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How to figure out a career
Dorkman
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Sorry about the bad title, I could not think of anything else.
I have posted about this before, and I hope this isn't considered threadomancy, but I am really really stumped.
I am currently on a co-op work term while working on my mechanical engineering technology degree at a local community college. I also have a business degree from a local university.
Even from a young age, I could never answer the question of "what do you want to be when you grow up." and even now after giving up on one career and getting into another, I still can't answer that question. This scares the poop out of me. I am 28 and feel like I am just spinning in circles and not going anywhere.
I know this may seem like a ridiculous question, but how do you figure it what you want to do with your life? I thought it was accounting for me, but that failed miserably, and now while working in an engineering office, I am doubting that now. This scares me so much.
What can I do to help myself figure out this mess. Any help at all would be great guys. Thanks
I have posted about this before, and I hope this isn't considered threadomancy, but I am really really stumped.
I am currently on a co-op work term while working on my mechanical engineering technology degree at a local community college. I also have a business degree from a local university.
Even from a young age, I could never answer the question of "what do you want to be when you grow up." and even now after giving up on one career and getting into another, I still can't answer that question. This scares the poop out of me. I am 28 and feel like I am just spinning in circles and not going anywhere.
I know this may seem like a ridiculous question, but how do you figure it what you want to do with your life? I thought it was accounting for me, but that failed miserably, and now while working in an engineering office, I am doubting that now. This scares me so much.
What can I do to help myself figure out this mess. Any help at all would be great guys. Thanks
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As far as figuring out a career path, start listing out your interests. Be specific. Don't write "computers," but do write "website design" or "hardware troubleshooting."
Once you have that list, look into jobs that tick off as many of those points as you can. Sometimes it's not obvious. There are the "typical" careers out there that many people automatically think of, but there are also those you never would have thought of, and it turns out the day-to-day is pretty much how you like spending your time anyway.
You should look for a job that you are reasonably good at, that allows you to live the life you want outside of work. There are all kinds of things to consider. How much work do you want to bring home with you? Do you want to clock in and clock out and that's it? Are you interested in upward mobility? do you like the idea of working with the public, or would you rather be left alone in your office? Do you enjoy working outside or inside? Work for a small company that knows your name and everything about you, or megacorp that doesn't care much about you, but may have better pay and benefits?
I feel your pain, I have no idea what I want to do, but I keep trying. I started out doing manual labor, moving furniture.. which is great for your health but the pay is poor and i don't want to work that hard. Then i tried teaching, high-school history. I enjoyed the teaching aspect, but the bureaucracy was terrible. So i tried bar-tending because i like mixing drinks for friends... way too busy for me, bar tenders don't get the respect they deserve! So i tried call center work, and that has led to good things for me. I am good at it, and i have gotten into a specialized niche that pays pretty well and is a fairly comfy job. But to be honest, its boring... so I am currently getting my masters in Accounting (paid for by the employer) and i am kind of excited to give that a try.
If it was all fun all the time they'd charge you to do it, not pay you.
Each time I am asked to give a 5 year goal, I can't even project out a year, and frankly, that scares me. Almost to the point that I am debating whether I should continue on with my MET schooling (one year left), or just jump ship and make Accounting/Business work.
But I do enjoy the idea of actually sitting down and coming up with a list of what I like to do and what I enjoy, and maybe bounce it off you folks. It is certainly not something I have done before.
Do you start off with this idealized image of a new career path, then when you see what it actually consists of, you get disheartened and decide its not for you anymore?
Most people find a job that fulfills some of what they need, and is not too intolerable.
For example, for me... My job pays well and has decent benefits and doesn't force me to do a lot of work stuff off the clock. This allows me the freedom to spend time with my family, and do some fun things without monitoring every penny. Is it my dream job, that thing which i would do for free. Not even close.
I still have no idea "what i want to do when i grow up" But this is good for now, and I am always working to improve my resume and get new training so I am ready to grab the next opportunity when it comes up.
So, my advice would be to look inside yourself first. Write some stuff down, as others have mentioned. What is important to you? How would you define success? What fulfills you? Are there any causes or whatever that you personally believe in? What type of things do you feel you would need in your life to be able to say, "yea, I'm doing pretty fucking alright." What does that translate to in terms of annual income? Where do you want to be in three years? Five? Ten?
Ask yourself lots of good, hard questions. Articulate them to yourself. Write them down. Then, steer the conversation into a more monetary and numerical perspective and make a plan to turn your desires into a reality.
90% of people will be working in the field that pays the most for the least stress rather than being one of those lucky bastards getting paid to do something they love. That's fine, just part of the human condition I'm afraid.
What were the issues with the previous/current jobs? If there was something in particular you didn't like, try to find something else that avoids or minimises that aspect. If it was just a smouldering resentment at the necessity of having to work for a living when there are so many other things you'd rather be doing, welcome to the modern world. It sucks at times but we cope.
That or burst free of working for The Man and start your own business! Just be aware this will be more work, more responsibility and has a good chance of not working out. But you'll be beholden to nobody! Apart from the bank man, but he owns us all.