What career should I take?

Torn as to what to kind of career path I want to take?

• I've been thinking about this a lot lately and I'm conflicted into what I want to do with my life. I need to have a definite answer to my career path and what I should focus on studying. It is hard to get out of bed and do the important things with focus when I don't have a clear vision and goal in which I want to spend my life doing. I am currently a community college student studying for a diploma in business. I hope within the next two years after graduating I know exactly what my career choice will be so that when I do go to university I know what to choose as my major and perhaps minor. There are three possible paths that I want to choose but all of them I have little skill and knowledge about. 1) Marketing/Advertisement - Why? Because its business related but on the other hand it allows me to utilize my creativity, move around a lot and socialize with many people. I can create something of value that can improve people's life. The downside, my verbal, written and interpersonal skills are lacking and I need to develop them. The only way I see is through some intense coaching. 2) Finance/Investments - The most secure comfortable route and also probably the route where I can make money the easiest. The stock market is a gold mine in my opinion and the only career where you make money out of nothing. I am currently learning finance mathematics I find it very interesting but I'm afraid the job itself is boring and stressful. It is also the least creative. But can I still have a different job and still become a successful investor? Is attaining a finance degree crucial to becoming good in investments? 3) Film/Directing/Screenplay - The most exciting and creative path for me but the least of the three which I know about. Film is my passion and for a long time it has been my dream to make a movie and raise the awareness of others through film. So I ask do I need to study filming to become a good filmmaker? Seriously I have so many ideas when it comes to film. It’s like these images and visions appear in my mind that I NEED to let it out. Put my ideas into creation and to me that would be the most wonderful thing for me in life. But this route is also the riskiest and least safe one. There is no guarantee that I can achieve what I want. And I know nothing about the industry. All I know is it is very competitive. I never wrote a script or studied anything to do with film but I love to watch and analyze movies. Maybe I can enter the industry by first writing a screenplay? So these are my 3 possible paths that I think the most about. My greatest concern is money and my living standard as well. Though there are very different subjects I have come up with a plan. Why don't I choose film as my major and business as my minor? 1) I can then go into advertising and market the products/ideas through filming. 2) I will work myself up the chain, first doing commercials, music videos, then documentaries, TV shows and finally the big prize, Films. 3) All that while putting my ideas on paper through screenplays. 4) Part-time I can invest in real estate and stock and make some real cash.

• Answer:

  Marketing/Advertising is difficult to get into and be paid well. However, if you get in with a reputable Ad or PR agency, you will have a lot of fun. Especially in PR. I remember flying all over the country, taking journalists to lunch, and going to big trade events, all on my client's dollar! I never had to pay for anything; just charge it to the client as an expense. lol Finance/Investments is an awesome career, but you really have to work hard for the first five years to build up a book of business. Once you have done that and have proven yourself to be trustworthy, you can earn $100k plus easily. This is probably the most sure-fire occupation to get rich in life, especially if you work in institutional investment sales or equity research. Film is a dead-end, like most of the arts. Too many artists, too much competition, and it's all make-or-break senarios. If you go into this field, you'd be better off starting out as a film editor (learn how to use Macromedia Director or Sony Vegas for an idea of what these guys do. They layer in movie strings, cut and paste as needed, layer in music scores, etc.). You're right. It's fun, creative, and entertaining, but there is a lot of competition. Good luck!