Don't know what career path....

[pollycupcake]

I STILL don't know what career path to take - even though I've tried so many already (either through study, work experience etc)! At first, I thought I wanted to be an accountant - but I swapped majors after the first semester because I hated how dry/boring it was (no offence to anyone here who likes it!) and I'm more of a words not numbers person. I then started studying to be a psychologist, but shortly after I started doing that a close friend went through a period of severe depression and while I was helping her through that (even accompanied her to her first therapy appointments), I realised I wasn't going to make a good psychologist. Finally, I stuck with a history major and graduated with that. By the end of the degree, I'd also considered and ruled out a long list of other career options for various reasons.

As a graduate, I got a role in a firm doing some research/reports work (not a long-term career, more like a fill-in, new-grad role). The good news is that I get to liaise with a lot of people working in different roles in the company seeing what they do and I thought that would help me work out what I want to do with my career. Instead, I just ruled out a whole lot more options as I saw them in action - I now don't want to do marketing, legal or human resources!

I really don't know what to do. I've spent hours and hours and hours researching options & majors & options throughout my life since high school, and I still haven't found the right path. I'm nearly 22 and I don't want to waste my life or lose precious time - what should I do?

[theworldthroughmyeye]

I think I know how you feel. Right after I graduated from high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do or what I should do. I had no major and I was just going through the motions in the college.

I've never seen myself as a military man, but you can't never predict the future. I was a big trouble maker and my parents finally had enough of me, so they kicked me out of the house. I was desperate so I walked into the recruiting station and signed up that day. One week later I was standing in a field and bunch of guys wearing a uniform yelling at my face to get on my face.

I've been in for over 8 years now. Over those 8 years, I've found out that I was good at computer networking and leading people....surprisingly. I was always an introvert so I've never volunteered to head anything growing up, but in where I worked at, yeah....I had no choice.

I am finally finishing up my enlistment and going back to college for two more years to get my BA in Criminal Justice. If you asked me what I wanted to do 8 years ago? I would've told you whatever.

What I am trying to say to you is that, put yourself out there to be taken down by the world. That's the only way you will grow as a person...and follow your heart. Do what you think will be interesting. Even if you are not sure you can do it or not, just try it once.

[Alen]

"If you want my advice, Peter," he said at last, "you've made a mistake already. By asking me. By asking anyone. Never ask people. Not about your work. Don't you know what you want? How can you stand it, not to know?"

Ayn Rand - The Fountainhead, Chapter 1, page 33

Get that book immediately. Read it. Decide.

[raykilleen]

I graduated Penn State University 1980 with an engineering degree making a lucrative financial living in the field while raising a family and chasing the American dream but it turns out it was only a job not a life affirmation for that I had to turn attention inward pondering question as to; “what’s it all about and who am I?”.

[TeranDios]

The truth is lad/lass..most people in this world don't do anything that they really like..I highly doubt anyone going to college and picking one career path that they probably got handed down to them by there teachers or parents base on there grades will probably care as much as you do. They won't probably even liked the job..you seem to be the kinda of person who wants to be authentic and lived a life that is meaningful to you.Sadly for you..there's no guide for you..if you want to find something you like..you just have to search and search.When you find it.. you probably get a strange feeling that felt a little like you reach a higher level of consciousness.I repeat there is no short cut to finding an authentic career that you love. (probably one of the reason a thing called mid-life crisis appeared)

Sorry and good luck

[CoolBee]

Choose what you feel you would like to do right now and give you some experience you would like to get.
I graduated way back in 1981 with a physics degree in the midst of a dire recession in the UK with absolutely zero graduate jobs. Cutting a long story short, I ended up as the loweliest of the low - a customer liaison officer in a domestic electronics firm dealing with customer complaints. I treated it as my own 'graduate training scheme' as I had to find out all about customer service, accounts payable, receivable, credit control, service control, installations, maintenance, manufacture of bespoke items, managing staff, everything. I learnt a lot of really valuable stuff from that job that I couldn't have learnt any other way. Yet if you had asked me when I graduated, I never would have come up with it because I didn't know it was out there to be got!

I will just say as I've often said on here before, back when I graduated, we didn't have the internet, no personal computers. My office first got a pc in 1984, well my company actually, we had to book an hour a week on it. There was no 'windows' or GUI interfaces or anything. Noone would have envisaged careers in computing - other than computer programming or computer operating - those big computers that filled up whole rooms full of whirring tape machines and punch cards.
So, don't tie yourself down to a particular career, think of things you would like to learn more about and frankly, I would just take any job and leverage it to find out more about wherever you wind up, it will all stand you in good stead in the future.
There are no 'jobs for life' anymore.

[Bongza]

I feel your pain, I have graduated with National Diploma in Internal Auditing, and I got a job in auditing. during my first year of internship I realized that I am not enjoying auditing at all.I am still in auditing even today. Now it's time for me to change a career, I want to get into marketing but the problem about marketing is commission based, there is no salary.anyway in life we have to take risks.

[Orator]

Choosing a career of choice is a really big challenge and I myself remain always unsure about it.

I grew liking literature and as a kid wrote innumerable poems. I however majored in Economics and got a job in the bank. I am a banker now and indeed draw a fat salary. However numbers have never been my cup of tea. I worked and worked burying my passions.
I now have learned a lesson, in fact everyone must learn at some point in life, the earlier the better. I have learned that life is a series of compromises and you cannot live the way you want.

I do not mean I am unhappy with my current career though it has been not one of my passion. Passion is hidden and at times they fructify and that gives me the full feel and flow of life.

Life is not a rosy bed and we have to learn to live in difficulties. Now I am aging and waiting for a moment in which I can revel in my dreams