have learned a ton.

Happy hunting!

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