To those who currently love their career - how did you get started in it?

[JeffistheAnswer]

Hey guys, I haven't been here in a while, so I'd like to re-enter this community by asking the question you see in the topic title. The reason I ask this is because I'm rather curious as to how successful people start off.

I'm 17 and am about to start my senior year of high school, which means I'm going to have to start making some decisions as to which direction I want to go. I feel I have a pretty good idea of that since I know what I enjoy doing, but I would also like to hear some stories for encouragement!

[fooka]

Originally Posted by JeffistheAnswer

Hey guys, I haven't been here in a while, so I'd like to re-enter this community by asking the question you see in the topic title. The reason I ask this is because I'm rather curious as to how successful people start off.

I'm 17 and am about to start my senior year of high school, which means I'm going to have to start making some decisions as to which direction I want to go. I feel I have a pretty good idea of that since I know what I enjoy doing, but I would also like to hear some stories for encouragement!

Whatever you do, it's all about finding a way to supply many people with something valuable. Find a way to sell something that you like to sell, or you like to make. You are either going to be a "producer" of something, or a distributor of something. But what it all comes down to is supplying the world with something that they want and need and can benefit from.

[emmycares]

Hello all I am a newbie trying to find my feet who love to learn and earning

[MissyMiss]

I love my career, but I'm self-employed.

I got started by working for pennies - literally. Some people are embarrassed to admit this, but I'm not.

I'm a freelance writer, and I knew nothing about writing other than the fact that I liked to do it. I dropped out of high school and had no direction in my life.

I started writing for fun, just to get my feelings out. Then I began doing product reviews on Epinions and realized you earned money for writing over there.

After I received my first paycheck from Epinions, I was like, Wow, people pay other people for their words. Crazy!

However, it took me years to realize that writing is a "real job". I was originally a nursing major.

Even now, I still have people ask when I'm going to get a "real job". Writing is a real job, and it's something I enjoy.

My advice to you is to find something you actually enjoy - even if it's just a little side job that you do for yourself. I've had terrible office jobs and fast food jobs, and they were terrible. TERRIBLE.

What do you like to do? What are you good at? Do you like working alone or with others? Do you need constant supervision? Is money important to you? These are all questions you need to ask yourself before you decide on a career.

This is your life, and you don't have to settle. Don't let people scare you with talk about the bad economy. Yes, the economy still kinda sucks - but some people are still getting jobs. Make sure you're one of them.

I'm assuming you're looking for a traditional job, not a self-employed gig. If that's the case, do your homework. Read about companies that interest you. Look for message boards where employees discuss how they feel about the job. Find out how they treat customers and clients.

When it's time for your interview, show up early and look sharp. Smile, greet the interviewer by name, and immediately shake his hand. Shake hands again after the interview. Thank the interviewer for meeting with you.

Oh, and look at an interview as a chance for YOU to learn more about the company - not just for the company to learn more about you. You do NOT have to accept a job offer if it isn't what you want. Remember, you'll be working with these people every day for months or even years.

People will probably yell at me for telling you that, but I don't care. Never settle for a position that will make you unhappy. I had a nervous breakdown once, years ago. You know why? Because I hated my office job so much that I couldn't stand to spend one more minute there. I used to have daily anxiety attacks.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Good luck with your career situation - I know you'll find something that's right for you. Take a few random classes while you're at college - you may be surprised to find that topics you never expected to like interest you.