Career Pathos

When you're a little kid and people ask you want you want to do when you grow up, you usually pick the career of your favorite media star. Fireman, ninja, Sailor Moon, Dr. Who, Superman. Later, many kids pick their parents' or role model's occupation.

People are satisfied with the more realistic answer and stop asking. They consider the matter settled. This is just as well. Even the nicest kids go through phases where they think their parents and teachers are the stupidest people ever, and nobody in their right mind would follow in those footsteps.

Then there comes a day when the future becomes the present and you have to pick a door. Yikes! Remember the treadmill that Mom and Dad hated all those years? The one you really didn't want to be on? Not to worry. If that job category still exists by the time you're ready to apply for it, it won't pay a living wage anyhow.

Guidance counselors are rather useless, they just say you can do you anything you set your mind to, which is sort of a crock. No offense meant. Perhaps they take more trouble with non-college-prep students.

Back in the day when it was my turn to make a choice, I fell for the old, "There's a huge demand for _(whatever)_," hype in the media. It changes every year, from nurses to teachers to business execs to programmers. The catch is, they need them right away. By the time college ends, the void is filled to overflowing and you're in a long line.

They needed women in 'business administration' when I graduated from high school, so that was my major. The subject didn't excite me and my college grades showed it. I sucked at managing people too. Imagine my surprise after graduation. The field was teeming with women far more qualified and enthusiastic than I.

Now that I'm older and wiser, I'd advise college-bound kids to consider all the areas they'd do well in, and pick one that has some commercial applications. Jobs are tough to get in all areas, but one has a better chance if their GPA is high. That's assuming one can attend college without getting a loan. If a loan is required, think twice about college, please.

Above all, don't worry about what you want to do when you grow up. I'm 60 and still don't know. Get what work you can, and keep your eyes open for opportunities. For example, I hear that Superman is 76... maybe he'll be retiring soon.