The counselling foundation of Canada recently put out a survey saying that over half of Canadian Millennials wouldn’t take the same post-secondary program if given a do-over, and that they’d rather have taken something different.
It’s unfortunate that so many students make career and education choices they regret. Picking your career path is not something that should be decided quickly, or because of outside factors, like what your family wants. Instead, don’t rush into it, take your time, and get it right, so it can be something that satisfies you, not others.
Adding to that, while it’s a good idea to get your choice right the first time, if you can’t, it’s still something you can bounce back from. But we’ll get to that in a moment.
How to pick the best career
The Financial Post offers some tips for how to pick the best career for yourself. They include:
What makes you happy?
That’s the key to picking the right career: Finding something you enjoy. Sometimes, people consider “doing what you love” to be a luxury, with making money being the priority, but the truth is, a job you don’t like is a job you’ll do poorly at, putting your career advancement, and the money that comes with it, at risk in the process. So figuring out what you love is important on multiple levels.
Along the same lines, you should figure out what kind of work environment you function best in. Is busy okay, or will it overwhelm you? Do you need something laid-back, or will it just make you bored? Take your time, because it’s important. Also important:
What are you good at?
It’s also worth picking a career that involves your natural talents, since if the specifics of your job come naturally to you, you’ll enjoy it more.
Not sure what your talents are? They don’t have to be as direct as, say, cooking, fixing cars, music or math. They can also be broader skills like teamwork or critical thinking.
For these types of less direct skills, research a career online, or even contact professionals in the industry for informational interviews to find out the skills they make use of regularly. For those that don’t know, informational interviews are where you speak to a professional from a field you want to be in, and simply ask them for details about their career, to find out what it’s really like from an outsider. If you need to find a professional, you can use LinkedIn, or a college’s resources. It’s easier than you think, as most professionals would love to talk about their careers.
What to do when your career doesn’t fit you
On the other hand, let’s say you’re at a place in school or work where you think you’ve made the wrong choice. Don’t panic! Do, however, take action and make a change. Don’t just go through the motions, in school or in work, just to see it through. Instead, change tracks. Here’s a few ways you can do so.
Part-Time Learning
If you’ve already entered the job market, and have a career you don’t like, you may feel like you’re locked into it, because you don’t have time for education. But that’s not true, thanks to Centennial College’s Part-Time Education programs, which take place on evenings and weekends, letting you get your education without the risks that come with quitting your job. If you’re looking to study something new, they’re a convenient way to get your education.
Volunteer and Network
If you need practical experience to get the job, volunteering is a good way to log hours, make connections and have a look at what the profession is all about. Fortunately, a number of centennial’s programs involve co-op placements that give you just that, letting you log practical experience that also makes room for the kind of networking mentioned above.
By Anthony Geremia