V. K. writes:
My son, a college freshman, loves history. What other careers besides teaching would be available to a history major?
Since the latest statistics show that the average person will change careers — not just jobs — at least five times over his or her worklife, the most important thing for you to do is to encourage your son to finish his college education — and to fill it with as great a variety of courses as he can so that he can be exposed to a variety of skills and experiences.
As for history in particular, your son could become a government worker or aide, research assistant, lobbyist, journalist, intelligence agent, consumer advocate, foreign service worker, and others. A great source for learning more about this topic is for you to visit the Quint Careers section What Can I do With a Major in…?. Other sources of this type of career discovery information can be found at Quintessential Careers: Career Exploration.
Sean writes:
I have recently made a decision to completely change my career path. I would love to find a career that involves animals and/or travel. I want to do something important in the way of helping to save and preserve our wilderness.
I am having difficulty finding what careers are out there that would combine these two interests. Could you suggest a resource where I might find some possibilities?
Since I don’t really have any idea of your education and work background, it’s a little hard for me to know exactly the types of jobs you enjoy or are qualified for, but I’ll ignore that issue and face the bigger question: Where can you find a job/career that involves animals/wilderness/travel?
My immediate reaction was to go to Quintessential Careers: Volunteering and Nonprofit Career and Job Opportunities. At this site you can find links to Earthwatch, the National Park Service, and other organizations that may offer career opportunities that match your new career interests. There are also many other environmentally-oriented groups, such as The Wilderness Society, that have their own Websites where you may be able to network and search for job opportunities. Finally, you might check your college’s career office or a local college’s career office for leads, especially if one of these schools has an environmental studies department.
Catharine writes:
I have a bachelor’s in psychology and am not certain what I can do with this degree. I have worked for the last five years in mental retardation, but would like to get out for a while. While I was in school I attended a seminar were they discussed possible careers, but there wasn’t much that they mentioned. Any clues as to were else I could apply?
Catharine, a psychology degree is a good one because it offers you a broad choice of opportunities, though you might also want to think about continuing your education by earning a master’s degree in psychology or some related field to renew your skills, increase your credentials, and make you more marketable.
Some of the other careers you could pursue with a psychology degree include: school counselor, social worker, employment specialist, teacher, researcher, and many others.
I recommend checking out the links at Quintessential Careers: Career Exploration Resources for some great resources for discovering more ideas and resources about careers in psychology - as well as many other careers.
Gail writes:
I have worked several minimum-wage jobs since I graduated high school, hoping one day something would hit me in the head and say ” Wake up, this is your calling!” One thing I can tell you, I have the want, but no drive to make it happen. This is my biggest problem, although I want so desperately for something to happen. My question for you is where do I start in looking for a career path that is interesting to me and will bring me great pleasure? I don’t want to end up middle-aged, hating my job, feeling as though I have wasted my life in a career that is not satisfying or enjoyable. What kind of tests can I take? Who should I talk too? Also, keep in mind I don’t want to have to pay a lot of money or any money at all if possible.
It sounds as though you have not hit that place in life where you realize that finding an ideal career and job is work in itself. You can’t expect a career to find you. It sounds as though you are close to this realization, but you may have a way to go to make something happen.
When you’re ready to do some work to try and find your ideal career — keeping in mind that current statistics show the average person changing careers about five times in their lives — here are my suggestions:
First, make a list of the things that you do well and the things you enjoy doing.
Second, take a few of the career assessment tests. I’ve gathered a few of my personal favorites at Quintessential Careers: Career Assessment. Many of these tests will give you a number of careers that take advantage of your skills and interests.
Third, with the information you have from the first two steps, either contact your old high-school guidance office and talk with one of the counselors or visit a college university or community college and see if you can learn more about the education requirements for the types of careers that interest you.
Fourth, consider volunteering, job-shadowing, or informational interviews to learn more and see first-hand people working in the careers that interest you.
These steps take a lot of time and effort, but the end results should lead you to some exciting choices. Good luck in your search.
Tiffany writes: I am an international studies major with a minor in Spanish, and I am also getting an international business certificate (which indicates that I took a few business courses). I’m getting ready to graduate and I’ve been looking all over the Internet for jobs and there don’t seem to be any for liberal-arts majors. Employers seem to want people who are highly skilled in one area. I’m slightly skilled in only a few areas. What should I do? Do I have to go back to school and start all over in a different field. I don’t have the money to take any more classes or I would. HELP!
You obviously have an interest in international affairs and you have some skills in Spanish. You should start there. What is it about international studies that excites you and got you interested in the field? Do you like the idea of traveling abroad? Working in a foreign country? Spend some time identifying the various aspects of your education that you enjoyed. Did you have one or more internships or other work experiences? Did you travel abroad while in college?
