Monday, April 15, 2013

Individually Speaking 9



Careers and leisure, it is, what life is about. My career choices through life have been based on my passions. I can honestly say that I have only held 2 jobs in my life that I was not passionate about. I tried to find passion in those as well, but other than finding small triumphs to get me through, I was never passionate. Regardless, I have always carried an excellent work ethic. I believe my genuine enjoyment of my work plays a large part in this. My leisure and career time often blend harmoniously.

I have been fortunate to have many job opportunities before and through the years as I have been simultaneously raising my children. All of these experiences have opened up doors to other exciting revelations about myself and careers. At each stage of my life I have followed my heart, my instincts and my interests. My resume may look like I have multiple personalities, but I have personally learned and grown from each of these roles. I couldn’t agree more to the Coreys’ (2010) advice that career seekers should choose a broad field to enter in order to gain experience and open doors of opportunity. Closing one’s self off to the many possibilities limits potential and creativity, two essential elements in today’s career forecast.

I have taken the Holland SDS multiple times and I often return with similar results (AIS). Though,  I believe that my answers change with the time spent in the various roles I play. I recall the Holland SDS administered in High School landed me in the Realistic, Investigative, Artistic types. This of course, brought me the good news that I would enjoy the outdoorsy life of a refuse collector. This is why I believe that High School Students debunk these tests as being outdated and un-relatable. These days careers and their required skills are changing very quickly. It is exciting to think that there will be careers developed in the next few years that are beyond the scope of our imaginations. How do you follow career trends in a world of constant motion? Promote flexibility.

I would give to any upcoming graduate, my daughter included- this bit of advice. Take your time to develop your interests, explore what the world has to offer and open every door. You never know where experiences will lead you. As long as you have an understanding of your values, you can make any decision with honor. Life is yours to create, enjoy every step.

I do not have the same goals I did when I was at the end of my high school career or even after college or beyond; but I am on the same path. As my life experiences add up, I gain new insights and learn about many things I didn’t even know I didn’t know about. Change is inevitable. We must prepare ourselves and the future generations to be resilient in the face of such uncertainty.

Corey, G., & Corey, M.S. (2010). I never knew I had a choice: Explorations in personal
             growth (9th ed.). Belmont, California: Thompson Brooks/Cole. ISBN: 9780495602293.

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