A typical high school career-counseling session begins with a question like this: If money were not a factor, which career would you choose?
The motive behind this question is obvious: to determine where your passion lies without any interference, so that your choice of career is based solely upon personal interest rather than financial considerations.
Unfortunately, as we leave high school and enter the “real” world, it becomes abundantly clear that money is a factor – an extremely important one, in fact. So a new question poses itself: How do we find a balance between doing what we love and earning enough money to care for ourselves and our families?
If the thing you love happens to be running a billion-dollar corporation or being the sovereign of a small country, then financial and work-related bliss come hand- in-hand. But for those who enjoy the less “practical” disciplines, such as the humanities and the arts, following a preferred career path often involves sacrificing a degree of financial security.
Exactly how many people are willing to make such a sacrifice? College majors are partially indicative of career trends. According to the Princeton Review, humanities disciplines like English rank among the top 10 most popular college majors.
The fact that high school counselors are even bothering to ask questions like the one posited above is indicative that some old mentalities (such as the “life-begins-at-retirement” mindset) are on their way out. After all, throughout the course of our lives, many of us will spend more time at work than anywhere else.
For those who do decide that they are better suited to majoring in English than in business or computer science, is all the concern over job security absolutely necessary? More and more, it seems that the answer is “no.” People who major in the humanities end up getting jobs all over the map, from human resources to directing films. Many people will end up working outside their major, no matter what disciplines they choose to study in college. It is impossible for anyone to predict what kinds of opportunities will be presented to them down the road. But in the meantime, an increasing number of students are making the choice to study what interests them.
Of course, risking financial security in the name of doing what you love is only half the battle. Figuring out exactly what it is that you love to do is the tricky part. Self-help books aimed at helping you figure out what to do with your life are more popular than ever. A related television series called “Roadtrip Nation,” which aired on PBS, became a hit with young and old alike when it documented the travels of several college students who interviewed successful professionals from across the country. The mission statement of the “Roadtrip Nation” crew involved casting off the pressures of society and focusing on “finding the open road,” i.e., your ideal career path.
In one sense, the logic is sound, but for many, practicality inevitably settles in. Parents want their children to do something they love, but few are enthusiastic about sending them to college to major in disciplines they feel will not lead to a stable career. The concern is valid: No matter how much the job market changes to encompass new careers, certain jobs will always be in higher demand than others. But it is also true that new industries are growing, and new careers are taking shape that weren’t available before. Now, more than ever before, is an exciting time to test the waters in the job market.
American theologian Howard Thurman said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Sarah Kuiken (skuiken@ gmail.com) of Windsor attends Chapman University in Orange, Calif. Applications for the 2006 Colorado Voices panel are currently being accepted.
