Most people spend more time planning and researching their vacations than they do actually planning out their career paths, which is a much larger investment.

How common is it for Asian students to blindly pursue a career in medicine just because their parents told them to? We all know of someone who is or has been in this situation.

In reality, there are many more career choices out there and we need to take the time to research and explore them.

How to Overcome your Challenges

-Stay away from doing what everyone else is doing. Don’t major in business just because your friends are. 

- Keep YOUR interests in mind. Think about what you like. Do you like people? Do you work well on projects by yourself or in groups? How do you feel about public speaking? 

-If you are interested in a particular field, such as law or medicine, take the time to meet with actual lawyers and doctors and see what advice they can offer you. In most cases they will be able to provide great advice and you may even be able to get a recommendation!

- Keep it REAL! So you want to be a model or an actor? Although both are excellent career choices, you have to evaluate your odds realistically. The chances of you actually landing your ideal modeling job after college are very slim. Always have a back up plan! 

- Don’t be afraid to take a risk. So you spent $100,000 on a law degree, but you really want to be a journalist. Go for it, who knows you may be able to write a column about law and use your education and your interest altogether. At least you will be happy to know you tried.

Most students should spend some time with their career counselors. Most colleges have great career resources and some even allow students to take career aptitude tests. Your career center can be your best friend through these important times.

Your future happiness is at stake if you fall into any these career traps. After all, you will be spending the majority of your time and energy on this career. Shouldn’t you spend some time figuring out what exactly that should be? Good Luck!