On our college campus, we have career counseling professionals whose training and job is to help the students think about themselves and their lives and get on paths toward what they want for jobs. That is a tough assignment .
You can't tell if you succeeded. Who knows if the guy who becomes a reporter would been happier in the hospitality industry? You can't run his life over a 2nd time and get him into hotel management and compare the journalist life to the hotel life. Besides, that guy is unique. Even his dad, his brother and his son are not copies of him so questions about them and their work, and their best path into the future are not all that cleared up by that guy's experience.
Some of my elementary majors seemed convinced that there were no jobs for them except teaching in elementary school. Logical but naive. I had some of the campus professionals talk to those students, who learned the entire office, manager and all employees, in an insurance company office in a large city were ex-elementary teachers.
The US Dictionary of Occupational Titles contained over 40,000 different jobs well over 20 years ago. I see that an online statement says that the dictionary lists 13,000 different kinds of work. Most people cannot name very many of them, of course, especially if they come from small towns. It isn't necessary to know lots of job titles or types. It isn't necessary to have a job, if you have enough money or someone to feed and shelter you. But most of my life, I needed and wanted a job. I liked working with people, although I never had much experience with data or things. Like Diogenes, who told the conqueror Alexander the Great, when he asked what he could do for or give Diogenes, "Get out of my light", I just wanted a captive audience of students. It is nice to get some money for teaching but with or without money, I like understanding concepts and explaining them to students. I needed other people's children since we could only make and raise a few by ourselves.
After I began college teaching, I did take one of the occupational aptitude tests. The results said to try being a jet pilot, a podiatrist or a rabbi. I have vision problems, I am not attracted to feet and I am not Jewish.
The high school counselor who spoke about occupations and students yesterday said that her school tries to prepare students to hold at least ten different jobs over their lifetime. I just counted up eleven paying jobs before I had graduated from college.
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