The Reality of Career Exploration

 The Reality of Career Exploration 

You may think that identifying your dream job will be easy. You can take a test to help you understand what you are better at and enjoy. The test works like a magic filter: the best job goes out, you get a job, and you enjoy life for the rest of your life! Or, you can take the right approach in your job evaluation. You will meet with a career counselor, and complete a self-assessment to find the skills, jobs, and values ​​you want in the workplace. 

More opportunities come out. Plus, you can learn about those jobs, talk to professionals, fall in love with one job, and then get your dream job! This method is straightforward and logical, but usually, it does not. In fact, job evaluation is complex, patient, and repetitive. Let’s take a look at a typical case: a postdoc named John, ready to go on, but he didn’t know what he wanted to do. John met with a career counselor, checked them out, and came up with job opportunities! John narrowed his choices to three and began investigating careers as a management consultant, medical science coordinator, and medical writer. He learned from the consultation and decided that the counselors were going too far, so he dismissed the job. Next, he was the coordinator of medical science.

She loved what she was learning! He will work scientifically while working with scientists and doctors. John talked to the medical science coordinator, and he really liked what he heard, except that there was a roof over progress, so he passed that on to the list. Go to medical writing! As before, John learned and talked with people. She loved what she was learning! He especially liked that he didn't need any previous knowledge. He was tired of his postdoc and ready to make money! Over the course of the year, John applied for a ton of jobs, but did not get any negotiations! Confused, he spoke to many people. One told him that the field had changed. Now you need experience! So, he took a $ 2,500 writing course that would make him competitive. Unfortunately, you hate it! At this point, John became very upset and talked to his classmate about his sadness. You suggested a different one: Patent Agent. It seems to include a variety of skills and activities that John loves. 

This was a way he never thought of! So he started the whole process by reading and talking to people. During this time, he tested a job with a temporary internship at his university during his postdoc. He loved the job! He wrote reports and met with many law firms and lawyers. One of them suggested he take the patent bar; he did, he passed! John applied for a job and got it right away. These days, she is happily hired as a Senior Patent Agent at a biotech company. Job testing is complex, dirty, and hard work! So start early: job evaluation takes time! Do not rely on a single anecdote; get more data points! Accept serendipity, because job tracks can appear in unexpected places! Try this exercise in a less risky way, and don't give up: in the end, everyone gets there!