Teaching career?
I am unsure what career I should choose!

by Concetta
(Saint Augustine,Fl)

Hello. I will try to make this short.

I went to school for education, but only for general courses (except math, which I'm terrible at).
I am unsure what I should do for a career.
I thought about a teaching career, but I have always been worried about my nervousness and anxiety problem and I have learned I might not have the patience for a teaching career.

Also, I am told that it's now hard to be hired as a teacher and most are miserable, because teaching is less about being creative and more about standardized testing etc.

I enjoy photography, but do not want to travel. I am good with office type things, but have no idea what career I would choose for that or what program within school I should choose.
I'm drawing a blank and I feel behind, because I am 25 with no college degree. :(




Simon’s Reply

Hi Concetta
If you have been thinking about a teaching career for a while, then it may be something worth investigating further.
A good place to start is to write up a list of questions about a career in teaching that you think would help you make an informed decision.
Then go about finding some teachers to talk with that could answer those questions.
Perhaps invite them to a café for a coffee. You will need to do this with 5 or 6 different teachers (even more if you can) and see what common answers come out.

This insight gained from a number of different people already in a teaching career can be quite valuable in helping you decide if teaching is right for you.

If you want to send me your email address I will send you some more information on how to go about this.

I wouldn’t be focused on a college degree unless you know there is something you really want to study. Many people are successful in life without a college degree -Bill Gates dropped out of college.

I see many people who have their degree but are still in the same position as you are.
Degrees are by no means a free ticket into a job.
If office work potentially interests you, why not offer yourself free to a local business for a week or two to test the water – great for you and the business.
Do that a few times in different places if necessary. If there is a good fit between you and the employer a job offer may even result, but do it primarily to find out if you like that type of work.

Concetta, you may also find it beneficial to complete this exercise.
Most people find this very helpful in discovering where they fit in the world of work. Click here to complete the exercise.

It is quite in-depth but usually very worthwhile.


Regards
Simon Davies