Recently in Career Planning Category

Ashley writes:

Although I’m only 12, I still am trying to find my career early. That’s what my careers teacher said. I really think that I might want to be an eye doctor, though I don’t know why. And I don’t know how my parents would react to that. I don’t know much about what an eye doctor does. I tried searching on the internet but instead I came across you so I figured I’d email you. Can you help me find out more about this career and how I should react to the fact of telling my parents?

The Career Doctor responds:

Wow… I think it is great that you are contemplating future careers, but 12 seems pretty young to really know what you want to do with your life… but I am glad to help you with the process.

A lot of people pick careers without knowing why — and that’s okay if they luck into a career that matches their interests and skills. Unfortunately, a lot of people fall into the wrong careers and spend many years in a job they don’t like — or worse. Thus, it is important to regularly do some career planning — at ANY age.

The one thing you want to avoid the most is choosing a career for either the wrong reasons (high salary) or because of outside influences (family).

An eye doctor — an optometrist — is primarily responsible for the health of his or her patients’ eyes. Optometrists prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses — and refer patients with more serious issues to ophthalmologists (who perform eye surgery). Besides the four years of college, prospective optometrists must attend graduate school and earn a Doctor of Optometry degree, and then pass national and state exams before being given a license to practice.

I think the two most important characteristics for a career in optometry is a high level of skill in science and a desire to help people.

Why would you not want to discuss this career path with your parents? It’s a great profession and something to strive for — even if you find something that interests you even more next year!

There are many great sources of career information available online and in print, and I encourage you to use them. Also, assuming you have an eye doctor, see if you can schedule an appoint to talk with him or her about the pros and cons of the job.

Please use these Career Exploration Tools and Resources to help you learn more about optometry or any other career.

Kathy writes:

I just read your article, Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path. I plan to have my daughter read the links you suggested. My daughter is making decisions about AP coursework and is a little lost about what she wants to do. The school she attends just gave them some sort of aptitude test. She scored highly in the working with people and the arts areas. This is a fine way to start thinking about what she wants to do, but she is lost when it comes to finding out what type of real-life jobs exist in these areas. What do you recommend she do to get some real job insights?

The Career Doctor responds:

It’s never too early to be thinking about careers, but please remember that what interests a teen at 15 might not at 20. As I have mentioned before, I am all for having high-school students thinking about possible careers, but I am against high schools putting students in career tracks at such an early age.

Here’s my recommendation for her next steps. First, do some more assessment — take a personal inventory of the classes and activities she likes to do and then take another assessment or two (which you can do online or possibly through the school’s guidance department). The goal should be a solid list of interests and skills, as well as some career direction.

Second, begin exploring careers that match up with her interests by using sources such as the Department of Labor’s Career Guide to Industries (online and in print), which can be found linked from Quintessential Careers. These sources will provide all sorts of information, from expected job growth to working conditions to education required.

Third, talk with people working in those areas of interest. She should conduct informational interviews and ask about job-shadowing opportunities. As she begins to look at colleges, she can also talk with professors in the areas that she has the most interest.

To find specific career exploration tools, go to this section of Quintessential Careers: Career Exploration Tools and Resources.

Jenny writes:

I’m trying to set some goals for myself in the new year — in terms of my career.

What advice can you give me to reach my goals in 2010?

The Career Doctor responds:

Well, unfortunately, I don’t know what your career goals are, so my advice will have to be a bit general — but ideally useful for everyone reading the blog.

I think there are six things you should examine, contemplate, and act on to help you achieve your career goals.

First, review your accomplishments from last year. Make a list of them on a piece of paper. Are you satisfied with what you accomplished? If not, make some plans for accomplishing more this year.

Second, make some career goals for the year. Where do you want to be at the end of the year? Do you want a new career? A promotion or raise? Work-life balance? Career change?

Third, take action. All the planning in the world is not going to help you achieve your goals. You need to make action steps — and then take them! Sometimes a big change does not seem so unmanageable when you break it down into smaller steps.

Fourth, make time for professional development this year. Join a professional organization, attend a conference/workshop/seminar, get more training, read trade journals/books. Rejuvenate your skills and interests in your career.

Fifth, build your network of contacts. Networking is not just for when you are looking for a new job. Find innovative ways to add people to your list of contacts. Build those relationships.

Sixth, work on those job-search materials — your cover letter and resume — even if you are not contemplating a job change. You should always be prepared for opportunities.

These six things are a lot to work on — but all of us need to find the time to work on our career and professional development. Not only will we be better prepared for new opportunities, the process will also keep us focused on where we see ourselves going next.

And if you are looking for a concentrated approach to your job search, read my latest article: One-Week Job-Search: How to Lay the Foundation for a New Job in Just Seven Days.

Joyce writes:

My daughter has just graduated from an excellent university with a BA in English and she has no direction to pursue a career. She was told that she would need either a teaching certificate or grad work to find a job. She has no interest in teaching, but she is really good at writing and editing.

What kind of careers are open to her and where can we look for information? I have suggested she go back to the college career center and tap in to the alumni association. in order for her to write some letters for networking purposes.

The Career Doctor responds:

The good news for you and other grads and parents is that the situation your daughter faces is not that uncommon. I’ve found that many liberal-arts majors get caught up in the learning — which is wonderful — but at the expense of career planning. And going to grad school with no clear direction would be a waste of time and money.

The bad news is that there is very little mercy in today’s job market. Employers expect even entry-level job-seekers to have work experience.

English is a wonderful major because communications is vital to all organizations. Employers are always talking about the need for good communicators.

What your daughter needs to do is find a career focus. I would suggest she start by examining her likes and dislikes. What have been the activities she has enjoyed the most over the last few years. Next, she should meet with a career professional from her alma mater and do some serious brainstorming. And yes, sure, she could use the alums for informational interviews and networking.

She might also try volunteering or temping while she is developing her career focus — because the more careers she tries out, the more she’ll know what she does and does not want to do.

Finally, she should remember that finding a career is often a lifelong process.

Read more in my article published on Quintessential Careers: Developing a Strategic Vision for Your Career Plan.

Shalynn writes:

I am in the eighth grade and I am wondering about college. I would like to be an engineer. I am wondering if you know the preparations and courses I should take while I am in college.

The Career Doctor responds:

I think it is fantastic that at such an early age you are thinking about your future and about possible careers. And engineering is a great field. What interests you about engineering — and how much do you know about careers in engineering?

You are in a great position to learn more about the field while building a big support base if you follow some of my advice. I assume that you must know at least one person who is an engineer. If so, start there. If not, then ask your parents, friends, and teachers if they know someone in the engineering field. Once you have identified at least one person who works as an engineer, approach him/her professionally and ask for an informational interview — and perhaps a chance to also do a job shadowing. If you have great rapport with this person, you could consider asking him/her for names of other people in the engineering field that might also be willing to meet with you. Before you know it, you will have a wealth of information about all types of engineers (and there are aeronautical, chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, nuclear, petroleum, as well as others) — and a great network to get advice about colleges, internships, and jobs.

Wait! One more thing. As I advise all my younger students, do not panic if in the next four years before you even get to college if your interests change dramatically. There are so many jobs and careers out there — and will be even more in the eight years or so before you finish college and are ready to start yours — so learn as much as you can about engineering, but be prepared to be flexible and open to other options.

Check out this section of Quintessential Careers for links to job and career sites related to engineering: Jobs in Architecture, Building, Construction, Engineering.