"If you hate this so much, why do you do it?"
That was a question I asked of a surgeon one day as we prepared to do a surgical procedure together. We were in the process of draping a patient who was under general anesthesia. I was a Ph.D. student working my way through school as a surgical technician. Usually I was quiet and polite during cases, but that day, as many others, this particular surgeon was not in a good mood. I actually enjoyed working with him but he was often miserable. He simply hated what he did for a living. His income was in the six digit range. His status in the community was excellent. Yet he was miserable.
The question and my tone surpised him. He had been bitterly complaining, but was immediately quiet.
When we sat down at the arm table he gave his reply.
"You know when I discovered this wasn't the right career for me? When I was finishing my first year of medical school. By then it was too late. I had too much invested to make a change."
I would hate to see that happen to any of my students, no matter what career they go into. So here are some thoughts on how to prevent it.
There are thousands of careers available. You could probably select any one of several and turn it into a great career. You could also end up in a number of them that would be just a job. You could end up in many more that would be absolutely miserable to face every working day. The author of Ecclesiastes reminds us that "time and chance happenth to them all," but your efforts usually have their rewards. If you wanted a new car and had the financial means to purchase one, you wouldn't just walk onto a showroom and take the first car you saw. You'd shop around, not only for the right car, but the best deal. It would take time and energy. And that's just what you have to put into finding the right career - time and energy. You have to work at it. And just like shopping for a new car, it's fun. And it's a lot more important. The average woman today spends over 6,000 hours on the job; the average man over 10,000. Imagine investing that much time into something you don't enjoy. So how can you avoid a boring job and develop a rewarding and challenging career? You have to work at it, but you're not really working. You're shopping. Start a folder, take notes, read, visit with people in different careers, find a summer job related to a career possibility. Have fun searching out a great career.
A good beginning is to consider these three factors:
· Your interests
· Your values
· Your aptitudes
What are your interests? Do you like to write? Do you like to work with your hands? Do you enjoy being outdoors? Is math fun for you?
What about your values? Do you want to live in a city or are you a country person? How would you feel about moving several times during your career? Do you look forward to weekends with the family? How would you feel about taking call and working in the middle of the night? How important is your income? Would you be able to live contently on $30,000 a year or do you need $100,000.
Aptitudes can be the most difficult to judge. Some students I've worked with overrate themselves. Others underrate themselves. Use several different resources to measure your abilities. If you can't do any better than a "D" in chemistry, you would be wise not to set pharmacy school as your goal. But grades are only one way to measure your aptitudes. Job experience, ACT results, communication with teachers, advisers, friends, and family can also help. Be honest. Be thoughtful. Meditate on this factor. Write down your conclusions.
This process may take some time. While you are going through it there are some things you can do to increase your competitiveness.
·Spend at least two hours studying and working at a class for every
hour you are in class.·Get to know your teachers.
·Ask questions in class. Sit in the front.
·Get involved in things outside of the classroom - student
government, a club, volunteer work.·Spend your summers working at jobs related to career
possibilities or in summer programs at field labs or NASA or
universities.·Read voraciously. Read with goals in mind. Browse the stacks.
·Exercise.
·Eat healthful food.
·Have fun and be happy.
One last thing - get to know your adviser. Take a class from this person. Stop in to visit. Outline a course of study and discuss it at registration or during a visit. When its time to register set up an appointment before registration begins. As you register, remember that your adviser is there to advise, to show you your options, not to make decisions for you. Also, your adviser is not responsible to know about every program in the country or even the state. There are thousands of career opportunities. It is impossible for your adviser to be knowledgeable about every one of these. It is your responsibility to search out requirements, admission processes, and how credits transfer to various programs. When you do, share your findings, ask if your adviser would like a copy.
This section is continuously underconstruction. It is a list of career options, definitions, descriptions, and links to some sites that should be of help.
