Career Options

Many people use the words 'job' and 'career' interchangeably but they do not really mean the same thing. Although you might be offered an entry-level job with a magazine you can only really consider that as the first rung of your career ladder if your intention is to build a career within the publishing industry.

If instead your intention is to become a microbiologist, then the money you earn at the magazine will no doubt be welcome but the experienced gained has minimal relevance to your career.

A Well-defined Path or the Scenic Route to Success

Some people will follow a fairly well defined path from high school, through college, a few years work experience, followed by an MBA then get hired into a dream job straight out of grad school.

Others are not so lucky or interested in following this route and instead take a more scenic route to success. Keep in mind that there is more than one road to getting you where you ultimately want to be. Sometimes you may need to get creative and take the back roads to make it to the next step.

For instance, an aspiring investment banker may start his or her career by taking an internship at a car dealership in the accounting department and get exposure to numbers instead of starting out at a bank. Since these skills are transferable, it allows one to explore an alternative career path while not shutting down the door to the ultimate dream.

Some people have no career mindset at all and do not have a defined long term plan or "dream job." Instead, they are simply driven by the money and do not consider how a job will help them get where they want to be. This approach focuses too much on the short term.

At Minority Action we believe your career goal should be one of satisfaction; of having a life well-lived. Of course, monetary gain may be a part of that but so to could serving one’s community mentoring and creating opportunities for those less fortunate. Join our forum to be part of the conversation and discuss your career goals.