Career Paths for Everyone
"The Journey to finding your passion is a lifelong endeavor"
The misconception is that one's career path is a straight line. From A to B. From school to job to retirement. This is a career myth that has deep roots and must be challenged.
The more traditional career path is that there is no traditional path. Everyone has a different journey. Everyone finds their way on their terms. The goal of Your Future: Make it Your Own (YF:MIYO) is to give students tools, information, and resources that will help them identify their strengths and abilities, and uncover their passions and interests, to help them find a meaningful career.
Essentially, identify what they're good at, what they like, and how they can get paid for it.
What Career Path is Best Suited for Your Skills and Interests?
Click the tabs + to see a snapshot of pros and cons for each pathPROS
- Higher entry-level pay
- Low stigma
- Breadth of access to career information
- Versatility in career changes
- High job mobility
CONS
- Delayed career gratification
- Student Debt
PROS
- Medium entry-level pay
- Breadth of access to career information
- Versatility in career changes
- Higher job mobility
CONS
- Medium stigma
- Low Student Debt
- Delayed career gratification
PROS
- Instant gratification
- Learning on the job
- Career experience
- Learn what you like/don't like
CONS
- Low entry-level pay
- Low upward mobility
PROS
- Immediate career
- Family-centric path
- Heritage and tradition
- High mobility
- Stability
CONS
- High stigma
- External negative perception
- Low entry level pay
PROS
- Quick way to upskill
- Higher job mobility
- Low Investment
- Learn while on the job
CONS
- Low availability across industries
- Hard finding the right certifying entity
PROS
- Instant gratification
- High job demand
- High entry-level pay
CONS
- Medium stigma
- Lack of path information
- Lack of available resources to identify opportunities
PROS
- Higher entry-level consideration
- Insight into what you like/don't like
- Higher job mobility
CONS
- Competitive
- Lack of availability for certain industries/paths
PROS
- On the job learning
- Higher entry-level pay
- Immediate skill and experience
CONS
- Hard to find
- Lack of breadth of programs
- Only for certain industries/paths
PROS
- Autonomy
- High risk, high reward
- On-the-job education
- Instant career
- High job mobility
CONS
- High risk, high reward
- Need assets or investment
- Low entry-level pay
- Medium to high debt
what does these different paths mean to me?
Let's Learn More About These Different Options
Select one of the career paths to learn more about opportunities and resources.
Pursuing Entrepreneurship
Have you always felt like you were destined to own your own business?
Maybe you've always had an idea for a product and now you're in a position to take it to market?
Maybe you've always tinkered with things and are ready to pursue a patent for your unique doohickey?
If you're one of those people who love autonomy, pushing the boundaries of what you want to accomplish, setting your own schedule, if you love pitching ideas and presenting your thoughts, then you might be an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurship is oftentimes the path most closely aligned with the mission of the Your Future: Make It Your Own (YF:MIYO) brand. After all, most entrepreneurs use their strengths, skills and abilities to find something they're interested and passionate about so that they can build a business and get paid for it.
Entrepreneurship can be a difficult path, but for those of you with the gumption, perseverance, and patience, it can also be a very rewarding endeavor.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Starting your own business is no longer just an option for the economically well-off. Today's marketplace has the most business-friendly climate and the barriers to launch a business are slim. And the statistics show that most entrepreneurs take a very non-traditional educational way to finding their path.
STATS
- 90% of new American billionaires are self-made.
- 15 million Americans are full-time self-employed.
- 62% of adults believe entrepreneurship is a good career.
- 55% of entrepreneurs say their biggest motivation for starting their own business was the idea of being their own boss.
- 30% of entrepreneurs only have a high school degree.
- Only 9% of entrepreneurs have a Bachelor’s Degree in business.
- 83.1% of US business owners started their companies.
- Business and food are the two most popular industries for entrepreneurs.
Things to Consider for Each Career Path
Look at the sliders to review this career path to see if it makes sense for your situation, needs, and wants.
