Finding one’s calling is not as mystical as we make it out to be. A “calling” is simply a life role that you fulfill by engaging in certain daily activities. We are called to do many things, such as being a good family member, a loyal friend, and a responsible citizen. Usually though, we’re pertaining to a career that positively contributes to society when we talk about having a calling. And like the other life roles that I mentioned, figuring out the vocation that suits us shouldn’t be a mysterious process. Perhaps one reason why young people struggle to choose a career is because they're not reflecting on the right questions. So what should they ask themselves, at least when they're choosing a college major?
Question 1: Which of your abilities will have the most positive contribution to other people’s lives?
Make a list of your talents and the academic subjects in which you excel that will be MOST USEFUL to the community. You won’t get hired for your skills if people find them irrelevant to their needs. For example, I like singing. I’m decent at it! I was even asked to sing several times in front of crowds when I was a kid. But my ability to sing wouldn’t be in high demand given that many Filipinos also sing well. Moreover, a lot of them sing and look better than me. They can just get vocal coaches, upload their singing videos on socmed, and tadaaa! Instant TikTok fame!
So unless I could perform like Morisette or Olivia Rodrigo, it’s delusional that people would clamor for me to inspire them by singing.
On the other hand, I was good at tutoring my schoolmates. I thought that having a job that helped kids with learning problems would be as fulfilling as being a doctor in case I didn’t want to go to medical school anymore.
Question 2: In what professions can you use the abilities that you listed in Question 1?
Under each ability that you’ve chosen, list the disciplines in which you can use that ability. In my case, the most obvious answer to Question 2 would be to take up education since I liked tutoring other kids. But I also considered other fields like occupational therapy, psychology, and even nutritional science because they also involved teaching. Mapping out the jobs in which you can use your different abilities will be useful once you’re asked to list down your back-up college majors in your university applications.
Question 3: How profitable will these professions be in the future?
Beside each field that you’ve listed in Question 2, write down the average monthly or annual salaries that you’re projected to have after graduation. Take note also of the job outlook, or the percentage by which each profession is expected to grow. You can look these up by referring to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ website, especially if you plan to work in North America.
Then prioritize the undergraduate degrees that will most likely land you stable careers. A well-paying job can enable you to fund your less in-demand passions that you might monetize later.
The changing labor demands make it crucial to study how your prospective vocations will thrive in the coming years, not just the current professionals’ salaries. When I was in high school, so many students wanted to become nurses because Western countries were paying more than thrice their incomes here in the Philippines. This oversupplied the local labor force with nursing graduates. So for many years, a lot of Filipino millennial nurses couldn’t practice their profession. Of course, they’re a lot more in demand now because of COVID-19.
Question 4: What kinds of lifestyles will you have if you take on these career paths?
When choosing a profession, consider how the lifestyle will impact your well-being and your relationships. Make sure to have work-based learning experiences to actually see what happens in the daily lives of people whose career paths you want to follow. You can also look up online videos and articles about the lifestyles that you might have if you pursue certain professions.
One reason why I became an occupational therapist (OT) instead of a school teacher is because I couldn’t imagine myself following academic curricula year after year. Becoming an OT would also give me more control over my workload without compromising financial stability. Of course, being a teacher also has perks. Some people might prefer academia’s more structured and physically safer working environment. Teachers also get benefits while they’re on a break, while self-employed OTs don’t.
A question that young people typically ask themselves when choosing a college major is, how fun will the jobs be after graduation? You certainly want to be happy as you do your work for you to excel. But every job will suck at some point. And happiness can stem from surviving those times when you feel like giving up on your vocation. So don’t choose a college degree solely based on your hobbies. Or else, you’ll find yourself competing for extremely slim chances of fame with artists like the one below:
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