What age should you know what you want to do for a career?

[brendannz]

I'm sure there isn't a set age where you need to know exactly what you want to do with your life. But what are your thoughts, about when you get your career situation sorted out..

Did anyone choose any incorrect career paths? and changed their mind? it still helped you along the way?

Please discuss

[Nemosyne]

I don't know that your career should be set in stone - but I do believe there are careers that make it harder to change - like MD's, JD's, and secretarial work.

I've been thinking about this a ton actually. There's some statistic that we change our careers something like 7 times in our life. I'm probably at 8001. Alright, that's probably an exxageration.

It's a dilemma I've been trying to solve though too. I keep thinking and thinking about it to no avail.

My talents lie in the field of communication - writing, reading, editing, research and design. I pretty much have no other useful main traits for work. I've been strongly right-brained most of my life. But, I've always had this burning desire to help people, and have volunteered at least as long as I started working. My work problems really came to pass when I started taking jobs with nonprofits instead of simply volunteering anymore.

Long story short, my heart was in the right place, but my skill really wasn't. I love people, but am not a people person (like that makes sense - lol). I want to help people, but practical skills like helping a teenage girl learn to cook for herself and her baby? I sucked really bad at those things. I spent 6 years trying to force myself to be someone I'm not capable of being - and I got burnt out trying to help people in ways that I wasn't really good at doing.

Recovering from burnout, I went back to writing, technical writing, editing and graphic design. And although I'm good at it, hated it. It's been 5 years now, but it still feels uninspiring, it doesn't really help people on a broad sense, and I've been bored for years with it. I desperately want to find my way that includes writing and also includes helping people.

In the meantime, I started a blog geared at helping people - which combines my love for people, and my writing skills. I haven't made any money at it yet, so, therefore, it can't be considered a career. I'm unemployed at present, and loving it. I know, for practical reason I have to go back out there, but I'm also at a complete loss on what exactly to do.

Work, and especially the corporate world, is a strange game people play. I wish you luck finding your answers!

[brendannz]

Yeah, I suppose the other thing is we're always doing something, and the moment we know exactly where we want to be in life, we're probably dead..

Like we're always works in progress I guess..

[theorique]

Originally Posted by brendannz

I'm sure there isn't a set age where you need to know exactly what you want to do with your life. But what are your thoughts, about when you get your career situation sorted out..

Did anyone choose any incorrect career paths? and changed their mind? it still helped you along the way?

Please discuss

I think your question is a great one to ask but it presupposes a few things:

- that peoples' career growth and development is a process of convergence on "what you are going to do with your life", which then carries forward unchanged from that point

- that there's a "correct" or "incorrect" answer to this question

The best answer to this question for someone who's 25 is unlikely to be the best answer to the question for that same person at age 35, or for a different 25 year old.

The "best" answer balances many different things - time, earnings, choice of activities at work, location, autonomy, responsibilities, and so forth.

It's a good idea to have an clear understanding of different activities that you love to do, and to figure out you might do those things to earn money. In that sense, the earlier in life you figure out these things the better, because then you have more time to do what you love. But it's not as though there's an absolute right or wrong answer - in a lot of cases, making mistakes and doing the "wrong" thing is the only way you ever get to learn what the "right" thing is.

[Angela]

I think by the time you're 100, you should, ideally, at least have some idea about what you'd like to do when you grow up.

But that's not a hard and fast rule. Some people are late bloomers.

[Mounds]

When I was 22, I decided I wanted to be a superhero that's cooler than Superman, Spiderman, The Hulk, Wovlerine, Batman and Captain America all put together.
Mission accomplished.

[brendannz]

Originally Posted by Angela

I think by the time you're 100, you should, ideally, at least have some idea about what you'd like to do when you grow up.

It would really suck dying at 99, then you'd never figure out your life purpose

[Angela]

Originally Posted by brendannz

It would really suck dying at 99, then you'd never figure out your life purpose

I don't think it's essential to figure out your life purpose -- I don't think one's life must suck if one doesn't figure out one's life purpose, necessarily.

And: career choice even less so. Life purpose and career choice are two entirely different things, wouldn't you agree?

[brendannz]

Originally Posted by Angela

I don't think it's essential to figure out your life purpose -- I don't think one's life must suck if one doesn't figure out one's life purpose, necessarily.

And: career choice even less so. Life purpose and career choice are two entirely different things, wouldn't you agree?

*nods*

[ellie]

I didn't know what I wanted to be, up until now - I'm 30.

It's funny I'm in the same sort of area I am trained in (design), the only difference is I'm designing for myself rather than other people...so I guess I'm more like an artist now.

