Aptitude - Choosing a Career

You have made the decision to seek an online degree and you know the field and the college. Or, maybe it ’s not that simple. Maybe you do not have a clear career path chosen or you just feel you want to head in a different direction from your current employment.

 

You may even have taken aptitude tests or sought out a school counselor. That may have given you some ideas or it may have left you undecided. Perhaps you feel the test results do not reflect the real you. Maybe some self-reflection will prove helpful. You will need to be honest in assessing your strengths, interests and abilities.

 

Consider whether you are a “people” person. Do you like to work in groups or on a one-by-one basis? Would you rather work alone? Would you rather work with figures, concrete facts or creative concepts? Are you interested in mechanics? Do you like to do things requiring the use of fine motor skills? Are you a self-starter or prefer supervision? Prefer physical or sedentary work? Indoors or out? Travel frequently or regular hours? There are no “right” or “wrong” answers. These concepts seem and are elementary but whether we realize it or not, they play a major role in our job satisfaction.

 

Finding your field or fields of interest is also a vital consideration. Think about the subjects you liked best in school, your hobbies or volunteer interests. What is your dream job? What do you want to do when you retire and work at whatever you please? Perhaps you can have that job now!

 

By asking trusted friends for an honest assessment, in addition to your own personal assessment, taking a part-time job, internship or volunteer work in the field you are considering, and talking to those already in the field, you may open choices you never previously considered. The more you know about yourself, the more confident you can be in your choices.