A career? Me?
You might tell yourself that it is too early to be thinking about what you want to do when you grow up, but as you have heard before, the time for decisions will come sooner than you think. So now is the perfect time to start thinking about this and to make a strategic plan.
Take time today, to research the career field that you are interested in. Google it, read about it in a book, request to shadow a professional in the job that you think might be for you. After you have checked it out, be honest with yourself, is this something that really interests me? Is it something that I have a passion for?
If the answer is yes, then it is time to make plans for how you will accomplish this goal. Start looking at Advance Placement courses so you can reach your goal faster. Meet with your school guidance counselor to see if they have any tips or suggestions for you. Find ways to volunteer. For example, if you are interested in becoming a medical professional you could volunteer at a hospital. If you are interested in becoming a mechanic maybe you could volunteer or get a job as an apprentice. Make time to start learning about your chosen field, the more that you learn now, the less stress you will have later.
The good thing about starting on this early is you can change your mind or look into many areas at once.
Find out about more than just the subject matter of the career you are interested in. Ask yourself these questions:
- How much social interaction will this type of position have? Would that meet my social needs?
- What kind of schedule can I expect to have if I pursued this type of career? Would I need to work evenings or weekends?
- Would this type of career work with my long-term personal goals?
- How much schooling will I have to go to in order to accomplish this goal?
- Where could I get this kind of schooling/training?
- What is a realistic salary expectation for entry level for this type of position?
- What would this type of position require of me emotionally?
This is an exciting time, the possibilities are endless. You get to decide what direction you want to go. Take time to dream and think now so you can achieve your goals later.
