<p>When I went to teachers’ college in the l990’s, they said to teach h.s. students for the next generation that they’d have 3 consecutive, unrelated. identifiable careers in their long-expected lifetimes.</p>
<p>About half the adults I know have done “one thing” their entire life, while the other half bob-and-weave, retrain, take another degree at age 40 to shift directions. </p>
<p>In general, the “one thing” path results in higher achievement, salary and status, within and without the profession. But they also express some tedium, too, because of no change. They notice changes within their professions, however. </p>
<p>Some people look for professions with some different jobs within the field. My SIL, a nurse, has worked in a hospital, drug rehab center for teens, and finally as a school nurse. She made that last shift to match her schedule with her own daughters as they entered their school years. </p>
<p>Lawyers can work in private practice, government or a nonprofit organization.
Clergy can work as prison, hospital or college chaplains, or have their own congregation. </p>
<p>One way people stay interested in their profession is to try out a few moves within that same profession, in the course of a lifelong career. </p>
<p>If/when you get to college, sometimes they have workshops at the Career Center where you can take a personality inventory or ask to set up a meeting with the counselor there. These can help you identify your “fit” in terms of career choice. Ask if they have alumni with whom you can correspond by email in various professions. The computer is a remarkable tool that we didn’t have to help research many professions before choosing.</p>
<p>My guess is you will know it when you hear of it. You might want to research some unusual professions. It feels like an inner stirring when you read about the work possible in that career, and intutively feel, “YESS! I could do that, I have strengths and intutitions in that direction, it sounds interesting…”</p>
<p>I believe in a “calling” to a career. Do research, don’t just try to dream it out of the air. As you read, let yourself imagine doing those things and see if something makes the blood pound faster because you’re intrigued or enthused.</p>
<p>One problem for young people is they haven’t seen enough professions in action. You know your teachers, doctors, the school nurse, whatever your parents do. You see some people in the community doing law enforcement or running small businesses. But you don’t know what’s going on behind all those closed doors in corporate offices, or in a government agency. It just looks like…desks and elevators. So you need to research.</p>
<p>Try reading the US Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook. It describes mnany careers, though manages to make each sound deadly dull. </p>
<p>Then go to a bookstore like Borders or Barnes and Noble just to read (don’t buy if you have strong feet…) some classics like “What Color Is My Parachute” (or your parachute?). That book is more than l0 years old; there is surely newer stuff on careers to scan in the bookstore.</p>