Comments on: How Does One Do This Career Thing?

By: Jingwen » Blog Archive » So Where Am I Heading?

Jingwen » Blog Archive » So Where Am I Heading? — Tue, 18 May 2010 06:49:50 +0000

[...] to a few months ago, I’m starting to get a better idea of where I see myself heading in my career. But first, to [...]

By: Jingwen » Blog Archive » Some Things…

Jingwen » Blog Archive » Some Things… — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:21:24 +0000

[...] a new job (two days a week, event [...]

By: Jordie

Jordie — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:03:43 +0000

You’re still young Amanda, if you still have no idea when you’re 40 well then I might start to worry. :p

As for me, I have felt for a long time that the military is what I was meant to do, and although I can’t promise that I will like it and choose to continue in that path for the rest of my working life there’s little else I can imagine myself doing.

By: Rose

Rose — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:38:39 +0000

I’ve never known what I wanted to do (am 26 this year). Studied graphic design and Asian studies, became a parking warden, then worked for the government, then slipped into a job at a bank doing debt recovery. Still don’t know if it’s what I want to do, but it’s a job, it’s money, and it’ll give me a small discount on a home loan interest rate one day ;> I’ve come to the point now where I’m kind of happy just meandering along in a job which isn’t right but isn’t wrong, and figure my happiness will come from things outside of work.

I dunno how you do the career thing. Apply for shitloads of stuff and end up doing something you never thought you’d do but end up loving.

By: Becky

Becky — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:27:47 +0000

I have no clue either. I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do. I’m one of those people who wants to do EVERYTHING!, but obviously I can’t do everything, so I’m just taking things as they go. I’m not sure what I want to be doing 10 years down the line – I can barely even worry about tomorrow! So I’m really in the same boat as you. When we were kids, my brother ALWAYS knew he wanted to be an engineer, but I was the new-thing-every-week kid.

So, even if I can’t really help, I will say you’re not alone – I’ve got the same problem. :/

By: Sas

Sas — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:08:09 +0000

Opportunity is a double-edged sword huh. If you can “do anything”, it almost voids any excuse for not finding the perfect job.

We all know there’s no such thing anyway. But as for “one consuming passion” – we are easily distracted beings! Most people like different things all the time, not one thing forever, and since you’ve started a masters you’ve obviously found a bunch of stuff you’re vaguely good at. I certainly have, although that’s about it. Getting more specific with a career that’s life-long satisfying is no trick, it usually happens when you fumble about (some people say “plan”) looking for something you want.

The thing is, some (not “everyone else”, just some)love what they are good at, and what they are good at happens to be a well-paying job, but that’s a whole bunch of coincidences in the end right? Hopefully, you get closer and closer with every workplace. Some people don’t – and end up totally changing tack. In the meantime though it doesn’t suck at all; you get to do cool stuff and have fun with friends! This thought alone keeps me from going mad at night. Or randomly at people on the street.

By: Jem

Jem — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:32:01 +0000

It was pretty obvious to me (spending 15 hours a day on the Internet) – so have no wise words of wisdom. You’re still young though, it’s no big deal if you don’t find your dream career straight away.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:53:34 +0000

For me, I always knew that I wanted to work in health care. I also knew I did not want to do research or be a doctor of any sort. I applied to the university that I’m currently attending completely based on the fact that they had a good nursing program (and then mucked around for a few years in General Sciences before applying – because they require a certain number of credits prior to applying). But for me, to reassure myself that I *wanted* to become a nurse, I got a volunteering position in a health care setting just to make sure that what I was getting exposed to was something that I wanted to do for the rest of my life (or, at the very least, the majority of it).

I have friends who are still in university and some of them have switched majors once every term. Some of them know exactly what they want a degree in, but they have no clue what to say when someone asks they what they’re going to do with it. Another friend is doing a BA in English Literature but doesn’t know what use it’ll be to her once she graduates. And I think that even if you don’t know what you want to do, at least you know what you don’t want to do, and that’s at least a head start on people who switch majors as often as they get a new bag. ;)

By: Felisa

Felisa — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:55:02 +0000

I’m exactly like you. I think I have this responsible adult thing down but I can’t fucking decide what the hell I’m going to do with my life. I’m taking Political Science but when people ask me what I want to do with it? Umm. I don’t know. It frustrates me not to know what I want to do. I want to think things will fall into place and someday, I’ll figure it out but I hate not knowing what’s going to happen next in my life because it makes me feel like I’m not in control.

In conclusion, I have no words of wisdom. I just sympathize completely.

By: Alexandra

Alexandra — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 11:21:29 +0000

I wasn’t one of those people who knew what they wanted to do..I just knew that i wanted to finish school, and get a degree. My choice of degree was based on cutting out all the things I couldn’t or didn’t want to do out of everything in the course guide. It was a toss up between law & something in health sciences. Law was out of my reach because of grades, so social sciences it was…then it was just a toss up of courses and health promotion seemed the most appealing.
And as for this new job, i applied for a lot of government grad jobs because they’re very secure and often have area rounds so I can find the area that suits me best :)

However, i find that the best things come along when you aren’t actively seeking them :) I don’t think anyone is ever certain, they just tell themselves they are until something better comes along :) Good luck with the potential upcoming career change.