by Christopher Davis

Created on: October 25, 2007

Figuring out what you want to do for a living can often be a daunting task. After all, you don't want to get stuck in some dead end job you hate for the rest of your life right? Many times, college students spend their first and sometimes even their second years still trying to decide upon a major. So if you haven't figured it out yet, don't worry. Simply follow the advice I've posted in this column for you and you should be able to learn the tools necessary for figuring out what it is you actually want to do.

There are two basic strategies one can use to find their "dream" job. The first, writing down a list of what you like to do, may sound simple but can be just as difficult as trying to figure out what you want to do for a living. The second strategy, used by people who can't even think of what they like to do, is to take part in extracurricular activities, clubs, or even classes at their local community college. I'll get more into both of these strategies further on in this article.

Do you enjoy hiking outdoors? Consider becoming a park ranger or working at a camp of some sort. If you know where your interests lie then you should be able to easily locate a career that suits you best. Once you've determined what it is that you want to do, use whatever resources you can to find out more about actually finding jobs within that career. The internet is probably the easiest way to find information on jobs, but remember that schools and employment agencies also have many tools available for matching people to different careers.

For those who struggle to even figure out what interests them I suggest you take additional activities for fun. You can find classes at a local community college for a fraction of what a university will charge you, and there isn't the same level of stress that you would find at a four year college. Often times communities will also have clubs or private run classes for people with a variety of interests. You can search for them either on the internet or even with your local government. Try getting involved in a number of these to help you decide where your interests lie. To those who cannot decide upon what classes to take, try anything that you think might peak your interest. Unlike deciding upon a major in college, taking single classes can be a fun way to figure out what it is that you actually like to do without having to commit yourself to any one subject.

And finally, like I said before, don't rule out anything as a career. You might not be able to always make the money you want, but you can deal with that once you've actually managed to figure out what career you would like to pursue.

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