how did you know your career was what you wanted to do???

[pianorocker]

I'm currently in my first year at college and I thought that I wanted to major in early childhood education, and eventually get a master's in Teaching English as a Second Language. The TESL is what I'm really after, but I thought that I had wanted to teach little kids. But I'm not sure now, esp. after realizing how much teaching theory I have to go through. And, in my current major, I can graduate a year early because of all my credit (which makes my parents happy), but if I switch, I'll probably be back on the normal four years. What happened is that I found out that my university has a major in international affairs, and I thought, "Well, maybe I could do that, and still get the TESL as a master's." I volunteer-teach an ESL class for adults once a week, but despite this, I'm so very confused.
My question to anyone who wants it is: how did you know what career/major was right for you? I thought I knew, I was very certain, but not now.

 

[Doozer61]

i sold insurance for 20 years thinking that was gonna be it but i tested for the City and got hired as a clerk typist at the Health Department in 2000. I knew at that point, I wanted to be out of clerical type positions so I interviewed on a whim for Public Health Associate in the Bureau of Environmental Health in 2002. I got the job and was appointed the co-chair on a team that was to develop a curriculum teaching 4th graders about indoor environmental health hazards. We developed it and I began teaching them in March 2004. A couple of weeks ago, due to grant awards, I got promoted to Health Educator. I teach the kids and I go out to apartment buildings and teach the tenants about the hazards of lead paint.

Never in my life did I think this would excite me or that this would be my calling. So, I guess the answer is no, I didn't know that I would end up here doing something I really love.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

I knew I wanted to be a teacher in high school. I have just discovered in the past yeat that I really want to teach special ed. Once I was exposed to the SPED kids I knew what I really wanted to do. As for early childhood ed....my friends have had a difficult time finding jobs. My ESL friend had a much easier time.....

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

After 5 years of doing my current job, I am still clueless about what career I should be in.

 

[arw]

I didn't know what I wanted to do until I got my current job 4 months ago. I sort of worked in the field a few years ago but not really. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time I guess. I absolutely love my job and it's definitely something I can see myself doing for a long time but there is one thing I've always wanted to do. That would require going back to school for another degree. If this job doesn't work out then I'm going for it.

 

[Evalicious]

Im a writer......but no one except me knows it.
I have a daytime job that pays well and im happy, cos i know what i wanna do with my life..... Im also taking dance classes, but i wouldn´t want to dance professionally, cos that would bring too much stress into it and i don´t like stress

I hope things will work out for you.

 

[anitram]

I love what I do - I realized it maybe 5-6 months into my job (after much schooling). Unfortunately for me, there is no real money in medical research in the public sector (you can make more working for a pharmaceutical company if you have a PhD). So I will probably look to modify what I do, but hopefully still stay tangentially within my field because it's something I feel I'm genuinely good at.

 

[DiGi]

I graduated 6 years ago and have just recently figured it out (I hope) so I quit my job and am going back to school.

My suggestion go see a career counselor at your school. Its not to early to start. Take a bunch of different courses to see what interests you. And if you do not like what you are doing as you go along. Change it.

 

[Mr. BAW]

I spent 18 years as a police officer with a small Los Angeles County beach community; 9 of those 18 years was spent in the role of investigating car accidents; an on-duty motorcycle accident led to my early retirement; that led me into the role of an insurance investigator and for the past 10 years, BAW and I have had our own business doing independent insurance investigations for a number of different carriers and their attorneys....

I consistently work my ass off, I work weekends, nights and holidays but I've done what other former law enforcement officers have not been able to do....I've become a people-person, I can relate to others without the use of a car to car radio, and I get paid a shit-load of money to do it. I provide an excellent work product that clearly identifies the cause and reason for a collision...if you did it, I will know....

stay out of my line of work; its $tre$$ful.

 

[foray]

I'm in my job cos I can't do anything else. Plus I work at the library part-time and it's the best non-art job that I've had because I discovered that it is too soul-destroying working with idiots. I'll never take up waitressing again!

foray

 

[DaveC]

I spent 18 years as a police officer with a small Los Angeles County beach community; 9 of those 18 years was spent in the role of investigating car accidents; an on-duty motorcycle accident led to my early retirement; that led me into the role of an insurance investigator and for the past 10 years, BAW and I have had our own business doing independent insurance investigations for a number of different carriers and their attorneys....

I consistently work my ass off, I work weekends, nights and holidays but I've done what other former law enforcement officers have not been able to do....I've become a people-person, I can relate to others without the use of a car to car radio, and I get paid a shit-load of money to do it. I provide an excellent work product that clearly identifies the cause and reason for a collision...if you did it, I will know....

stay out of my line of work; its $tre$$ful.

That's the most bad-ass thing I've ever read in regards to insurance investigations.

 

[Katey]

I went the complete opposite of my family
politics and corporate nature and went in the non profit sector, have not regretted that for a moment I love it more everyday . As to the law enforcement end I could say alot as I live with one and he is a people person but I do see the good and the bad of that job.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I knew I wanted to rule the world from a very early age. So yeah, I guess it just came as part of my growing up and adolescence.

 

[Zoomerang96]

i want to be a professional traveller, who gets paid to see things.

tonite i bought a nice winter coat to help me look better doing it.

 

[u2popmofo]

And if you do not like what you are doing as you go along. Change it.

DiGi is the man. What man? THE man!

 

[Sheltie]

I am in the process of changing my profession. I taught school for five years and I have decided I don't want to do it anymore. When I first started, I was very positive and excited about teaching. After the first year, I knew I was in the wrong profession. I became very depressed about teaching because of all the political nonsense and bad behavior of children. I also found the parents were not supportive and added to the problems in the school. It seems like teachers are blamed for everything.
I still don't know what I want to do and I am at a crossroads.

 

[zoney!]

Just find something enjoy doing.

- OR -

Find something that pays your bills, and focus on things OUTSIDE of work.

LIFE IS NOT WORK!

In other words, find a job that is means to an end....I work in an industry that allows me to jump on a plane (with an available seat...in my free time) and go just about anywhere I want. I can chase bands, visit friends, go see places I haven't seen before, etc. - and THIS is what makes me happy.

 

[bonosloveslave]

I think a lot of people have an idea of what they might like to do, and then when they get around to doing it, it wasn't all they thought it would be. I think it's good to move in the direction of things that interest you, but it's probably impossible to know if you'll be satisfied doing it forever. I am a veterinarian, enjoy my career (new as it is), and though I have almost $100K in student loans, I won't rule out looking at other avenues down the line. Never say never!

 

[BAW]

I was a 20 year old mother of 2 who needed a job FAST...that's how I fell into my first job, which led me to my current career and meeting my husband

I answered a classified ad for an entry level receptionist, bluffed my way through the interview and was hired on the spot. I had certainly never considered a career in the private investigation business and thought I would work there for 6 months or so, get some experience and move on to something else.

It turned out to be a very interesting field and I was eventually promoted and given the chance to do computer related investigations (skiptracing), which I love.

So guess I kind of stumbled into my true calling...18 years later, Mr. BAW and I own our own PI firm and couldn't be happier.

 

[pianorocker]

Thanks so much everyone......


and zoney, what industry do you work in? I'm curious.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

After 5 years of doing my current job, I am still clueless about what career I should be in.

tell me about it! i don't know what the hell i want to do with my life, but it sure as hell isn't the job i've got right now. if i'm still doing this in five years, i'm going to kill myself. i think i want to open up a little sandwich shop, but where i'll get the money to do this i don't know.