Career Development Tips: Selecting the Right Profession for You

As children, we all heard the question, what do you want to be when you grow up? Most of us had a ready answer: an astronaut, a police officer, a ballerina, a doctor. As we finally began to "grow up", those answers often changed; perhaps we thought we should lower our ambitions, or maybe we discovered new ones better fitted to our evolved understanding of our personalities and goals. We also began to realize how significant the question really was: what do we want to "be"? In a sense we do define ourselves by our careers. "What do you do? or "What are you?" is often the first thing we ask upon meeting a new person. We select a profession based on numerous factors: pay, location, type of labor, number of hours - but most importantly we want a career that will be a positive attribute to our definition of ourselves.

Why then, do so many fail find the right one? The majority of Americans derive little satisfaction from their work. Part of this comes from our lowering of our expectations, our settling for "good enough", and always thinking of our current positions as temporary, only wanting time to produce a better situation. Fear of failure plays a key role as well; we tell ourselves (or are told by well-meaning friends and family) that our goals are out of reach, that they won't make us enough to live on, that there is too much competition, or that there isn't a market for it. Secondly, there are many, many occupations out there that most people don't hear about. The more limited our knowledge of career choices, the harder it is to find the right one.

Here are my resources for selecting a profession fitted for you, from someone who has researched, decided, changed her mind, decided again, and is now (finally) on a steady career path:

~Newspapers~
No, I'm not talking about the classifieds. Newspapers regularly feature profiles of high demand jobs; for example, I discovered a perfect use for my Spanish degree when I read an article about a woman who traveled as a courtroom interpreter. The article explained her work, and went on to say that courts in the South were in need of more such persons. Another article the same week told of a local school system being required to hire ten ESL teachers in the next year. Paper also advertise new industry coming into the area, and new company openings. Your local paper will give you an idea of the types of jobs, as well as specific positions, that are in demand in your area.

~School (or back to school)~
Don't be afraid to let this be a process of trial and error. I majored in computer science, biology, and art before finally choosing an English/Spanish degree. When choosing a major, let your passions guide you. There are so many opportunities out there for all fields of study, so don't let money be a motivating factor. Four years ago I was told a liberal arts degree was a waste of time; now employers are actively seeking people like me. Since you are on this site, I assume you are interesting in working with words, but even if you are not seeking a profession in writing, a liberal arts degree can open a lot of doors. Don't believe me? Check out this article: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTR/is_1_24/ ai_109179049

~Career Counseling~
This is offered at most schools and through community outreach and adult education centers. It is one of the best, most underutilized resources for finding your occupational strengths and weaknesses. My university offers an assessment test that only takes about an hour to complete, which then returns a list of occupations based on criteria such as personal values, type of environment you feel most comfortable in, whether you enjoy traveling, and more. A quick Google search of "career counseling" plus the name of your city will put you in touch with services in your area.

~Job Fairs~
Check your local newspaper, as well as websites of local colleges who hold yearly career fairs. Those outside the schools rarely hear about them, but they are a great way to find out who is hiring and to speak to representatives of various companies. Dress professionally and bring lots of resumes.

~Internships and Apprenticeships~
If you are financially able to do so, you may have the opportunity to work in your desired field for little or no pay in order to gain experience and ultimately decide if the job is right for you. Remember that your ultimate goal is to find the right profession; even though you are sacrificing a big paycheck at the moment, the experience in invaluable. Money is the main reason people get stuck in occupations they don't like, so you have to decide which is more important: to work for more pay and be dissatisfied, or to live with less for a chance at a better future?

~Friends and Family~
Don't underestimate this resource! Asking those you know about their work is the best way to learn specific details about their professions, and even learn about some new ones. For example, I always knew my uncle worked in horticulture, but after talking in depth with him about his job, I learned he traveled all over the world, helping developing nations with agricultural reform and community planning. Here was a fascinating career I never knew existed! When you get more information about the day to day activities of some different occupations, you may find something that seemed boring to you is actually right up your alley.

In conclusion, I hope this has given you some ideas on how to select the right profession. Good luck and don't give up!