How Do I Find the Right Program?
If you're slightly intimidated by the prospect of choosing careers and degree programs, you're not alone. Given the importance of the decision, it's natural to feel a little hesitation and ambivalence. After all, the degree you choose will determine the career path you take, a decision that will affect your life in myriad ways for years to come. However, you don't have to agonize over this decision to make the right choice. With the right career information and career search tools, you can gather the facts you need to make a wise, informed choice about your future. Read on to learn how we can help you through this important decision-making process.
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Accounting & Finance Additional Studies Arts Aviation & Trucking Business Computers Criminal Justice Culinary & Travel Healthcare Massage & Beauty Trades & Technical Veterinary ScienceSelf-Assessment
Introspection and self-assessment are two integral components of choosing careers wisely. Before you can know what career is right for you, you have to know yourself. What are your interests? What are you good at? These kinds of questions are critical to determinine the kinds of degrees and careers that would best suit you. You can perform a self-assessment in one of two ways. First, you can speak with an academic advisor or career counselor to evaluate your personal strengths and characteristics. Alternatively, you can take an interest or personality inventory to assess yourself more objectively. You can find career quizzes and personal inventories that measure skills, values, interests, and personality styles online or complete more formal versions at a career planning center.
Analyze the Market
Once you have the outcome of your self-assessment, you can make a list of potential careers to research. The list of possible careers generated from the self-assessment process is probably a lengthy one, so you'll want to narrow it down to five to ten careers. After you have your short list, begin a career search to find information on these professions. Find out what the positions entail, what kind of demand there is for each position, and how much they pay. This career information will help you pare down your list even further.
Practical Considerations
Remember that choosing careers is about much more than finding an interesting job that you're good at. Practical considerations are also critical to making the right decision long term. For example, you might be passionate about pre-Civil War American literature, but majoring in this topic is unlikely to lead to a wealth of job opportunities. If you majored in such an obscure field, you would almost inevitably have to go on to graduate school to be employable, and you might not have the time or the means to do so. Here are a few essential questions you need to ask yourself when performing your career search:
- Will I be employable with this degree/certificate? A career or degree is not of much use to you if it can't help you get a job.
- Can I commit the time and money necessary for the associated course of study? You may have an interest in medicine, for example, but are you ready to spend eight years in college and graduate training and then at least another four years in a residency program? The career information you gather should include the expected cost and time commitment requisite for each potential profession.
- Does the workload for this career suit my availability and preferences? For many people, time is just as valuable as the money a career provides. If free time is important to you, make sure the career you choose does not require long hours. For instance, if you decide to go to law school, you should be prepared to work 80 or more hours per week if you enter private practice.
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