Readers:
Dr. Randall Hansen, a nationally recognized career expert, is the Career Doctor.
Discover more about Dr. Hansen, read about the purpose of this column,
and find previous issues of this column at the home of The Career Doctor.
If you have any college, career, or job-related questions or comments that Dr. Hansen could
provide valuable assistance with, please
feel free to email him at: careerdr@quintcareers.com.
Dr. Hansen writes this column on a biweekly basis.
Jeffrey writes:
My son is a junior in high school with a 3.8 GPA, but he can't define what he wants to
do in life. His mother and I have been telling him to pick something even if it is wrong.
This will at least give him some focus and direction so that we may line up potential
colleges. What do you recommend?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
I totally agree with you that having an idea of potential future career
plans helps in many ways, including finding colleges that have strong
programs in that field. The problem, unfortunately, is that many people
struggle over the course of their lives in trying to find their ideal careers --
so the likelihood of a 16-year-old doing so is small. Many college students
go through multiple majors before settling on one.
I going to suggest some exercises for your son to take that may help him
begin to identify one or more career paths, but unless something clearly
emerges from the process, the best suggestion I have would be to narrow
the choices on some of the other major criteria students use, such as entrance
requirements, size, location, costs (and financial assistance), type (public/private),
reputation/ranking, degrees offered, and accreditation.
So, where should your son start in trying to identify possible careers and majors?
The keys are self-assessment and research. The first step is identifying favorite
courses and activities -- then looking for common elements among them. He
should also examine his strengths and weaknesses, focusing more on his strengths.
Because some people have a hard time with introspective activities, one or more
self-assessment tests can help him discover more things about himself -- and some
tests even suggest potential careers based on the results.
The second phase is research. First researching careers that match his interests
and strengths, and then talking with people in those careers to discover more about
the career paths and how they got there (including colleges, majors, degrees). He
should even consider hands-on research, such as job shadowing and volunteering.
Finally, he should research colleges and universities that offer majors/degrees for
his potential careers.
Sarah writes:
Hello, this is Sarah. Recently I had to quit my job at a local food store and
I really need a new job. I was at that job for six months. Before that I worked
at a sandwich shop, from Aug. 2002 to July 2003. It's really hard to find a job,
especially since I'm 17. I've applied to about twenty places. Any ideas?
Thank you for your time.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
I know you are looking for work more out of financial necessity than for the
experience, but let me first state how important it is for teens to gain work
experience while still in high school -- as long as you can maintain your grades.
Working part-time gives you valuable insights into how business works, the
role of employees and supervisors, and possible careers to follow -- or avoid.
That said, it’s going to take a lot of work for you to find a new job. I think your
previous experience will be one of your biggest assets, especially if you are
looking for another job dealing with customers.
The problem is that many part-time jobs are being filled with adults… people
taking a survival job while waiting for a new job in their profession, others taking
a second job to help make ends meet, and also older (mature) folks who need
or want to work after retirement. And many businesses feel more comfortable
adults -- they have more experience, the perception of more dependability,
and often more flexibility in scheduling.
So, you are going to have a plan. You’ll need to have a resume, develop a list of
prospective employers (use your family and friends to see if you have any inside
connections at those employers), submit applications to all the employers, and
then follow-up those applications.
Probably the biggest mistake I see with younger job-seekers is the belief that
once you have submitted your application you can sit back and wait for the
phone to start ringing. It is just not going to happen. You must be proactive in
contacting each employer and showing your continued interest in working for
them. Fight for those job interviews.
Anonymous writes:
I worked as a police officer for 17 years then resigned to become a deputy in
a county jail facility. Needless to say, it didn't work out; that was approximately
1 year ago. After having many interviews and an attempt at a career change it
all seems in vain. Will I ever get a position that meets my specifications? What
move should I make next?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
I think the most important thing you need to do is find a day or couple of
days for a career retreat. What are your specifications? What do you want
to do with the rest of your working life? Are you burnt out with law
enforcement? What career are you now trying to change into -- and what
have you been doing to help facilitate that change? So many questions --
that’s why you need to take some time away and do some career planning.
Your goal for this career planning retreat should be to finalize your choice(s)
for your next career, with specific steps for how you are going to achieve the
change.
If you are still searching for your next career, you need to take time for
self-reflection and research. You need to really evaluate what you like to do --
at work, at home, in all your activities. You should also examine your
accomplishments and transferable skills. Once you have gathered all this
data on yourself, the next step is researching career paths that match your
interests and strengths.
Once you have an idea of your next career move, you should shift your
efforts to developing a plan that gets you there. Will you need more education
or training? Will you need experience in the new field, and if so, how will you
get it? Does anyone in your network know people working in the field?
How will you grow your network to include people in the new career field?
Finally, you’ll need to implement your plan. Be prepared for some bumps in
the road. Career change often takes time, but with proper research and
planning, it should be a little easier for you.
Christine writes:
I am interested in a career in fashion design, fashion merchandising,
and fashion journalism. I know I can take courses in fashion design
and merchandising at community colleges, but I didn't see any courses
in fashion journalism. Would I just need to take a regular journalism
course and also the courses I need to take to do fashion design and
merchandising to be able to do all three?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
I think it’s great that you have discovered your passion in fashion. Obviously,
you envision yourself doing something in fashion, whether it’s creating it,
marketing it, or reporting on it.
That said, I think the skills you need to do those three careers are all quite
different, and while it makes sense to take classes in all three areas to absorb
as much about the fashion industry as possible, its probably better to try and
narrow down your choices. Besides learning more about the industry, the classes
might help clarify which specific path you want to follow.
I also suggest you work with a counselor and people in your network to attempt to
shadow one or more professionals in each of the career fields. See what a day in
the life is really like. If job shadowing is not possible, you can at least conduct a
number of informational interviews with people working in these careers. By doing
one or both of these activities, you’ll be able to ask people working in a job you
might aspire to how they got to where they are today -- and that should help you
with your educational and career planning.
Assuming you are in school, you should also consider one or more internships in
fashion, marketing, or journalism to help you narrow your career choices. And work
with a counselor to help narrow your choices -- and find the best career path for you.
