- Where are you right now in your career exploration process?
Very recently I figured out that the career I thought was right for me and that I kept in mind when determining my major is not actually the one that will make me happy. For the past couple of years, I believed that I was going to become a veterinarian. A childhood dream that would actually come true, a career my parents would be proud of and could tell all their friends, and a job that would make me feel smart. However upon coming to Ohio State, being in ENR Scholars and Sierra Club, and taking Animal Science classes, I have realized that becoming a veterinarian is not my true goal in life. Right now, I know I want my career to have something to do with the environment. That may be accomplished as an environmental educator, naturalist, park ranger, or another career that I have not discovered yet. In this new field of interest, I am pretty early on in the career exploration process.
- What did you learn about yourself from completing this workshop?
My code was SRA, which stands for Social, Realistic, and Artistic. I realized that even though I am introverted, I am very social, and most of my happiness comes from connecting with others and helping them. I know I will only be happy with a career that allows me to help and connect with others directly or indirectly. I also realized that while I do enjoy working with people, I also need to work with my hands. I am a tactile learner, and I know I will only be happy with a career that allows me to work with my hands and see concepts demonstrated in real life. I also found out that while my career may not be in the arts, I can still be a creator in my career.
I also realized that my career does not have to reflect all of my interests. I can love animals without having to become a veterinarian. However, I can use my love of the environment to help and teach others. I do not think I will be satisfied in my career unless I can share my knowledge and passions with others.
- What careers does O*Net recommend for your code?
For my code, SRA, only one career is recommended, which is a Park Naturalist. This is not the exact career I had been thinking about, but incorporates many of my interests and seems like a job I would be happy having. For ARS, dancer and make up artist came up. For all other variations of my code, Park Naturalist was the only one that showed up.
- Does your current path come up with your code?
Yes, one of my possible career goals does line up with my code. When I was younger, being a professional dancer and makeup/hair artist were some of my dream jobs that I knew I would never actually pursue, but it was interesting to see them show up for a code similar to mine.
- How does this apply to your current academic plans (major, minor, graduate/professional school, etc.)?
This helped be the final push to convince me to change my major and drop my pre-vet minor. It also has made be began to start thinking about attending graduate school, or not having to attend at all. Before, veterinary school was a must, but now I can make the decision to start my career right after college or get my Master’s degree. Even though I may not need to get a Master’s degree for some of my projected career paths, I think I would still like to earn one.
- What are your next steps now?
My next steps now are to change my major to Natural Resource Management, talk to a career counselor, and start getting involved with organizations that may employ me in the future. I am also going to follow my passions and my interests, and not pick a career that I think will make others impressed or to appease my parents. I am also going to keep in mind that I should be happy in my career, and continue to modify my career search.