I seriously wanted to throw the whole design thing in, so glad I didn't...instead I actually now utilise my skills for something that suits me more. I'm so glad I figured it out in time, because I was inches away....from just letting it go. Phewwww.

But I don't think there is any age limit, it takes a while to nut things out.

[pyrogen]

Originally Posted by Nemosyne

I don't know that your career should be set in stone - but I do believe there are careers that make it harder to change - like MD's, JD's, and secretarial work.

I've been thinking about this a ton actually. There's some statistic that we change our careers something like 7 times in our life. I'm probably at 8001. Alright, that's probably an exxageration.

It's a dilemma I've been trying to solve though too. I keep thinking and thinking about it to no avail.

My talents lie in the field of communication - writing, reading, editing, research and design. I pretty much have no other useful main traits for work. I've been strongly right-brained most of my life. But, I've always had this burning desire to help people, and have volunteered at least as long as I started working. My work problems really came to pass when I started taking jobs with nonprofits instead of simply volunteering anymore.

Long story short, my heart was in the right place, but my skill really wasn't. I love people, but am not a people person (like that makes sense - lol). I want to help people, but practical skills like helping a teenage girl learn to cook for herself and her baby? I sucked really bad at those things. I spent 6 years trying to force myself to be someone I'm not capable of being - and I got burnt out trying to help people in ways that I wasn't really good at doing.

Recovering from burnout, I went back to writing, technical writing, editing and graphic design. And although I'm good at it, hated it. It's been 5 years now, but it still feels uninspiring, it doesn't really help people on a broad sense, and I've been bored for years with it. I desperately want to find my way that includes writing and also includes helping people.

In the meantime, I started a blog geared at helping people - which combines my love for people, and my writing skills. I haven't made any money at it yet, so, therefore, it can't be considered a career. I'm unemployed at present, and loving it. I know, for practical reason I have to go back out there, but I'm also at a complete loss on what exactly to do.

Work, and especially the corporate world, is a strange game people play. I wish you luck finding your answers!

Wow - we're very very similar.

I used to work in the fields of graphic art, web, and software (as a contractor, I've done each of these). I left the field and later worked in health care. I even thought I wanted to be a doctor. Fortunately I didn't get very far with prerequisite coursework because now I really, really miss my old line of work.

[Manomanman]

When you hit adolescence, you should know.

The fact that people don't know what to do at the age of 27 means:

YOU ARE A GROWN UP CHILD

I'm not saying it to be mean, I'm saying it because it's true.

I felt like a child for the past year while I was trying to figure out my "purpose" because the path handed to me by the education system was, well, jacked up.

[brendannz]

[QUOTE=Manomanman;582679]

When you hit adolescence, you should know.

'Should' know? are you joking?

The fact that people don't know what to do at the age of 27 means:

YOU ARE A GROWN UP CHILD

What about people who are in low-end jobs full time? are they grown up children? because they're not doing much with their lives? or are the dumb adults?

What about Tolkien's line "not all those that wander are lost" ?

I'm not saying it to be mean, I'm saying it because it's true.

Yeah, I feel like a grown up child, in some ways.

[Bazza]

Originally Posted by Manomanman

When you hit adolescence, you should know.

The fact that people don't know what to do at the age of 27 means:

YOU ARE A GROWN UP CHILD

I'm not saying it to be mean, I'm saying it because it's true.

I felt like a child for the past year while I was trying to figure out my "purpose" because the path handed to me by the education system was, well, jacked up.

That must have put a lot of pressure on you when you were a teenager. Why do you think that career uncertainty points to immaturity? (especially in the early 20's when so many of us are busy individuating)

[brendannz]

[QUOTE=Bazza;582702]

That must have put a lot of pressure on you when you were a teenager.

Yeah, I don't know if it's possible to know what you want to do as a teenager, because it seems like making mistakes is essential for our development. Like the journey rather than the destination..

I think he might be right in some respects though, about the "Grown Up Child" bit.. but maybe everyone develops differently

[Manomanman]

Your elders should teach you how to economically fend for yourself by the age of 14.

You can LEARN BY DOING once you have a basic understanding of economics.

Public education is learning by MEMORIZING - which is the OPPOSITE of experience.

You CANNOT determine your purpose in life by memorizing --- only by doing.

[brendannz]

[QUOTE=Manomanman;582714]

Your elders should teach you how to economically fend for yourself by the age of 14.

OK, here's another thing.. It's one thing to fend for yourself in a job you don't enjoy but pays the bills, and it's another thing to have a purposeful job which I think is what I meant by "knowing what to do for your career"

It would've been nice if my elders taught me to fend for myself at the age of 14, but ahh well.. I guess I learnt the hard way. I'm quite good at managing money though, so maybe I learnt by example..

Public education is learning by MEMORIZING - which is the OPPOSITE of experience.

