What type of career should my DD look into if she likes: :)

[Carpe Diem]

Paperwork, sticky notes, rubber gloves, and building things from instructions and on her own. She likes instructions. Even when she has a new shampoo she likes to read the instructions. When she makes Mac and cheese she reads the same instructions and measures things precisely even though she knows, it because she enjoys it. She likes schedules and she is very anal about staying on schedule. She loves lesson plans. She is an advanced piano student and loves to sing sacred music.

 

Do these characteristics make you think she should consider a certain career choice?

 

Thanks!

 

P.S. I read this to her and she said she sounds like a nut! :)

[Janeway]

Accountant.

[Carpe Diem]

Thank you Janeway.

 

No, being an accountant doesn't appeal to her.

 

What else?

[Blessedwith1]

A surgeon, an architect, or an interior designer?

[Sherri in MI]

Secretary/Administrative Assistant/Office Manager

[Crimson Wife]

Chemist or chemical engineer

 

ETA: Good list of chemistry-related careers: http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/college-to-career/chemistry-careers.html

Edited March 29, 2016 by Crimson Wife

[Carpe Diem]

Thanks, this is fun seeing your suggestions. Helpful, too.

 

Blessedwith1-No to surgeon but maybe some other form of medicine and she said maybe to architect and interior designer.

 

Sherri in MI- She might like those office careers.

 

Crimson Wife- thank you for the link! It is very interesting and shows a wide variety of work in the field of chemistry. She did like her chemistry class but chemistry was not her favorite science. I am going to have her look through the link. Any other similar links?

 

Biology and Anatomy/Physiology are her favorite sciences but she isn't sure that she would be interested in physical therapy.

 

The ACT questionnaire showed she would like working with things and ideas vs people, but her current interest is nursing. I don't feel certain that is her calling though. Maybe an advanced nursing or administrative position?

 

She is looking for a career that would be in demand, pays well and lend itself to maybe part time work/be good for a woman who is a mother.

 

She loves football and college basketball but a career in that area likely would not be a good fit for a mother.

 

Thank you for the suggestions so far.

 

What else should she consider?

[dereksurfs]

Possibly a music director or a teacher. 

 

There are many areas in the medical field in addition to nursing that would be worth looking into.  How about occupational therapy. radiology, sonography, medical research, osteopathy, speech therapy, etc...  The list is huge.

 

 

[fourisenough]

Pharmacist

[Cosmos]

Events planning

 

Does she like writing instructions as well as reading them? Consider technical writing.

 

 

[amy58103]

Computer Science ... pays well, in demand, could potentially find part-time work or even work from home ... and programming is one big list of instructions.

[Vida Winter]

My first thought was teacher, but to be completely honest, the attributes you list could serve her well in any field.

[Junie]

My first thoughts were nurse or pharmacist.

[amy58103]

Another idea ... Medical Technology (also known as Clinical or Medical Laboratory Sciences).  These are the people that perform the laboratory tests on medical specimens (i.e. blood, tissue, etc.).  Its a four-year college degree.  Jobs can vary from working part-time in a small laboratory attached to a doctors office to working full-time in a large hospital laboratory.  My sister started off in this field and really enjoyed it (she then veered off into IT support / database management ... which just goes to show you that your college degree doesn't dictate the rest of your life!)  It has:  paperwork, following instructions/test steps, very schedule driven (my sister is notorious for setting a timer for EVERYTHING), relates to her favorite science, decent job demand, rubber gloves  :lol: , and possibly friendly to moms.  

[Lori D.]

I really like to suggest trying an interest inventory to see what your top 3 interest areas are (called Holland Code), which then allows you to explore many occupations that use those interests in a variety of ways.

 

Here is a great overview info-graphic on Crack Your Holland Code, and from there, you can use this quickie Occupational Database which uses your top 1-2 Holland Code interest areas to come up with a list of occupations. When you click on the occupations, you get plugged into O-Net, the US Bureau of Labor's career exploration website.

