by Fonda Ippolito

Created on: November 04, 2009

Ask any elementary school student what they want to be when they grow up and you are likely to hear some very common responses: police officer, fireman, rock star, model, football player. By middle school perhaps doctor and lawyer could be added to that list, and by high school your list might grow to twenty or so career choices including crime scene investigator, soldier, journalist and teacher. Even as adults, although we may be aware that there are many more career choices, we can rarely name them. Our knowledge of occupational variety is often limited to the professions we see being performed on television, and in movies and magazines.

In fact, most people would be amazed to learn that there are actually more than 2,800 specific job titles available to choose from. Mind boggling, isn't it? With all of those choices, even if we are aware that they exist, how do we then decipher which of them are in demand now and in the future? What education is required for these careers, and what types of jobs are we, as individuals, suited for?

Fortunately, the answers to these daunting questions are out there and fairly easily obtained, if you know where to look. Government agencies, colleges and universities, and even career search Internet sites offer a myriad of tools to aid people who are searching for work, whether you are a newcomer to the world of employment, a displaced employee, or one who is re-entering the workforce after raising a family.

The first stop on the journey to gainful and meaningful employment is to decide what you will be good at and will enjoy doing. You may have a general idea about your personality and what type of work you would be willing to perform, however just knowing that you like to work with your hands and that you want to make a lot of money may not be enough to place you on the road to occupational success.

A psychological profile is often helpful to determine the perfect match of worker to job. Profiles can focus on your personality, your vocational skills and aptitudes and your personal preferences. If you don't mind spending a little money there are formal tests available for career placement decisions. The two most widely used are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) tests. The MBTI is a personality test that identifies which of 16 different personality types you are. The SII is a psychological test used in career assessment and educational guidance. These are often offered at colleges

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