How to Choose Your Career: Passion and Prospects
Posted on Friday, December 21st, 2012
In decades past, the advice that was probably most often given to high school students was “Follow your passion and study what interests you, the rest will fall into place.”
It’s a nice idea, and when looking at different education options it certainly is important to consider what you’re good at and what you love doing. But blindly following your passion might not necessarily translate into a successful career.
Consider the case of teachers. More new teachers in Ontario are unemployed than ever before. And many of those with jobs are either under-employed or working in non-teaching jobs. In 2011, 67% of new teachers were either under or unemployed. That’s a staggering statistic.
So while it is important to identify where your passions lie, don’t forget the other equally important side of the equation – prospects. Take the time to investigate the job prospects for the potential careers you are interested in.
Forbes.com recently released its list of Top Jobs for 2013. Here’s how the list shapes up:
- Software Developers
- Accountants and Auditors
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Human Resources Specialists
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Sales Representatives
- Mechanical Engineers
- Industrial Engineers
To help you identify some potential careers based on your interests, try the Algonquin College Career Explorer.
Then, once you’ve developed a list of careers you might like to pursue, do a bit of digging to get a better idea of what the job prospects are like for those fields. If you can combine your passion with solid employment prospects, you’ll be well on your way to career success.
Laura Campbell
Marketing Officer, School of Business
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