A Love for Animals and Cooking

Dear GPS Gal,

I am still 11 but I would like to be a zoologist or a chef. I love animals and cooking, which one?

Savannah

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Dear Savannah,

I love questions like this because it’s fun to explore different types of careers, especially ones that you don’t hear about everyday, like a zoologist! What a very broad spectrum of interests you have! Let’s explore them in three different ways:

One of the first things I have my students do when they are looking at different careers is to look at the facts. I have a few different places on the internet that I go to get information about careers. One of my favorite new places is a website called www.iseek.com. This is actually a website that is specific to Minnesota (and no, I don’t live in Minnesota—I actually live in Hawaii!) but it has so much great information that is super clearly laid out, that it’s totally worth a visit. So lets see what iSeek says about the two careers you are considering. We’ll look at a couple different categories and you can look at the rest when you have time.

1. Preparation- what skills and training will you need? To be a chef or dinner cook:You must have a high school diploma or GED; complete formal training; complete on-the-job training, have a good sense of taste and smell; and have the ability to work as part of a team. To be a zoologist or wildlife biologist: You must have a high school diploma or GED; complete at least a bachelor’s degree in a biological science, have excellent oral and written communication skills; and be self-motivated. Think about what kind of training you want to get, do you have the drive to get a four year bachelor’s degree, and maybe even a PhD? Consider the different skills that are required—what skills are you most interested in using?

2. Outlook- how many people are employed in these careers and where? There are 914,160 people employed as chefs or cooks in the entire United States whereas there are only 19,530 people who are employed as zoologists. So this might mean that there are less jobs out there (ie. you would have to work a little harder to make it in this field- does that sound like a good challenge to you?) There is also a higher concentration of zoologists in certain parts of the US like Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Is there a part of the country that you are pretty sure you want to live in?

3. Wage- how much money would you be able to make in this career? Money isn’t everything, but this is another area where there is quite a discrepancy between these two careers. Zoologists on average earn $60,670/year whereas chefs earn $38,770/year. This could make a difference to you based on what kind of lifestyle you are hoping to achieve in the future.

Now keep in mind that facts don’t always add up, so it’s always a good idea to combine multiple factors when you are trying to make a decision about something as important as a career. You want to keep in mind what type of skills you have the aptitude for (meaning you are naturally prone to learning these skills), what your interests are, and what matters to you most in life. And one of the best ways (you’ll hear me say it again and again) to make a decision about which career would be a good fit for you is to test drive it!

Volunteering at a zoo or wildlife refuge would be an amazing way to gain skills for this career and really test out your interest in this field. Likewise working a part-time or summer job in a restaurant as soon as you are old enough to, would give you the inside scoop about what type of work environment you’d encounter as a chef. Try out a cooking class, start making a meal for your family once a week, maybe even see if you could be their “head chef” and lead your family members or friends to make a meal together! Oh, also check out a previous GPS Gal interview with Bianca who went to culinary school to be a chef. She's now in Germany actually working in a restaurant!

If you need more help sorting all this out, take a look at the book Test Drive Your Future, which leads you through all 10 steps that I recommend to help students choose the perfect first career. Good luck with your decision!

The GPS Gal

This or That or This?

Dear GPS Gal,

Hey I have seen you answer a lot of questions about picking between 2 career paths but I still need some help. I want to be an animator and I love playing on computers, I have even looked at universities to go to and have a good one in mind. But I also love to write stories and used to want to be an author for awhile and have more skill in writing and drawing than drawing on the computer. I also like graphic/web design but I am not that good at it. Do you have any methods on how to choose?

 Jessika

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Hi Jessika,

One of the absolutely best ways to know what you want to do with your future career is to test drive it! Try it out! Spend as much free time as you can diving into writing, drawing, graphic design or web design and get a feel for where your greatest interest lies. 

I would strongly suggest taking a class or two on-line or at a local community education center or community college, before you make your choice. There are so many things available, and they don’t have to cost a lot, if anything.

I wanted to learn a little about design a few years ago, so I took a Photoshop and Indesign class at my local community education center (about $40) to get the basics, and after that everything I have learned has come from playing around and reading blog-posts or watching instructional videos on-line. I have a couple of “Dummies” books on my shelf as well, but I usually find that I learn best from doing a Google Search, finding someone who explains perfectly what I’m trying to do in a blog, and trying out the solution right away to see if I can figure it out. 

