Discerning Career Choice

College bound students are faced with the important task of picking the right major for them. Career choice is a process that does not start after high school graduation rather earlier. Since the new school year is two months away, here are a few suggestions so you could save on time and resources.

1. Know yourself.
   • Get to know what you need or want to enrich your life. More than what others say, find out what you really need or want to do with your life.
   • Get to know your interests and values. The choices you have made over your life have developed into a strong pattern of interests. These reflect what you value most in life.
   • Get to know your skills. Analyze your most enjoyable activities. Through repeated choices in your areas of interest, you have developed many skills. Find out which of these skills you enjoy using the most.
2. Know the world of work.
   • Research the job market. If you did step 1, you will at least have an idea of jobs that fit your self-image.
   • Check the job market outlook and relate it to trends in society. Will there be a need of people to do the job you’d like? What workplace will you choose?
   • Talk to people in careers that interest you. Check workplaces and see professionals in action. For example: nurses going about their tasks in the hospital, or engineers in the field, etc.
3. Know God’s will.
   • Pray for God’s guidance and enlightenment. More than any other only God knows what is best for you. With him, there is no room for failure.
   • Seek guidance from spiritually mature people to help discern God’s will for you.

(Nena Quijano)