This, I agree with you on.. a good mix of theory and practice can be good.. But all theory & no practice is a bit ridiculous, and also it's kind of like, you're delaying living a bit.. Filling your head with information with the hope it will be useful someday

You CANNOT determine your purpose in life by memorizing --- only by doing.

This, I think I agree with, but at the same time, you cannot determine the correct path without first finding the wrong path? Otherwise you have no sense of comparison to know whats right or wrong? So in that sense there isn't really a set age, we should know our purpose? Or maybe when you said "adult child" you didn't really mean it as a bad thing.

I guess it's like the Bob Dylan question "how many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man" (or a woman)

[Manomanman]

[QUOTE=brendannz;582720]

Originally Posted by Manomanman

Or maybe when you said "adult child" you didn't really mean it as a bad thing.

I guess it's like the Bob Dylan question "how many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man" (or a woman)

I don't mean it in a derogatory way.

I simply mean that you haven't matured fully in that aspect of yourself.

I think children are wonderful and have lots of noble qualities about them.

The problem with adults is that, at some point, you've just got to grow the hell up.

You can delay growing up if you want to (a lot of people do - playing WoW in mom's basement), but you'll pay the consequences, which is a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ life.

[brendannz]

[QUOTE=Manomanman;582738]

Originally Posted by brendannz

I don't mean it in a derogatory way.

I simply mean that you haven't matured fully in that aspect of yourself.

I think children are wonderful and have lots of noble qualities about them.

The problem with adults is that, at some point, you've just got to grow the hell up.

You can delay growing up if you want to (a lot of people do - playing WoW in mom's basement), but you'll pay the consequences, which is a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ life.

Yep, sounds like my definition for "know what you want to do for a career" means having a job which feels meaningful and you want to do for the rest of your life, and your definition was being able to play your own bills..

Maybe my definition was an illusion in the first place, and there is no destination to reach, kind of like what Angela said, who knows.. at least yours was concrete

[Manomanman]

[QUOTE=brendannz;582763]

Originally Posted by Manomanman

Yep, sounds like my definition for "know what you want to do for a career" means having a job which feels meaningful and you want to do for the rest of your life, and your definition was being able to play your own bills..

Maybe my definition was an illusion in the first place, and there is no destination to reach, kind of like what Angela said, who knows.. at least yours was concrete

Step 1: Learn to pay the bills.

Step 2: Learn how to pay the bills doing what you love.

I'm not denying that there's a difference between meaningful and meaningless work.

But in order to get to the meaningful work, you've got to understand how to extract money in exchange for the value you create, or you're just going to end up being a slave to your wage in "the rat race."

[Orionjoel]

This is quite an interesting topic. I do to some extent agree on all the tracks of thoughts here.

It is true I have read similar articles that state 7 career changes in our working life, I have also read other articles saying that the number of changes is going to only get greater, due to many reasons about job stability, and such.

I do not think that there is a set age you have to know what you want to do by. However I think the sooner you can get this aspect checked off the better off you will be in the long term. If this is at 14 then you will be a long way ahead of many people, however if it happens to be 30 so be it. As long as you want to know what you want to do, and go for it, and don't just spend your time geting by in a job you do not want to do, just because it pays the bills.

[pyrogen]

Originally Posted by Orionjoel

This is quite an interesting topic. I do to some extent agree on all the tracks of thoughts here.

It is true I have read similar articles that state 7 career changes in our working life, I have also read other articles saying that the number of changes is going to only get greater, due to many reasons about job stability, and such.

I do not think that there is a set age you have to know what you want to do by. However I think the sooner you can get this aspect checked off the better off you will be in the long term. If this is at 14 then you will be a long way ahead of many people, however if it happens to be 30 so be it. As long as you want to know what you want to do, and go for it, and don't just spend your time geting by in a job you do not want to do, just because it pays the bills.

I agree with this. Figure out your dreams when you're young then act on them. Don't get into the trap of making a "pragmatic" choice then find yourself hating it but unable to transition later because of responsibilities or even because of your AGE.

In fact many industries are quite ageist and the ageism begins in the 30s, not the 50s. I have known many people who said that they weren't going to go to art school on account of their age, and didn't know at the time it's because you often can't even get a scholarship if you're over 35! I've wanted to go back to school and possibly be a commercial artist but I don't know how practical it is to do so when I may not be able to do anything with my degree, on account of my age. It's pretty bleak for older artists who aren't already established; "emerging artist" programs are always for people under 35 and have actual age limits. It's legal to discriminate in terms of scholarships, artist-in-residence programs, galleries, and the like and it's actually the norm and nobody thinks of it as discrimination.

