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 an Internship
An internship is important because it can present you with new skills and opportunities that you may not receive otherwise. Interns gain technical knowledge within the industry of their choice by working directly with professionals in that field.
This allows you to apply practical knowledge you may have learned from a classroom setting while you develop important soft skills, such as time management, organization, adaptability, problem-solving and teamwork.
A Few Reasons to Consider:
- The majority of students who successfully complete an internship receive a full-time job offer after graduation.
- Students and young professionals with internship experience are 35% more likely to get at least one job offer after graduating than those without internship experience.
- 70% of all interns are offered a position at the same company they interned for, and only 20% decline that offer.
- Paid internships are 52% more likely to result in a full-time job than unpaid internships.
- College graduates with at least some internship experience are 15% less likely to be unemployed than college graduates without internship experience.
- In the United States, entry-level professionals who intern with large tech companies have the highest compensation rates.
Why Is an Internship Important?
Indeed.com have compiled a list of 12 reasons why a student should pursue an internship. And we must agree, internships can propel students knowledge base, teach them what they like and don't like, and pave the path for finding the career they like and are passionate about.
12 Reasons Why
- Tests industry knowledge
- Helps you determine your interests
- Creates new interests
- Connects you with industry professionals
- Allows you to learn in a safe environment
- Allows you to get paid to learn
- Provides possible credit for your college degree
- Potentially qualifies you to gain more internship opportunities
- Creates a unique travel experience
- Inspires you to learn more about an industry
- Teaches you about the importance of work-life balance
- Introduces you to office dynamics
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.