Are there any organizations at school or in your community that you could volunteer with and offer help on their website or with any design projects they might have? That might give you the most close-up look at what it would be like to work for someone else, take their ideas and turn them into something that they like. Similarly are there organizations where you could try out some writing projects, writing articles, blog posts, or short stories?

You also might be able to find a writing group at your school or in your local community, or participate in a free on-line writing event like NanoWrimo’s Young Writer’s Program which takes place in November every year. You can find out more information at: http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/. Another similar type writing event is called ScriptFrenzy (http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/) and people come together over the web to write scripts for things like movies or even comic books. These type of programs provide you with a little extra motivation because you’re participating with a whole bunch of other people and you can often get feedback for your work which will help you improve your writing and connect with other writers. 

As you test drive your possible career choices, be sure to check in every once in a while and evaluate what you like and dislike about each one. Which one are you most interested in, and which one really makes you excited to “get to work”? As I’ve talked about in other posts as well, be sure to talk with some real people who are in these careers to get an idea of what it’s actually like. 

I wish you all the best. Have fun exploring your future career, and don’t get too stressed out or feel like you have to be in a hurry to make a decision. Give yourself the time you need to make the most informed decision you can. 

The GPS Gal

Choosing between being a vet or a singer

Dear GPS Gal,

Hey, I need help with my future. I've always wanted to become a vet when I grow up but I also love to sing. Everybody tells me I have a great voice and ask if I ever considered becoming a singer or artist but I don’t know. Do you think maybe you can help me decide?

Ana

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Ana,

You present a great question. How do you choose between being a vet and being a singer?

First of all, I’d like you to take a look at an earlier blog post that I wrote called “How to decide between two great career paths?” This will give you a few steps to “test drive” the two careers you are considering. I also have a couple other ideas about your specific dilemma. Since being a vet and being a singer are such very different paths, I’d like you to take a look inside and answer the following questions:

1. Are you more of a practical, structured person or are you more of a creative, flexible person?

Neither way is right or wrong, but it might be helpful to explore how you approach your life and your studies to help you make a decision. The career path to becoming a vet is pretty straight-forward and clear. There are a good number of schools where you can study veterinary medicine, you graduate, take your exams, get licensed, and either set up a practice or work for a veterinary clinic. Of course there are other variations to this path, but for the most part, it’s pretty well defined and structured.

Being a singer or an artist however is not necessarily a well-defined path and it often requires a great deal of creativity, flexibility, and sacrifice to become successful. Are you the type of person that likes a well-defined path or do you prefer to live “moment-to-moment”?

2. Could you do both?

There are so many opportunities to make singing part of your life in college and within a community even if you are not a professional singer. Would you be satisfied if singing is your hobby and veterinary medicine is your career? Would that fulfill both of your passions? Sometimes it’s nice to have a break from what you consider your “work” and pursuing a hobby that you love can be a great way to balance your life with your work.

3. Will you regret it?

If you don’t pursue singing professionally, does it feel like you would be giving up on a dream? The answer to this can only come from a feeling inside because there’s no way until you are much older to know if you would regret your decision. If you do decide that it really is one of your greatest dreams, then you really should try to make it happen so that it doesn’t turn into a “regret” later on. There are so many amazing examples of singers and other celebrities who were so focused on their dreams that they didn’t give up and they made it.

But it takes a lot of resolve to carve your own path like this, so you need to seriously ask yourself, if your dream is to be a professional singer, or if you just love singing and you want to find a way to make this a part of your life no matter what you do for a career.

I wish you all the best. Please keep in touch — I’d love to hear what you decide.

The GPS Gal

Where will you be in 10 years?

Dear GPS Gal

I would like to know where I will be in 10 years?

Amanda

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 Dear Amanda,

I can understand your desire to know where you’ll be in 10 years, because I totally wished that I knew that when I was in high school. I guess this is why they invented time machines!

Sometimes it helps to spend some time imagining where you WANT to be in 10 years. Take out a piece of paper or open a document on the computer and write at the top: “In 10 years, I will be ____ years old, and this is what my life will be like…”

Now BRAINSTORM. Imagine that it is 10 years later, and write down anything you can think of related to your ideal future: What kind of job are you in? What did you study in school? Where do you live and what does your house look like? Have you traveled anywhere? Are you in a relationship?