 

Another way to approach career exploration is with Career Clusters. (Here is the interest survey for Career Clusters.) It is a national educational organizing tool that divides career areas into 16 "clusters", and then into 70 more specific "pathways" of the essential knowledge/skill required for the "cluster". The pathways then branch into over 1800 "crosswalks", which are the specific jobs, can then be researched by "crosswalk" at the Dept. of Labor's O-Net website. O-Net ("O" for Occupations). O-Net allows you to read info on the various "crosswalks", search by career cluster, industry, STEM jobs, and more. O-Net is a sprawling, overwhelming website, so a good starting point is the "My Next Move" section, which has two different search engines (by industry or by key words), and an interest profiler.

 

Another, more streamlined way of researching specific occupations is the US Bureau of Labor's free online Occupational Outlook Handbook. The OOH is similar in organization to the career clusters, in that it loosely organizes the hundreds of jobs under 25 "occupational groups" (see the list going down on the lefthand side of the OOH home page). The OOH allows you to explore  for info on specific careers. BUT, it also allows you to different ways to do a search to come up with a list of careers to look at -- by salary; by amount of education required; by how much growth that field expects in the next 10 years; etc.

 

 

Just from your descriptions, it sounds like your DD is strongly C (Conventional), with some I (Investigative) and A (Artistic) interests. A number of the occupations suggested by above posters do fit well with those interest areas. For more career exploration fun based on the Holland Codes, here are some links:

 

Holland Code Wikipedia article, with lists of occupations for each interest area

CA Career Zone website -- take the interest inventory (find your code), then explore occupations in depth -- or -- explore occupations by "clusters"

NY Career Zone website -- plug in your Holland Code, -- or -- browse through all the occupations 

 

Good luck! And enjoy your career explorations together! :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

[deerforest]

Information architect, UI architect, technical writer.

[wintermom]

You probably don't want to hear this, but she sounds like a bunch of civil servants I know. If she likes attending meetings, that would be a perfect job for her. ;)

[matrips]

technical specifications writer

user manual writer

[Carpe Diem]

Thank you!! She will enjoy reading these replies.

 

Dereksurfs-Music/teacher She has said no to these. I think because of possible low pay. She struggles with sight reading and plays mostly by ear but plays advance pieces. She learns them quickly. I wonder if she suppresses an interest here because it doesn't seem as practical to her.

 

Fourisenough- pharmacist. I have suggested this and she doesn't think it sounds appealing but maybe she doesn't know all the details other than filling prescriptions.

 

Cosmos-events planning. Hmm... Is the name of a college degree or is there another name?

 

Amy58103- computer science. I love how you explained this is following directions. She has not really had much experience with computers other than surfing the Internet, using Microsoft word. I wonder if she would like something like this if she was exposed to it. She hasn't expressed an interest in making a computer program. My little guy he is all about computer programming and saught it out himself. So does this mean she isn't inclined to this field if she hasn't shown a desire here? Medical Technologist was something I thought of too! It has the rubber gloves!! (She is a goof! Haha) when I mentioned it to her she said she wouldn't want to be looking into a microscope all day. I was surprised because I thought she liked that.

 

Vidal Winter-teacher. I think she would be good at this but I think she has said no to this idea due to low pay. Maybe she wants to homeschool her own children and thinks teaching, at least kids, would seem counterintuitive.

 

Junie-nurse/pharmacist. I am glad you think nursing would fit her interests and skills.

 

LoriD- thank you so much for your links. This is something she will enjoy doing and that we were wanting to find.

 

Thank you!!

[Carpe Diem]

Opps didnt see these replies.

 

Deer forest-information and UI architect. I don't know what these are but will look into them. Thank you

 

Matrips-No, she doesn't like to write. Just read. Although she loves to fill in forms.

 

Winter mom-Civil Servant. Maybe. I asked her if she likes meetings. She isn't sure.

 

Thanks everyone.

 

Let me know of any other ideas! I feel like there are so many jobs we don't even know about.

