In this post, I’ll talk about a very effective way to really get clear about your career choice once you’ve made your initial decision about what you want to pursue.  In my past few posts, I’ve described three key steps that will really help you choose a career that has the greatest probability of being truly fulfilling to you in the real world: exploring what you really want, creating a list of career possibilities and doing some informational interviews with people who are successful and happy at the work you are considering for yourself.

Try It Our Yourself

Once you become clear about a career you think you’d really like to pursue, it will really benefit you to look for opportunities to work with someone who is really enjoying your chosen path and is successful at it.

I recommend that you look for opportunities to work or volunteer at an entry level in the field that you are interested in.  In days past, people used to be able to become an apprentice in a field that they were interested in learning more about; that’s essentially what I’m recommending to you.  Unfortunately, the idea of apprenticeship is something else that we have let fall by the wayside in our modern culture.  There’s not really a system set up for people to learn from someone who is a master at what they want to do.  However, that doesn’t need to hold you back from having this valuable experience yourself.  You will just need to take responsibility for arranging an apprenticeship experience yourself.

How to Arrange an Apprenticeship

The question is, how to go about doing that?  Well, if you’ve done your informational interviews, you already have a great foot in the door in the field you’re interested in.  Contact the person or people that you interviewed in the field you’ve chosen.  Thank them again for the opportunity to talk to them and let them know that they were instrumental in your decision to follow the career you have chosen.  Then, tell them that you would like to get some hands-on experience in the field by doing some entry-level work or volunteer work in this area and ask if they know of any opportunities to do this.  These people are great contacts for you to begin networking with.  If they don’t know of any work opportunities, ask them if they can suggest other people that you might contact in the field so you can get this valuable experience.

Make the Most of It

Once you find an apprenticeship in your chosen field, make sure you make the most of it.  Watch the people who really love their work, connect with them, learn from them.  That’s how you’ll really discover whether this field is truly the right career choice for you.  Plus, you’ll be making invaluable connections for the future.

Know You Love It before You Go Any Further

By getting real, hands-on experience in the field you’re interested in right now, you will be able to make a much more informed choice about your future career.  For most people, they go through years of schooling and study before they actually get to the point of experiencing what it’s like to work in their chosen field.  By then, they have invested so much time and effort in their field that they often find it very difficult to make a change if they discover that they don’t really like it.  With the real experience that I’m recommending that you get right now, you will know if this career is right for you.  Trust your heart on this one.  After learning all you can about your potential career through informational interviews and through direct experience, if you find that you feel really inspired and excited about this career, you are ready to go for it.

In my next post, I’ll give you some final motivating thoughts to help you find the courage and inspiration to actually follow through with these steps.

.

Discover your passion.  Live your dream. Your Inspiring Life

.