Choosing a Career

by Mercy omayio
(Embakasi,Nairobi,Kenya)

Am a girl 18 years old, i completed my high school the year 2007 and got a grade of a B-. I want you to help me choose a career which is not popular and is marketable.

Lisa's Response to "Choosing a Career"

Mercy, the question you're asking is a huge question that is beyond the scope of what I can answer in this form. It's smart that you're working on making smart career choices. So many people just fall into the first job that comes along when they finish school instead of taking the time to research careers that are a good fit for them.

A well thought out career choice takes into account many factors, including:
Your aptitudes (the things you are naturally good at)
Your skills (the things you are already good at)
Your interests
Your personal style (the way you like to work and do things)
Your values
Family and personal needs (any responsibilities you might have to others)
Physical needs (if you have any physical disabilities or limitations, those need to be considered)
Your goals
Your financial needs and expectations

So, in order to make a good career choice that is a good fit for you personally, it would be wise to consider all of those factors as they apply specifically to you (which is why the question is beyond the scope of this form).

An excellent resource that can help you to consider all of the factors that go into making a smart career choice is the book What Color is Your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles. It is one of the most thorough and helpful career planning books I have ever read (and I've read a lot of them).

If you decide to use this book to help you with your career planning, do keep in mind that it is written from a North American perspective, so there may be a few things that are slightly different in Kenya. In North America it is a very popular book and can be found at almost any local library or book store. If you can't find it at a library, you can also get it online at Amazon:
What Color Is Your Parachute? 2009: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (What Color Is Your Parachute?)