Career Decisions
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Author: Kansas State University
Topic: General
So what do you want to be when you grow up? All of us have been asked this question from the time we were old enough to answer. It has probably been asked in several different ways depending on our age and where we are in life, but the pressure to make a decision about a career has been with us for a long time. When we were children, we may have responded with cowgirl, teacher, father, movie star, farmer, race car driver, mother, doctor, airplane pilot, or even ninja turtle. Some of us may have remained faithful to our original response. However, most of us have changed our answer to that question many times.
Now there seems to be more urgency and perhaps need to make a decision and stick to it. After all, most of us believe that once we have made that decision "for real," then career decision-making is over and life can go on. Wrong! Maybe that idea was true once; however, in the global and changing world of today, career decision-making is more a process than an outcome. As both personal and work needs change, each of us will evaluate career choices many times. We will revise and change career plans and directions as well as change individual jobs. Career decision-making is no longer a "one-time" event. Thus, learning a system of career decision-making that can be used whenever needed may be the most promising and practical skill in this ever-changing world.
This information provides you with some facts about careers as well as some activities that will help you assess and clarify your interests, skills, and values as they relate to the world of work. But this is only the start. The activities probably will not result in a conclusive outcome that is "the one thing you will do the rest of your life." Instead, they will help direct you in making effective and appropriate choices as you develop your career pay.
Career Myths and Realities
Read the following questions to understand some of the realities about career choice and decision-making.
Is there just one career that's best for me? No. There are many careers that are a good "fit" for any one person. No career is perfect. Most will require some degree of compromise between person and career. Many of us will find that the most appropriate careers for us tend to have common features. Perhaps they emphasize promoting or selling activities, helping others, dealing with practical and tangible problems, or working with abstract concepts or theories. It is important to consider a variety of occupations that share common characteristics, all of which you could enjoy, rather than trying to focus entirely on the one fictitious "best."
You mean that nearly half of graduates end up in careers different from their major? True. Amazing, isn't it? Our interests change. The job market changes. Some careers and jobs become obsolete. Other interesting fields open up. Many people realize, after working a while, that careers affect lifestyles. So they make career changes in order to satisfy their lifestyle needs and wants.
Will I really have two or three (or even more) different careers? That's what the experts are saying. Interests change and new careers are developing all the time. This allows you to choose a career to begin after graduation and also know that you'll be able to change as new interests and opportunities emerge.
Do you really mean that nearly half the careers that will exist in the year 2010 don't exist today? Right! To prepare for the unknown, then, is a process. It requires learning about yourself; your knowledge, talents, skills, and interests; and your lifestyle (what you believe, how you prefer to live, the sorts of people you enjoy, etc.). And these will change over the years.
You will have the opportunity, in coming years, to make career changes. Doing so will become more and more typical of people in the work force.
Is changing majors really a sign that I am not committed to college or may not graduate? Of those who graduate, more than 50 percent have changed their majors (for an average of nearly 1.5 times). A common idea is that students who change majors don't know what they want and are on their way to not doing well in the university. But the opposite is true.
Maybe there is something to realizing that we sometimes make choices that aren't the best. The process of choosing a career requires the flexibility to try out options and make changes when needed. So we admit that the original choice is not working and go on to make another, more appropriate choice.
Should I choose a major or career area that guarantees employment? No major or career can guarantee employment upon graduation. Opportunities in every career change over time. The job outlook for next year is very difficult to predict, and the employment picture in three or four years is even tougher.
However, there are reliable sources of information on employment outlooks and predictions. Use these resources rather than relying on hearsay or advice from friends and neighbors. (See the Resources section of this brochure.)
Will taking an interest test or getting career counseling be an easy way to find out what job I should get? No test can take all the information that is important to your career development and tell you what jobs you can do or where you would be happiest. Career tests can, however, help you to clarify your interests as well as identify areas for further exploration.
The goal of career counseling is to identify several career areas that reflect your values, interests, and ambitions. It can also help to sort out the other factors that may influence your career decision-making (e.g., family commitments, geographic limitations, life goals).
Remember, there is no one perfect choice for you. Throughout your lifetime you will make many career choices and many career changes.
But How Do I Start Making Career Decisions?
The decisions that we make are often a reflection of our values, interests, and skills. In order to make more informed decisions, it is important to be aware of the values, interests, and skills that influence decision-making.
Though you already know many of your attributes and characteristics, the following sections will help to clarify those values which are most important to you, areas of interest based upon your activities, skills that you already possess, and job characteristics that are important to you.