I'd love to work in digital art (especially gaming) the most but it's not really possible to control your own working hours, which as a 36 year old, I *need*. I was fine with 16 hour days at 22. I worked in the gaming industry when I was younger, and the working conditions are not generally acceptable to people over 30, let alone anyone who has a family - I watched the family people get fired right and left because of being unable to do the overtime. The day that game companies contract out-of-house from independents, is the day I'd love to be in that field. Maybe the working conditions are different for artists than for testers, I don't know.

So, yeah. I should've done all of this when I was younger.

[Nemosyne]

I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I was younger. I knew exactly what I wanted to do at 15, 20, 25 and went for it - and did it. 35... it's not the same thing. I've changed, and the things that are important to me have changed. I don't think you ever stop growing, so age matters less when you're looking for work that will both pay the bills and make you happy!

[ellie]

Originally Posted by pyrogen

Wow - we're very very similar.

I used to work in the fields of graphic art, web, and software (as a contractor, I've done each of these). I left the field and later worked in health care. I even thought I wanted to be a doctor. Fortunately I didn't get very far with prerequisite coursework because now I really, really miss my old line of work.

That's interesting I kind of did the same thing, got into graphic design/web design...thought I hated the industry and tried to get out of it, by wanting be a kinder teacher.

But luckily I realised in the knick of time, that in fact I do love design, I just don't like working for others. So now I am more of an artist, where I have free reign. It's like a completely new perspective for me, and works a treat!

In ideal word we would know what we wanted to do when we were in are teens, but unfortunately most parents aren't entrepreneurial. They don't see the world the way entrepreneurs do, which is teach em young, to fend for themselves.

This was a really great talk about teaching children to be entrepenurs, and agree with his ideas TEDxEdmonton , Archive Cameron Herold: Raising Kids to be Entrepreneurs

[elucidate]

Or, if it took you til you were 99 to work out what you wanted to be...and then you died the next day. That'd SUCK

Originally Posted by brendannz

It would really suck dying at 99, then you'd never figure out your life purpose

[elucidate]

Most people ARE Adult children, given that we are all dysfunctional in some ways, or at least most of us.

There is no age limit to know what you want to do. Some people work it out early on, some people take longer and they have to go through more crap jobs before they do work it out than others. Some people never do, and they just drift around til they die.[QUOTE=brendannz;582691]

Originally Posted by Manomanman

'Should' know? are you joking?



What about people who are in low-end jobs full time? are they grown up children? because they're not doing much with their lives? or are the dumb adults?

What about Tolkien's line "not all those that wander are lost" ?



Yeah, I feel like a grown up child, in some ways.

[brendannz]

Originally Posted by elucidate

Now Brendannz, don't forget you are in the presence of an Enlightened one here...you should bow down and grovel to Manonmanonman

No really, if you read later post, you'll see the discussion took a good direction after it was initially puzzling..

[elucidate]

Yeah, I read it, and it did evolve into a good discussion...I just couldn't help myself at the time.

[wgamador]

Originally Posted by Manomanman

When you hit adolescence, you should know.

The fact that people don't know what to do at the age of 27 means:

YOU ARE A GROWN UP CHILD

I'm not saying it to be mean, I'm saying it because it's true.

I felt like a child for the past year while I was trying to figure out my "purpose" because the path handed to me by the education system was, well, jacked up.

You cant be serious.
Some people have to overcome a lot of adversity early in life and could be 10 year behind their peers as far as success is concerned.
The way I see it, i look at my peers who are working at an office or teaching and I say, in 10 years they will move up but if i go to school during that same time and go to school for something worthwile, in 10 years I could make up all that lost salary and how great would it be in 10 years my peers are driving their Mercedes and im pulling up to them in a Lamborghini.
That would be ****ing sweet.

[pjhaggerty]

I kinda laugh at this question.

if you look at underdeveloped countries, humans know what they're doing for life as young as 13 or 14, and they do it for life.

I think that being able to find a life's purpose and career that 'works for you' is a luxury. Obviously most people on this forum are lucky enough to enjoy that luxury.

I would suggest that if you want a career that can be your 'life's purpose' you find a mission to accomplish which is so big that your chances of seeing it accomplished during your lifetime are infintessimally small. Some change you wish to see in the world. For example, the Dalai lama seeking freedom for Tibet.

Anything less and you'll probably have to go through this uncertainty again.

Manomann, I agree that our education system is all messed up. Then again, you have to ask what it's goal is before you can definitely say rather it's messed up or not. Seeing as the education system has many purposes, stakeholders, conflicting interests, and very little in the way of a comprehensive, cohesive, clear purpose/mission statement, it is a lot of things to a lot of people.

I wish I had been taught how to be economically self sufficient from 14 through 18 instead of what I was taught. Oh well. It's never too late to learn.