Driven to Succeed: How to Start Your Career after College by Jason Navallo - HTML preview

Which field should you choose?

Ideally, in a field that's growing and that interests you. Believe it or not, a lot of successful people just “fell into” the career fields they work in. However, you don’t have to rely on chance like they once did. If you have your heart set on working in a specific career field, like medicine or law, I urge you to skip this section and move on to the next. If you’re not sure which field you want to work in, here’s a quick guide to help get you started.

The answer is in your research. Find the answers to the following questions and write down all the fields that interest you:

1. Which fields are growing? (Tip: Search online for "[year] growing fields")
2. Which fields relate to your college major? (Tip: Search for "[major] career fields")
3. Which fields are your friends and family members working in? (Tip: Ask them!)
4.  Which fields have you always been interested in?
5.  Which fields do you have prior working experience? (Tip: If you interned at a brokerage firm one summer, "stockbroker" can be added to your list.)

Next, sort the list by your level of interest. This is your “hit list.” Although you should apply for all entry­-level positions that interest you, these fields should be your primary focus. Learn as much as you can about each one, especially the typical career path so you’ll know where you can be five to ten years from now.