What do I Want to Be when I Grow Up?
NHL player, Movie Star, Actor, Fireman, Astronaut – all good choices and we’ve all probably wanted to be one or the other at some point in our lives. The little girl in me still thinks I could be aballerina!
Sadly though, we need to grow up (or at least get older) and have to make real-life decisions. As a recruiter, I meet and speak with a lot of people – I mean a lot – and over and over again I’ll have candidates applying for a position for which they have no educational background. The reason they’re applying, of course, is that they cannot find work in their chosen field.
A great (or bad) example of this is teachers. I have received so many calls from candidates with degrees/diplomas in education that are desperately looking for any kind of work – and according to an article in the Globe and Mail, June 2017, their odds are not going to improve for some time.
Not to say teaching isn’t a worthy goal, I still have some teacher heroes that I remember, but when you’re planning your courses in college or university, you need to do your homework (pun intended)…and find out if there are going to be jobs available.
You really need to spend your life working at something you love – or at least don’t hate! – so really give it some thought. Do you detest math and need a calculator to add 2 + 2? Well, perhaps accounting isn’t for you. Maybe you love to draw but don’t relish being a starving artist? Graphic design? Whatever your interests and strengths there are so many options out there but you may need to think outside the box.
Greater minds than mine have created a number of great articles sharing their insights on what the job market will look like over the coming years.
Here are a few to get you started:
10 Job Skills You’ll Need in 2020
7 Critical Skills for the Jobs of the Future
These Are the Skills of the Future, According to 39 Industry Experts
Elon Musk to the Young and Ambitious: Skills Matter More Than Degrees
Bill Gates: These Skills Will Be Most In-Demand In The Job Market Of The Future
Apple CEO Tim Cook visits Canada for the first time
Just make sure that when you ARE planning your future, do some research on the leaders in your chosen field. They have arrived at their position for a reason.
by: Pam Inglis