Some of us fall into our careers through circumstance and timing and others have a plan of exactly what we want to do and how to get there.
When you don’t know what to do, you need to find some inspiration that sparks an interest.
Inspiration takes many forms. It might be a simple advertisement that catches your eye or it may be talking to someone about their own job.
Sometimes a good way to choose a career is basing it on the type of person you are.
You don’t need a full character assessment to work out which careers would suit your personality.
If you are a caring person, there are plenty of career paths open to you.
Teacher
Always considered a vocation rather than just a job, teaching is a career where you can make a world of difference.
As well as being a role model and shaping the lives of hundreds of children passing through your classroom, teaching is a good specialist career if you are passionate about a particular subject.
Teaching is also a good career for anyone with an interest in education in general.
In the USA, every state requires its certified teachers to hold associate degrees although more and more states are moving to requiring their teachers to hold a master’s degree.
If you have graduated with a degree but don’t have a career in mind, teaching is an excellent option.
You can enjoy a fulfilling career and play a vital role in the care and development of children.
Childcare
You do not necessarily need a degree to work in childcare.
Some educational or institutional establishments may require it but if you want to work privately as a childminder or nanny, no qualifications are required.
Parents, however, want assurance that the person they are leaving their children with is the right person.
You will need to comply with the regulations of your state, local laws, pass background checks, and hold liability insurance.
You can provide greater assurance and commitment by undertaking an early childhood education and care course.
Counsellor or Therapist
Concern for mental health is becoming increasingly embedded in the zeitgeist of the more-enlightened 21st century, so there is more call for mental health professionals and support workers.
If you have an interest in the ways, whys and wherefores of how humans act and think, working as a counsellor or therapist is a good choice if you are a good listener, have strong analytical skills and are understanding.
You can make a big difference.
For the majority of counseling jobs or to work in the therapy field, qualifications are needed, usually beginning with a degree and then certification by a relevant body.
Elderly Care
As we live longer, populations grow older exponentially and the older we get, the less able we become.
With an aging population there is a great call for supportive healthcare resources.
Working with the elderly is a career that definitely gives back and pays forward. There are various career paths.
At the lower end, no qualifications are needed to be an assistant in a care home.
At the top end, a doctor/specialist in geriatric care requires the same lengthy training and more as any high-end medical professional.
In between, the range of jobs includes home care assistant, physiotherapist, speech therapist and registered nurse.
Customer Service Assistant
In recent years, this job has gained an unjust reputation.
The proliferation of large corporations outsourcing to giant call centres in countries thousands of miles away has damaged the integrity of customer service.
Despite this, it remains a hugely important and worthwhile job.
Helping someone who has a problem requires patience and understanding.
No matter how minor the problem might seem, for the customer/complainant, it is probably a priority and a source of major frustration.
Customer service might not be a role that saves lives but resolving an issue makes the customer’s day better.
A customer-facing service role is one of the most accessible of all jobs for people who want to work for the good of other people.
No qualifications are required and there are always plenty of entry-level vacancies.
The Takeaway
There are numerous career paths for someone who wants to make the most of their wish to work for the good of other people.
They don’t all have to be what are traditionally thought of as the “caring professions”.
Think about what you like about helping people and your other skills and interests and channel it all to the job you choose to pursue.