Picking the Right Career Path

For some people, finding the right job in an industry that excites you is an easy choice.  When we’re little, we always have an idea of what we want to be when we grow up.  More often than not, we don’t always get to realize that.  As we grow older, not only do our interests change, but our realities change as well.  The world can only have so many ballerinas, actresses, or professional ball players.

Therefore, facing the reality that you probably won’t be doing what you thought you’d be doing back when you were eight years old can be a painful thought.  However, some people do get to be what they always wanted to be.  One man this writer knows had always dreamed of being a police officer.  This can be a difficult field to get into and doesn’t always happen overnight.

He knew that he’d have to work at it, but he also knew that he had to support his family.  So he went to work in the family business and would test for the police department as openings were advertised.  He could pass the tests, but would find himself in the lower part of the list that was compiled for possible new hires.  For three years, he worked and waited. 

Then, he had a successful tryout for one particular police department and found himself number two on the list.  It just so happened that this particular force was hiring two officers and he was hired soon after.  His dream had come true and he has had a successful career as a police officer and has received several awards for his police work.

Making a career change decision was easy for him.  It was easy for this writer too.

Since I was little, all I’ve ever dreamed of doing was teaching.  When I graduated from high school, my college major was education.  I knew that I’d have to have extensive education if I was going to be a teacher, but I was committed to it and eagerly attended my classes with a goal in my mind.

Then, life changed.  I suddenly found myself with two children, a husband who was also attending college, and bills piling up.  My husband’s part-time job just wasn’t cutting it.  It was decided that I would be the one to go to work since he was further along in school than I was.  I took a job as a secretary and toiled away at similar jobs like that for six years.

I still took classes trying to work for my degree, but I was working full-time in jobs that I really didn’t like.  I found myself in the sales field eventually.  While the money was terrific and I was good at selling, I still was unfulfilled.  I would go to my children’s parent-teacher conferences and find that longing to be a teacher still aching in the back of my mind as I spoke to their teachers and wandered the hallways of their school.

Then, life changed again.  Only this time, it changed for the better.  Our finances had finally reached the point where it would be possible for me to quit my job and attend school full-time to earn my bachelor’s degree.  It took two and a half years and some very hard work, but I was rewarded when I walked across the stage at my college and received my diploma with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education.

Now, I am a certified teacher – and a freelance writer – and am more satisfied now than I have ever been.  While it was scary to make this drastic career change, it really was a no-brainer when it came to deciding what I wanted to do.

The point is that if you’ve always dreamed of working in a specific career field and it’s possible for you to do so – even with a little hard work – go for your dreams and don’t stop until you realize them.

For some people, however, a career change decision isn’t as easy as mine was.  They know they are unhappy in their current job and want to get out, but they really don’t know what they want to do.  Perhaps, also, they have a couple of ideas in their minds but are unsure as to which was to go. 

High school graduates are also faced with an important decision when it comes to their career field.  So many young people go to college taking core classes without knowing what they want their major to be.

So, are there certain things you need to consider when choosing a career field?  In fact, there are many things that you need to keep in mind.  You will want to be successful in whatever job field you choose, so it can be very important to be sure you are going to go into a business where you will be happy and where you can realize your full potential.

There are all sorts of tests you can take online that can help with your career field.  What is a career test?  It’s a series of questions you answer based on what your preferences are or how you feel about specific job situations.  The test will then analyze your answers and present you with the top jobs that fit you based on those answers.  Some of the more accurate and reliable online career tests require you to purchase a membership or a package to get your results, but you can find some free career tests.

I took one test at www.livecareer.com and it was quite eye-opening.  It was no surprise that the two job fields they recommended to me were writing and education!  This website and test are free to users due to the sponsors that want you to sign up for information, so you do have to click through a lot of advertisements, but if you are not sure which career field you want to work in, this test can be a great place to start.

Of course, you can “purchase” a more detailed and in-depth report at the end of the test which is what they want you to do, but that is strictly optional.  I’ve found that most of the career testing sites will do this as well.

The basic format of many of these career tests are the same, for the most part.  You are presented with three situations and you pick which one you prefer most and which one you prefer least.  This is how they can find where your interests lie as well as where your abilities and talents can be best utilized.

Of course, when considering a career change or choice, you don’t necessarily have to take a test.  Take a look at what you enjoy doing.  What have people said you are good at?  Where could you be happiest?  What are your interests and hobbies?  You should also classify what’s important to you and where you could make concessions.

For example, if spending time with your family is a priority, you probably won’t want a job that requires extensive travel or overtime such as sales.  If you are single or very career driven, you may want to look at a position that can provide for upward mobility when you put in hard work such as marketing or stocks.

What types of jobs are available to you?  The choices are limitless and you will want to take a lot of things into consideration before you make the leap towards a career change.