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« on: September 08, 2016, 03:37:54 pm »
You can't really pick a career unless it's extremely specialized, you usually just fall into a career or jump between jobs until you're happy.
The job market isn't the same way it was 10+ years ago, what's happening now is that we are seeing a flood of talent graduate from universities. There are not as many positions as there are graduates, and unfortunately many jobs are getting either automated or outsourced. You mostly need an "in" to get a job easily, and it might not be the job/career you really want.
I think there are a few ways to start a career but it's not as easy as saying "I'm going to be a ____" and then deciding to apply for those jobs.
Education: Schools are a hub for innovation, talent, information, and community. I, and many others, were not fortunate enough to realize the benefits of networking while in school. Putting in a little extra effort while getting education can put you in the spotlight. Many companies go to universities to meet students. Take every opportunity you can to meet new people, seek new opportunities, and network. Volunteer for the school if possible, if you do a good job, the volunteer managers usually can pull strings to help you out.
Recruitment: Recruitment Agencies have a pretty bad rap, but they are not all that bad when approached professionally and their services are used with caution. Sometimes recruitment agencies have contract work which can place you in new companies. This allows you to meet a whole new set of people every time you take a new contract. If your first contract lasts 3 months, you've got an opportunity to meet new people and really shine. If nothing comes of it, the next contract allows you to meet a whole new set of people.
Job Websites: Many job research websites allow you to submit a resume, doing so will allow tons of companies and recruiters to pick your resume up and you may get some calls for all these random opportunities. If one of them is interesting, you can take that and see if you like it. You also get to meet new people. At the same time, you can look at different opportunities on the job search website.
Volunteer: Some volunteer opportunities in communities are very low commitment. Volunteer organizers often have city/government contacts. Do a good job and become friends/familiar with managers, they will be happy to help you out since you are volunteering and essentially helping them out for free.
What all of these have in common is that they put you in front of people. Doing so, not only increases your opportunity for new employment but it also allows you to explore new jobs/topics that you may not have thought of before. Maybe you do an office job at a firm that specializes in telecommunications. After working there for a while and talking to your manager and coworkers, you realize that telecommunications is cool AF. Maybe you hate it, you decide you don't want to ever do it and you bar it off your potential career list.
Don't put stress of deciding a career, instead pursue opportunities that will provide information valuable to deciding a career. It requires effort but I believe that done properly, it will lead to a happier life.
TLDR: If you can't decide on a career, seek more information about different careers. Information is found through education, work experience in different fields, and through other people's experiences which they can share with you. Education, Work, and Communication can help you decide and lead you down different paths.
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