[Slache]

Lab Tech. My girlfriend loves it and makes great money.

[Crimson Wife]

Pharmaceutical research & development, biotechnologist, pathologist, epidemiologist

 

Here's a list of biomedical careers: http://learningpath.org/article_directory/sh/page/Biology%20and%20Biomedical%20Sciences/sh/Job_Titles_and_Careers_List.html

[Arcadia]

. I think because of possible low pay. She struggles with sight reading and plays mostly by ear but plays advance pieces. She learns them quickly. I wonder if she suppresses an interest here because it doesn't seem as practical to her.

...

Cosmos-events planning. Hmm... Is the name of a college degree or is there another name?

 

. She hasn't expressed an interest in making a computer program.

...

So does this mean she isn't inclined to this field if she hasn't shown a desire here?

...

when I mentioned it to her she said she wouldn't want to be looking into a microscope all day

Music teaching - My neighbor who teach piano at her home charge $50 per half hour. We pay $60 per 45mins for our kid's cello teacher. It is a flexible time job and many we know teach from home. Minimum wage in my area is $10/hr as comparison.

 

The sight reading difficulty and the microscope comment makes me think of possible eye tracking issues. Mine is obvious to the point of having accomodations during piano exams. My DS10's tracking issues are so mild it is easy to miss.

 

Events planning - I know mainly business and marketing graduates doing it full time, but there are people with other degrees that switch to eventa planning because they like it. My degree is in engin and I get to plan tech product launch events as part of my former job which suits my love of planning and socializing needs just fine.

 

Computer science - There is a lot more to computer science than programming. My lady cousin is paid well as a computer security expert. When her former company restructured, she had a job line up before layoff date. I know a few CTOs that aren't programmers though they happen to be fantastic in math.

If she is very details centric, jobs at data centers might be worth looking at.

[wintermom]

 

Winter mom-Civil Servant. Maybe. I asked her if she likes meetings. She isn't sure.

 

 

 

It was more of a joke suggesting this. I can't imagine any teen aspiring to be a Civil Servant. And any enjoyment of attending meetings would be beaten out of her eventually. ;)

 

It's a nice secure job, though, just not usually a "dream job," kwim.

[Crimson Wife]

Just thought of another one- industrial audiologist (working for a hearing aid/cochlear implant manufacturer). They make some of the highest salaries in audiology and unlike clinical audiology, it's not direct patient care.

 

http://saa.audiology.org/news/so-you-want-be-industry-audiologist

[GAPeachie]

something in a medical lab?  Pharmacy?  

 

I just watched a movie about a Dr. doing autopsies.  He always listened to music as he did it.  

 

Ooooooooo what about estate planning.  It's an area that requires lots of crossed t's and dotted i's.  

[EKS]

Quality control in a pharmaceutical company (and probably other regulated industries as well).

[tampamommy]

Packaging science, 3D modeling architect, mechanical engineering (maybe a stretch)

[plansrme]

Tax lawyer.

 

Not that any high schooler EVER said, "Hey, I would love to grow up and be a tax lawyer." But still--if you enjoy instructions, there is no greater instruction manual than the Internal Revenue Code.

[katilac]

No, being an accountant doesn't appeal to her.

 

Does she really know what an accountant does, though? Many people immediately equate it to math, but it has very little to do with actual math (and you definitely don't need to be strong in math).

 

What types of things does she like to build? Building a shed or such is a different set of skills/interests from building intricate models. 

[Carpe Diem]

Hi Everyone. I am traveling and sitting on the edge of the bed in a hotel room trying not to wake my kids so I will just reply generally.

 

What type of things does she like to build? Good question. She likes to follow directions to assemble anything like put together a shelving unit or a Lego set. She hasn't built anything with wood. She loves Kapla blocks and making things out of the books.

 

I laughed at Plansrme comment about the tax code book!

 

I really don't know all there is to being an accountant, pharmacist and many other jobs.

