From the time he was a kid, Mike loved plants. Every spring, he would help his parents plant the annuals in the front yard, help his dad mow the entire yard, and think of new ways to freshen up the corner of the yard that didn’t get any sun.
By the time he was in high school, Mike had complete control over the garden in the back yard, and by the time he was a junior, he’d put in a fountain and a pond, complete with fish and a couple of turtles.
In thinking about college, Mike knew he wanted to study landscape architecture—he loved plants, he had a good eye for design, and what better what to put the two together?
He researched colleges that offered a degree in landscape architecture, was admitted to three of them, spent four years learning everything he needed to know about designing gardens, and graduated…only to find he couldn’t be a landscape architect without a Masters degree.
Mike did the right thing in following his passion, and in trying out his profession before he started training for it. His only mistake came in assuming he knew how to reach his long term goal without consulting his career GPS. As a result, Mike didn’t drive off a cliff, but he did take a big, and expensive, detour.
Mike isn’t alone here. Every year, thousands of students begin college with a desire to be a lawyer, thinking they have to get a pre-law degree.
In fact, law schools are interested in applicants to have all kinds of different degrees, including English (since lawyers have to be good writers), Engineering (for those who want to go into patent law for devices and machines), and Computer Science (if your interest lies in intellectual property). The same is true for doctors—sure, you need to take a lot of science classes, but you can take those as electives and still get a degree in History, Art—anything at all!
You can avoid the mistake Mike made in two important ways. First, talk to a career counselor, and tell them what your long term goal is. They’ll be able to tell you all the different ways you can reach your goals, the plusses and minuses of each path, and help you sort out the career options that might work for you. If you need more facts, career counselors can work with you to find out starting salaries, expected job growth, and more.
Second, talk to people who do what you want to do for a living. You may be surprised to find the many ways people ended up in their career, what they would suggest you do—and don’t do—if you want a job in this field, and if the job is really everything it’s all cracked up to be.
A friend of mine studied long and hard to become a veterinarian, only to discover that he loved the animals, but had a tough time working with their often distraught owners. You can learn those lessons from those who have the job now. Keep in mind that many fields require more advanced training now than they used to, so make sure you talk to both veteran employees and those new to the field.
It’s good to have dreams and goals, but it’s important to remember that dreams are only made real by taking down-to-earth steps to make them true. Don’t leave your plans up to guesswork—ask for help from those in the know, and you’ll be better informed about your path.
