Are you finishing up high school? If this is the case, you need to start thinking very seriously about what you are going to do for a living. There are obviously many different careers you can choose. However, this is not a choice you should make on a whim. You need to carefully study all of your options. This will help you make a solid choice that will benefit you and your family in the years ahead. There are quite a few things that you need to take a look at in order to determine the right career path. The following things should be at the top of your list as you look at all of your available career options.
1. What are the educational requirements of the careers you are interested in?
You will first need to consider how much schooling you will need to get a job in the career fields that you are looking at. This is a very critical consideration. Some careers require quite a bit of schooling. This means you will need to spend a lot of money. You might even need to take out a student loan to pay for your classes. How much debt are you willing to take on for your education? You must also consider the time that is involved in achieving this education. Are you prepared to go to school for many years to earn a degree? Some careers require only a certificate that you can earn in one year or less. However, other careers require you to attend college for four years or more. You might want to take a look at the various degree programs that are available at USC.
2. What are the jobs that you are the most passionate about?
What sort of job can you see yourself doing for the foreseeable future? What job will make you want to jump out of bed each morning because you can’t wait to get to work? These are the jobs you need to focus on. Make a list of all the career fields that you are interested in. You can then begin to narrow down this list little by little.
3. What is the average starting income for the careers you are thinking about getting involved in?
Money is also an issue that will be vitally important when you are thinking about possible careers to pursue. You need to be able to cover all of your monthly expenses. You also need to think about possible expenses that you might have in the future. For example, do you want to get married and start a family? If this is the case, you will need to account for these additional expenses when you are comparing the compensation offered by various careers.
4. Does the career offer future possibilities for advancement?
You need to be certain about what your future opportunities will be if you decide to get involved in a certain career. For example, will you be able to get better positions that pay more if you perform well? How much can your income increase over the next decade? If you’re looking to contribute to a company just starting out and have plenty of potential, offering your skills for startups hiring for engineers, for example, can be of great benefit especially f the company picks up speed. Avoid choosing a career where advancement is very difficult and raises are few and far between. Ideally, the career you choose should allow you to keep improving your income and responsibilities.