child. Yet these are both very successful, highly skilled and very well-paid profes- sions that, when asked, most will say they absolutely love their jobs, and are thrilled they chose them. And who knows, those same people might go home and still enjoy singing, dancing, or shooting photography. However, if you are a creative person, you might find yourself more interested in cre- ative-based careers rather than highly reg- imented or technical fields. If you are the kind of person that thrives when given step-by-step directions, you might be hap- pier within technical professions more than creative ones. The bottom line is to com- mit to being “passionate” about research- ing and understanding all options rather than limiting yourself to only a few you currently find yourself interested in. Start Doing the Research We are living in an amazing time with endless capabilities to research things for ourselves. Researching career information should be at the top of your to-do list on most days. There are numerous websites and other resources to help expose you to the various career options available. If you find shopping online fun, consider this the ultimate shopping experience—looking for your new career. When reading information online, always be sure to note who is writing the data, and how current it is. Look for websites and other resources that are not slanted for or against specific careers, but seeking to provide impartial information. Be sure to check the date the article or information was written as well. Advice about a specific career five years ago might have changed considerably since then. Make a list of the careers that are interest- ing enough for you to begin researching in greater detail. Take notes on what the pro- fession does, the kind of people who thrive in it, the education required, the average salaries, and the outlook for that profession in the future. Begin a process of prioritizing the careers into the ones that most interest you and the ones that fall further down the list. But hold onto all your data, as your opinion might change over time, becoming increasingly interested in a career that you originally were ready to cross off the list. Career Shadowing Perhaps one of the greatest tools in search- ing for your future career is shadowing. Just as the name implies, shadowing entails finding a person who works the profession you are interested in, and following them around for a day, a week, or more. There are few better ways to gain first-hand knowledge about a career than spending time with someone while they are doing it. Start by asking friends and family if they know anyone in the career you are inter- ested in. You can also contact the local professional association to see if any com- panies would be willing to allow you to spend some time with them. Be very careful about making a decision about a career based on ONE experience. Think about your least favorite teacher you’ve ever had in school. Then consider what your opinion about teaching would be if you relied solely on that person to represent the entire teaching profession. Now think about your favorite teacher, and how different your opinion would be if you spent time with that person instead. All other professions are exactly the same. You will find some people who will give a poor impression of a certain career, and others who will make it seem extremely in- teresting and worth seriously considering. The moral is, try to schedule more than one shadowing experience to get a better representation of that career. What Education is Required? One of the biggest questions when select- ing a career is what specific education is re- quired. Some trades will require what is known as a certification. Some careers only require an associate degree, while others a bachelor’s degree. Many professional ca- reers require a master’s or even doctoral degrees. Some professions, like nursing have various levels of education required depending on the type of nurse you want to become. When researching, ask for sug- gestions which colleges have the best pro- grams for the field you are interested in. Not all careers are available for study at every college. Some specialize in select pro- 26 2024-2025 | Tennessee Career Guide Things to Consider When You Begin Planning Your Career Path Shadowing, or working with someone already in the profession you are interested in, gives you first-hand experience whether the career is as interesting and rewarding as you imagined.
