Choosing a Career

choosing a career

BIG Ideas:

  • Knowing your interests, strengths, and passions can help you choose a career that fits your life.
  • Internships and volunteer opportunities can provide hands-on experience and give you a glimpse into your field of interest.
  • Career assessment and aptitude tests can also be useful in helping guide your career decisions.

What do you want to be when you grow up? 

You may remember being asked that question in your youth. But now that you’re heading to or living in college and starting your journey in adulthood, it’s time to find the answer.

So how exactly do you decide, especially when there are so many choices out there? Do you choose a field that offers great pay and employment opportunities? Or one that ignites a passion you’ve always had?

Well, you can start with a little soul-searching and researching by considering these important factors:

  • Interest and passions. What do you love to do? For example, do you have a passion for design? Animals? Or caring for others? Careers that fuel a passion can motivate you to go to work every day and advance your career opportunities.
  • Skills and strengths. Next, make a list of your strengths and abilities. Do you excel at math or have a flair for writing? Are you good at communicating and being around people? Or maybe you’re exceptional at problem-solving. Knowing your skills and strengths can help you find a career that gives you a great chance of success.
  • Your values and goals. Sure, you’re young now and just starting your adult journey but that doesn’t mean you don’t have goals for life and understand the things that are important to you. For example, you may know that you want to have a big family one day and want a job that will provide flexibility. Or maybe you want a lucrative career that will make it easier to provide for your family.

    Think about other aspirations and goals you might have. For example, would you like to own your own company one day? Travel the world? Or start a nonprofit that helps others? Knowing what you want out of life can help guide your career decisions.

  • Your work environment. How do you work best – independently or by collaborating with others? Do you prefer the routine of going into an office every day or would you like the flexibility to work remotely, which gives you the freedom to work from anywhere? You may even want a job that takes you on the road, where every day brings something different.
  • Additional education/training requirements. Some careers require extra schooling and or certifications. So, when choosing a career know what’s involved, and if you have the time and money to further your education. You may not have to pursue the extra education or training immediately after college. With a career like nursing, for example, you could work for some time to gain experience and save money before you further your education and become a nurse practitioner.
  • Job market/career opportunities. As you know, college is a huge investment. That’s why you want to choose a career that offers job opportunities, earning potential, and growth. Some fields like computer programming, engineering, and accounting offer higher earning potential than others, and careers in business management, physician’s assistant, information security, and data science are in high demand.
  • Professional research. If you want to learn more about day-to-day responsibilities and opportunities for advancement, why not talk to someone in the field? You can visit LinkedIn to find professionals or talk to neighbors or friends of your family members.
  •  Internships/volunteer opportunities. There’s an even better way to get a sense of a particular field – get hands-on experience as a volunteer or intern. Talk to your school about potential internship or volunteer opportunities. Or contact companies you may be interested in and tell them what you’re looking for.
  • Career assessment tests. We get it, the last thing you want to do is take more tests. There are, however, some career assessments and aptitude tests available that can help you identify potential career paths based on your interests and skills. Check out this career interest quiz from My Texas Future, or use their Career Explorer to find careers based on geographic area demand, required schooling, and education skills.

Remember, your career is not a destination; it’s a journey. Be ready to change direction as you learn more about yourself and the professional world. No matter what career you choose or where you work, it’s your professional life and you’re in charge.

A career in helping students build brighter futures

For more than 40 years, Brazos Higher Education has been helping make education more affordable for students and parents. As a Texas non-profit, we can offer you savings on a range of student loans and guidance to help you work toward the bright future you deserve. Contact us today!