Beech Tree News Network

Since my granddaughter just started college, I’ve been thinking about how hard it is to choose a job or a career. I once told my late husband that making career decisions was harder than choosing a mate. At least that was true for me.  

I did an Internet search about career statistics. Some of those statistics include the following information (An internet search (21 Crucial Career Change Statistics [2023]: How Often Do People Change Jobs? - Zippia): 

-The average American worker has 12 jobs throughout a lifetime.

-About half of the U.S. workforce changes jobs every one to five years.

-Middle-aged workers are the most likely group of people to make a major career change. 

-Flexibility, financial incentives, and employee benefits are the top reasons people change jobs.

Thinking about young people making career decisions, I decided to ask friends and family about their experiences: “College students recently started their fall semester, preparing for their chosen careers. If responsibilities did not play a part in your career decision, what career or job would you want? Also, how many different kinds of jobs or college majors have you had?” Their responses are listed below:

-If no financial or insurance responsibilities, I would be a test rider for a motocross media company – all the new bikes and products, engine packages, suspension, all of it. But that job doesn’t exist here and doesn’t make much money.

-I would choose something with animals if responsibility meant nothing. I think that seriously if I could go back and do it over again, I would be an eye doctor. I was a tech and worked my way up. I majored in chemistry.

-I love puzzles, whether crosswords, jigsaw, or financial. If I could do that and crochet, that would be my pick. When I started college, I was undecided, but then I changed to a teaching major (until I had to do a classroom observation), and then changed to business administration. I wanted accounting, but had to work and couldn’t do that online.

-When I first started out as a college student, I was a rec major and wanted to be a cruise line director. I realized I couldn’t have a family and pursue that. My father wanted me to be a math teacher, but I rebelled and became a special education teacher. Those were the only two majors I had.

-I would still want to be a teacher. Even though some days are really hard, I feel like I’m able to make a difference. But if I could have done anything without considering finances, I might have been a stay-at-home mom.

-I didn’t go to college. I chose to be a housewife and mother. But I’ve had several jobs: grocery clerk, sewing factory worker, baby sitter, cleaning and ironing for people. I finished up with 18 years in the Dietary Department at our community hospital. 

-If I had no restrictions, I think I would be an author, writing novels and travel blogs as I see the world. I only had one area of study, but got three degrees and seven certifications in that area. All of my adult jobs have been in education, and I’ve loved them. They’ve given me great purpose and good income.

-If I could have any job, I would like to design and dig ponds with my own equipment as owner/operator. I’ve had four jobs but only one career.

-I initially thought I wanted to be a pharmacist. I changed my major to chemical engineering. I’ve had multiple engineering jobs, supervisor and manager positions: pilot plant engineer, extrusion engineer, finishing engineer, plant engineer (this was actually a manager/engineer position), project engineer, reliability engineer, reliability engineering team leader (supervisor position), and asset care advisor. Of all the jobs I’ve had, I like being a reliability engineer the best. It just doesn’t pay as much as being a supervisor. I was a reliability engineer for 12 of my 24 years working since getting my degree.

-If responsibilities did not play a part in my career decisions, I would have been a commercial pilot. I have had four jobs: musician, music minister, police officer, and teacher. I have three majors in my college career: Criminal Justice, Police Administration, and education.

-I have no idea. I wanted to be a nurse, but was discouraged by my parents. I guess I went where the Lord wanted me.

Choosing a job or a career is a difficult decision. As a college student, I had three different majors; the last one, education, was the path I followed. And I liked every job I had. I can understand why many people choose to make major career changes. Sometimes we just need a change.