How do you figure out what you want to do when your older?

How do I figure out what I want to do as a career when I want to be many things?

• How do I figure out, preferably before my sophomore year in college (I'm currently a senior in high school), what I want to become in life when I want to do so many things and have so many aspirations? For example, I want to become a trauma surgeon.  Then again I also want to become an investment banker.  I also love the field of broadcast journalism and becoming a correspondent for a major news network.  I also wouldn't mind being in politics.

• Answer:

  There's many steps involved in making a career choice. As a high school student, I am constantly being reminded about how "this" or "that" will help in choosing our future careers. However, I've never been told what to do if you just happen to love multiple things. It's just been something that I've had to ponder on, and weigh the pros and cons. But, there are things that one can do in order to make this process slightly easier. Internship/Volunteering There is no doubt, that all of the career choices you've listed have multiple opportunities for early hands on experience. For example, you're thinking to become a trauma surgeon. Why not volunteer at a local hospital to see if being in the ER is right for you? There are many factors contributing to a career in medicine that one may not know about until they've been "behind-the-scenes". There really is no better way to see what you're getting yourself into rather than being in the environment in which you would be spending the majority of your days in. Charting Your Interests Pick your top five interests. Then, list pros and cons for each of them. When you list the pros and cons, don't just think about the end result, but also the path in getting there. After listing the factors, reread the multiple factors to each of your interest. Think about which ones will benefit the most in the long run. (always plan ahead) PIck two interests out of your top five. List a more detailed pathway you have to take in order to make that interest a career. For this, try to include the schools you will attend, what programs you will try to apply for, and the general cost. Select one choice as a main career choice, and one as a backup. Take your main choice, and set goals that will set you on the right path (GPA has to be: 4.0+, try to get into this program _________, do research on "______") Start working towards your main choice as a goal, but your fall back as a hobby. Here's an example of a quick one that I made. Talk to People In the Field What better way to learn about you future career than to talk to someone with first-hand experience? Make an appt with someone you know in one of the professions you're interested in and talk to them about hours, quality of life, salary (this one is a little sensitive, so be mindful when asking), etc. You'll be able to find out if you're willing to work hard in order to succeed in the careers you've chosen. Take a Strong Test This is a test that asks you to answer career-based questions in order to interpret which careers would work out the best for you. Although I found this test very worthwhile and eye-opening, it does come at a steep price of $80. However, the good news is, the high school/ future university you'd be/are attending may have a discounted price, anywhere from $15-$30. Before you think about taking the test, research it a little more to see if it's something you'd be interested in. http://www.discoveryourpersonality.com/stronginterestinventorycareertest.html and here's a link to a sample strong test: https://www.skillsone.com/Pdfs/smp289246.pdf Don't Get Sidetracked What I mean by this is that once you do decide on a career path, make sure you realize what things are necessary in order to reach your goal. Let's just say that you've decided on becoming a surgeon. You've enrolled in a volunteering program and love it. You decide to schedule volunteering multiple days a week, every week. This is great, but you need to remember that you're there to observe how the job you're working towards is like. Not to become a volunteer for life. Keep in mind that volunteering is not a priority. Think of it as a side project. Your priority is academics. A medical school will most likely not accept an applicant if they have 2,000 hours of volunteering, but only a 3.1 GPA. College admissions are becoming increasingly competitive, and in order to compete with other applicants, you must be at the top of your game- that means GPA, volunteering, etc. all need to be exceptional. I hope that helped. Making a career choice that you love is a difficult task, but it doesn't have to be impossible.