Having a picture in your head of what life will look like in 10 years is the first step to figuring out the path you need to follow to get there. For example if you pictured yourself in a professional position where you are respected by your co-workers or clients, you’ll start to get an understanding that having extra responsibility and respect is important to you at work. If you picture yourself traveling around the world, then this is a good clue that you’re looking for a career that has a travel or adventure component to it. If you picture yourself spending a lot of time at home with your family, then this might be an indication that having a good balance between work and home life is essential to you.

See if you can pull out any common themes from your brainstorm that might be clues to your future.  You’ll want to use these clues about your interests, preferences, and dreams when you begin to search for your future career path.

When I look back on where I was 10 years ago, I could have never imagined that I would be where I am as an author, living in Hawaii, owning 3 businesses, but I am excited that life took a turn in this direction because it makes living more fun!

Part of the joy of living is letting life unfold one year, or even one day at a time, so don’t be in too much of a hurry to find out where you’ll be in ten years! Good luck!

The GPS Gal

How to decide between two great career paths?

Dear GPS Gal

I’m 17 and will be entering college next year. I’m torn between two career paths, law and education. I want to be a teacher because I absolutely love kids, but then I want to be a lawyer because I’m scared I might get laid off when I’m a teacher. What do you think?

Kayle

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Dear Kayle,

It’s an interesting time right now with the economy, and it can seem a little scary watching so many people getting laid off from their jobs. Although I recommend considering the security and income possibilities of your future career, you have to keep in mind that the economic climate will change with time, and it could be a very different situation by the time you graduate from college (let’s hope for positive change!). Our country will always need teachers, and if you are passionate about teaching and really love to be around kids, I would not give up on this dream because of your fear.

The job description for a lawyer is obviously very different than that for a teacher, so I think it’s important for you to figure out why you are truly interested in each. Is the lawyer thing about the money or do you have passion for that as well? It you love being around kids, you’re probably not going to see too many in your normal work as a lawyer.

One of things we recommend at Where’s the Map is to “test drive” your future career just like you would test drive a new car before you buy it (we’re working on a new book to help students do this). Here are a few steps to “test drive” the two careers you are considering:

1. Find a professional association.

There are professional associations or organizations related to just about every type of career. You can find most by doing a simple internet search for “professional association of ___________”, “national association of ___________”, or “international association of __________” ( insert “teachers” or “lawyers” in the blank). Spend at least an hour on their website looking around, maybe subscribe to a blog or newsletter. The main thing you’re looking for is a clue as to whether the material on the site can hold your interest, even if it’s over your head. Ask yourself: “Do I care about what teachers or lawyers are talking about professionally?

2. Interview people

You probably have had a lot more exposure to teachers than lawyers (unless maybe you have a family member who’s a lawyer), but regardless it’s important to sit down and actually interview people who work in each of the fields that you’re interested in. I’d recommend at least 3 people in each field for 10-20 minutes. You will get a much different perspective during an interview (or chat session) than you would from just being around teachers in school. And if you don’t know three lawyers already, get out the phone book and search for someone in your local area who is a lawyer.

Call them up, tell them you are a student and interested in their career field, and you are wondering if they would be willing to talk with you either over the phone or in person to answer a few questions about their career. If you will be meeting in person with someone you don’t know, you may prefer to go with a parent or guardian or meet in a public place like a coffee shop. You’d be putting your best foot forward if you offered to buy them a tea or coffee while you are there in exchange for their time. Some questions you could ask are:

• What led you to this job/career?
• What do you enjoy most about your work? What are the biggest challenges about this career?
• What do you do in a typical workday?

3. Volunteer

Getting actual experience working in and around the type of professional you want to be, is one of the best ways to make a career decision. So find a way to volunteer within each of your career fields- maybe in a school or law office, or helping out an individual lawyer or a teacher. Get a feel for the job and stay tuned to your overall interest level in the work that you’re doing (even though it might grunt work). Do you enjoy the atmosphere of the job? Does it hold your interest? Can you see yourself doing what they are doing?

Hope these ideas help! I wish you all the best with your decision and I’d love to hear which career path you plan to pursue.

The GPS Gal