Are you unhappy with your current career?

These are questions most of us have at different times throughout life. While some people are able to decide early what it is they want to do for the rest of their life, the average person will change their career seven times.

There are many things to consider when determining your perfect career. First, consider the environment. Do you enjoy working with people? Are you the type of person who needs daily human contact? Or do you prefer to speak to others only on an occasional basis?

Do you have a specific age group you like to work with? Do you prefer working with kids, adolescents, adults, or the elderly? Is it important for you to carry on an intelligent conversation or do you like playing with toddlers? Do you want to learn from individuals who are older than yourself who can provide mentorship and experience?

Really think over these questions as they can be critical to your over-all satisfaction. Many people skip this step only to regret it later.

Even though you may be the type of person who gets along with everyone, you may find it difficult to tolerate screaming kids, or maybe find it hard to listen to a colleague who rambles on for three hours about their weekend parties. Take some time to notice the type of people you like to have in your life.

Volunteering could save you $$$ and wasted years.

If in doubt try volunteering some time in your questioned field. You will find that a lot of programs will require you to spend time observing or working in your area of study before applying to the program. So get a head start. The only way you are going to find out if it is a good fit is to jump in feet first and find out what it's all about.

Another useful idea is to go to your local college/university or other career center and fill out the career surveys/inventories they have. Many of these centers offer free services, ask first though, just to be sure. You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire to assist you in narrowing down your choices and it will probably give you other ideas to consider you may never have thought of.

A guidance counselor will go over the results with you. Really talk to these individuals as they usually know a lot about different career choices available to you. They can tell you what the job outlook is, what classes to consider taking, even where to get job training. There's one step you need to take before you do anything else. It may seem basic but it's the most important...

Get specific

Figure out what you enjoy doing and see what career fits with the activities you enjoy. Remember though, it's not enough to say that you love working with computers. You need to also ask yourself, "What aspects of working with computers do I enjoy"? Do you like fixing computers, creating programs, or designing websites? Really break down the activities you enjoy to determine what aspects make it worth pursuing as your chosen career.

You may also consider how much money you're willing to invest in your education and what other resources are available to you. Other considerations of course are what aspects of your life do you need to schedule around. Kids, other employment, social obligations, etc.

Always remember one of your goals in life should be to be happy. Which will make you happier? 1) Taking a job others want you to pursue, 2) A job that pays the most, or 3) Finding a job that pays well and you look forward to getting up and going to everyday? Deciding now can save you a lot of time, money, and effort later.

ks