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| Your Career Path - Straight or Curvy? |
Your Career Path Straight or Curvy? By Janet Kimmel, Employment Consultant
It seems like only yesterday you were entering middle school. Now, you are graduating from secondary school. Where did the time go? Grad ceremonies and parties are so much fun but, then what? Do you know what your career path is? Do you have even a fuzzy picture of what it might look like? If you are like most people your age, you may be thinking you don't even know what your next step is.
Let's take a look at what happened to two young women on the crossroad of their career paths. Amy and Becky are sisters. Amy, who is 26 years old, is outgoing, and she loves to play basketball and softball. Amy is a gifted communicator and humanitarian. She loves to talk to people, and she has an exceptional ability to make every person she meets feel special. In school, teachers always wrote on her report cards, Amy is bright and has potential, but if she would study more and socialize less in class, she could do much better. Throughout her life, Amy knew that she wanted to work in a career where she would spend lots of one-to-one time with people.
After grade 12 graduation, Amy went to the university-college closest to her home. She studied Child and Youth Care, earning her CYC Diploma in two years. During her program, Amy carefully selected a practicum that would suit her, and one that would have strong job opportunity prospects. Her instincts proved to be right and she got her first job in an agency only one week after college graduation. Amy was an outstanding employee. She enthusiastically took any training and job opportunities that came her way, building an impressive skills portfolio. Today, Amy works in sales and marketing in a thriving business, an excellent fit for her outgoing nature. Her strong work ethic, well-developed communication skills, and exceptional interpersonal skills were integral elements of Amy's successful career path. The socializing that her teachers so often reported on was actually a strength and it was the foundation that allowed her to ladder into her ideal job. Amy has had several promotions, and life is all good!
Becky, who is 24, is quiet in nature. Like her sister, Becky also loves basketball and softball. But, unlike her sister, Becky is an introvert who recharges her energy by spending time alone in peaceful reflection. Becky has a vivid imagination and she is a gifted writer. Through their growing up years, Becky and Amy would talk about their futures. Amy would talk with clarity about hers, and Becky would ask her how it was that she knew what she wanted to do. I just know, Amy would reply. After the celebrations of grad night passed, it was time for Becky to choose her career path. But she was still unclear about she really wanted to do, and so she did not actively participate in the decision-making. Because she was unclear and undecided, she agreed to the advice her parents and sister gave, and she, too, enrolled in the local university-college. Becky took first-year English and Psychology courses, thinking she may go into a career in journalism.
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Becky's story ends differently. While she did
enjoy the English courses, especially the writing assignments, some other
projects were very challenging for her. She found the group projects and
class presentations to be particularly stressful. She stayed in university
for the first two semesters only, and then she quit school. Becky felt
stymied, unfulfilled and sad about life for a year or so, drifting from
job to job. One day, she met someone who talked with her about what her
dreams were. One thing after another led Becky to do some serious soul
searching. Over a few months, Becky became more aware of her inner self
and she formulated goals. She then created a plan and she carried out
baby steps towards attaining her goals. Today, Becky is living in Ghana,
Africa. The people in the community have graciously welcomed Becky. She
dances the Buhmayah, she drums, she sings African songs, and she works
in the farm fields. The lessons she is learning about humanity, generosity
and, best of all, herself, have been an amazing learning adventure. Her
time in Africa is nearing the end, and she is already planning her return
trip there. Becky writes home in her e-mail messages: I am so happy to be
on African soil. I knew I had to come here. There isn't anywhere else I
would rather be right now. I am having the best time of my life. Becky's
next steps are not entirely clear, but she knows whatever happens, this
curvy path she is on is exactly right for her.
The lessons to take away from this story are:
- We are all unique
beings, with special gifts, talents, and preferences for a career and for
our life paths. What makes sense for one sister (or person) may not
necessarily be the same for another. Differences in personality type,
birth order, life experiences, one's personal energy and motivations, all
play a role in career decision-making.
- The decision to attend
post-secondary training immediately following graduation from secondary
school is not always the best decision. If a person is undecided about a
career or training path, it may makes more sense to consider working for a
year or so in order to get a taste of the world of working. That choice
may also assist with eliminating wrong choices. Attending post-secondary
training is a large investment of time and money.
- Make good use of your
first job. Is it in line with your interests, values, personality, and
personal life goals at this time in your life? Perhaps you can ladder into
higher-level jobs, on-the-job training instead of post-secondary.
- Take
time to do careful research about careers and education. Check student
outcome surveys, talk to employers, instructors, and other people. Do any
of your friends, neighbours or acquaintances know someone who works in a
field you are thinking about? Read as much as you can, including books and
websites. Take time to research carefully, and then zero in on what path
will have a positive outcome for you. Take the time (and workshops or
employment counselling) to develop the self-awareness required for the
right training and career choice for you.
- Life is a journey, not a
destination.
(This tale of two sisters is fictitious, but it could very
well reflect a real life situation.)
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