In the end, the dirty secret of an international studies major is that you can really go into any number of career fields, though some may require an advanced degree. Your strengths lie in the skills you acquired while getting your degree: the ability to understand and appreciate different cultures, economies, and political systems; the ability to communicate in two languages; the ability to analyze and see the world from a broader prospective.
The key for you is to marry your interests with your skills, then find jobs that use that combination of interests and skills, and then find employers hiring people in those jobs.
I suggest you also take the time to read my latest article published on Quintessential Careers: 10 Tips for Landing a Job Overseas.
One final piece of advice. While there are some good job sites for people with “international” skills, such as LatPro.com, job-hunting on the Net should only be a VERY small part of your overall job search. I think you’ll benefit greatly from spending some time in a free tutorial we have on Quintessential Careers: Job Search 101.
Rosemary writes:
I am 17 years old and interested in a career in research. I think I would like to work for the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). I have been trying to find a list of disciplines/occupations employed by the CDC, and I can’t find one. Can you help me locate a listing of potential research oriented occupations?
Rosemary, research is a huge field … and there are many possibilities within it to specialize — all sorts of scientific specialties, with many jobs requiring advanced degrees.
The CDC has a section of its Website geared to Training and Employment Opportunities.
I also suggest you search the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook for more detailed information about careers in various areas of research. The information here will help direct your focus in a career direction as well as toward a specific major in college.
Jen writes:
I am 16 years old. I need help finding a career because I think it is so important to start making these decisions now. I am thinking of a career in the sciences, most likely biological studies, or perhaps psychology. I am much better at the arts, but I want a career where I can make good money. I get really good grades at school, so I am up for a challenge. I would very much appreciate any help you could give me.
The Career Doctor responds:
Jen, I first want to praise you for thinking ahead about your future education and employment goals, but I also want to let you know that it is okay not to have everything set in stone at age 16. My advice for you between now and college is to continue taking college-prep courses that you need and that interest you, work or volunteer at a couple of different companies and organizations (such as an art gallery?), and continue to discuss your career goals with family, teachers, and counselors … you might also consider reading the job descriptions available at our Quint Careers job board and other job sites to get a feel for the types of jobs available in a variety of fields.
In fact, an article on Quintessential Careers may be perfect for you. Check out Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path.
One final piece of advice: don’t eliminate any possibilities just yet. The key to a successful work life is finding employment that you love to do — not just a job that pays well. If you like the arts, there are plenty of jobs that offer a good salary while allowing you to work at something you enjoy… but keep in mind that your interests may change as you further mature and continue your education.
Anonymous writes:
My question is how to find satisfaction with my career. I've got very marketable skills but find myself job-hopping because the satisfaction never lasts beyond a few years. The money may be less in another industry but satisfaction may be better. How do I find a balance? Many Thanks.
You need to find that balance. While a little job-hopping is almost expected in today's job market, employers do not like to receive resumes of people who can't seem to hold a job. In other words, if you don't find balance soon, you may soon find it very hard to find a new job.
Job satisfaction comes from many sources, so you need to decide what the most important factors are to you for job satisfaction.
Perhaps a good book for you to read is Career Satisfaction & Success: A Guide to Job and Personal Freedom, by Bernard Haldane, Ph.D. He writes from his many years of experience helping people make the most of their careers and lives.
Juliana writes:
I am interested in pursuing economics at the college level. However, I am not entirely sure if I will be able to get a job after completing my studies. Maybe you could help me identify the kind of careers I will go into with an economics degree.
There are quite a few occupations you could choose to venture into with an economics degree. Here are just a few: economist, market analyst, claim adjuster, systems analyst, inventory control specialist, demographer, geographer, and many others.
For a great source of transferable skills, list of occupations, and other resources, visit the college majors section of Quintessential Career.
Another great source of information is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, which you can search here for more information about economics.
Mike writes:
I am presently a 24-year-old executive chef. I work insane hours to make the kitchen function in a field that get little respect and is very hard to find good employees. I am getting tired of it. I have the capabilities to do just about anything. I don't know what I want to do. Is there an online link that can give you questions and compile them into possible careers from the way you answer them?
First, let me say, Mike, that if you are good at what you do and you enjoy being a chef -- minus the hassles -- you should consider staying a chef, but look at other avenues for being a chef. If, however, you feel being a chef is not in your future, then, yes, there are a number of free online personality and career-focused tests that you can take that can give you some direction and some focus. These tests, however, will not give you answers...maybe only more questions.
You can find what I consider the best self-assessment tests on the Web in this section of Quintessential Careers: Career Assessment Tools & Tests. There are also some good ones that you have to pay to get the results, but for most people, those on this list are enough. If you feel you need yet more tests, email me back and I'll set you up with a few others.
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