 

Good point made about visual scanning. I hadn't thought of that. My other child had a problem with that. She doesn't have a problem with reading but maybe she learned to compensate??

 

I wondered about some sort of engineering. She has only gone through Alg 2 in math though. Although she could likely go further.

 

Good point made about the money made in private music lessons.

 

What is Packing Science?

 

I hadn't thought of audiologist or industrial audiologist. I am a speech pathologist. She isn't interested in what I do I don't think. So my brain didn't think of audiology.

 

She has thought of nurse anesthetist. Mostly because of the pay and demand and probably the challenge. For me I don't know if I would like working in an OR room without windows all day but maybe that isn't a big thing for her. Not sure how that career would be for a Mom.

 

Thanks everyone for the input so far!! You are the greatest! I will look back for other ideas!! Can't wait to be able to look through all the links!

 

Thanks!

[MomatHWTK]

Technical writing- creating instruction manuals for products?

[tampamommy]

Packaging science is a very large field that deals with designing packaging for any product, commercial or retail. I know that Rochester Institute of Technology had a very good packaging science major a number of years ago. I am fairly sure other schools offer it as well.

[bibiche]

A precise planner who appreciates the arts and likes to wear rubber gloves :) ? She should become a conservator!

http://www.conservation-us.org/publications/careers-in-conservation/become-a-conservator#.Vv0yyy_EyrU

[Ravin]

Health inspector

Criminal forensic technician/crime scene investigator

Lab technician of any sort

Contracts/transactions attorney

Military service

[basketcase]

Hand her a book like Do What You Are -- I love that one because it shows how to find the intersection between interests and personality type. It doesn't claim that certain fields are only good for certain personality types. Instead it shows how to find the specific jobs within an interest that will fit your strengths. It's based on MBTI.

[Carpe Diem]

Bibiche- I enjoyed your reply! She is interested in history, too. She hasn't really thought of this career before.

 

MommatHWTK- thanks but she does not enjoy writing, but maybe this style of writing would appeal to her?

 

Ravin- I could see her liking any of these. Although becoming an attorney takes a lot of time and money. She is too chicken for the military. :)

 

Basket case- thanks for the book suggestion!!

 

Thanks everyone!

[clementine]

Actuary?

[LivingHope]

Already mentioned above, but the first things that came to my mind are Pharmicist or Lab Technician.

 

ETA: I love the Bibiche's suggestion of conservator.

Edited April 1, 2016 by LivingHope

[Carpe Diem]

I thought of another characteristic that will help her in any career but she is not fazed easily under stress or criticism.

[bettyandbob]

The ACT questionnaire showed she would like working with things and ideas vs people, but her current interest is nursing. I don't feel certain that is her calling though. Maybe an advanced nursing or administrative position?

 

She is looking for a career that would be in demand, pays well and lend itself to maybe part time work/be good for a woman who is a mother.

 

 

 

I don't know how you get to an advanced admin nursing position without a few years of actually working with people. 

 

I think she should reconsider accountant. It relies on a lot of organization. Primary work would not be directly with people. It pays well and always seems to be in demand. And it could be set up to be flexible and part time. 

[Carpe Diem]

Thanks Diana P-I will suggest she look more at accounting. The results of the ACT questionnaire caused her to be perplexed. She said adamantly that she likes working with people.

[VANURSEPRAC]

Actuary?

 

 

D12 took the Holland test, she was way high for "I" and a tiny bit "R" and "C".

 

I would love to expose D12 to the career of an Actuary but don't know how.

 

We have looked over "Be an Actuary" but still she can't wrap her head around it. Neither can I.

[clementine]

D12 took the Holland test, she was way high for "I" and a tiny bit "R" and "C".

 

I would love to expose D12 to the career of an Actuary but don't know how.

 

We have looked over "Be an Actuary" but still she can't wrap her head around it. Neither can I.

http://www.beanactuary.org/why/

 

Did you go to the site above?  Then go to a college website and see what they have as their course requirements for actuary science.  She will be able to see the direction it would take her & if she is interested.