Choosing a Career to Help People

From growing up in my family, I learned that work is extremely important if you want to succeed in life. College is a major factor in getting a good career. My mom always emphasized the importance of college and how you need a good education to get a good job. She was a single parent and always told me that I need to be independent and make money on my own. She told me never to depend on anyone else for financial support. My mom has always expected me to do good in school and I have always tried to live up to her expectations. I have many goals in life thanks to her, and I plan to accomplish them. Now that I am here at college, I am trying very hard to be the best student I can be.

I have considered many careers while growing up. I'm a perfectionist and I always need everything in order. If I want something, I always strive to get it. I am very determined in getting what I want. I want the perfect job, something that I will be good at and something I love, and I still haven't figured out what that is going to be. I think that in order to be really well at your job, you most importantly have to like what you are doing. If you don't, you're really just not going to care. If I could have a "dream" career it would be being a doctor, but not having to take so many years of schooling and not having to have the awful hours doctors have. All I know is that I want a job to help people in someway, whether it be being a doctor, or teaching people something, or helping people out with their emotional or mental problems. I feel I need to do a lot more searching to figure out what career fits me the best.

I'm not quite sure what I want my career to be, but I am thinking about a couple jobs. I like being social and talking to people. I also like helping others. I would have to say my first choice would be a psychologist. I have always liked talking to people and helping them with their problems. I have always been intrigued by the brain and the many parts to it as well. I would like this career, but there is a lot of schooling and I've heard that it is hard to start your own practice. Another career that I would like to be in is teaching. I would want to be an elementary school teacher. I love working with little kids and I would love helping them learn.

By doing some research, I have found that if I wanted to be a psychologist my major would be psychology. This career could cause you to get your doctoral degree, masters degree, bachelors degree, or specialist degree, depending on what type of work you want. A doctoral degree usually is required for employment as a counseling psychologist or an independent licensed clinical psychologist. A specialist degree is required in most States for someone to work as a school psychologist. A bachelor's degree in psychology qualifies a person to assist psychologists and other professionals in community mental health centers and vocational rehabilitation offices. A master's degree in psychology requires at least 2 years of full-time graduate study. A psychologist's subfield and place of employment determine his or her working conditions. Psychologists work in variety of different places. Those employed in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities may work shifts that include evenings and weekends, while those who work in schools and clinics generally work regular hours. Psychologists can have a fairly high salary, which I like. The university could do a better job assisting students with career exploration by setting up students who are thinking about going into certain job fields, and telling them about all the aspects of the career. They should talk to them about the working conditions, salary, if there are many careers out there for their major, etc.