What Appeals to You?
Consider your own interests and hobbies. What kinds of things do you like to do and do well? Are you good at working with your hands? Are you a born leader, or would you rather be a follower? Do you like teaching others? Do you have a talent for art or music? Do you love math and science? All of these things can play a big part in determining your career focus and decisions.
You should begin to make an inventory of the things you like to do and are good at so that you can compare them to the skills and talents needed for the various health care positions discussed later in this book. Get a pad of paper and write them down.
Some of the following questions will assist you in assessing your likes and dislikes, as well as the skills and talents that would be assets in your future employment. Make a list of these points as well.
What are your strong points? Are you dependable? Are you a leader? Can you work independently? Do you learn new things quickly? Are you organized? Are you ambitious? Can you think on your feet? Can you make good decisions quickly?
What are your weaknesses?
What kinds of hobbies do you have? This could even include sports or other extra-curricular activities you participate in. Do you like to read? Do you build or create things with your hands? Do you like photography? Are you artistic? Do you play a musical instrument or dance or sing? Do you like to write or create stories?
What useful skills do you have? This will include computer literacy as well as other computer skills and proficiency at computer programs. Can you program your thermostat? Automatic sprinklers? Can you set your VCR or TiVo to record a program? Do you speak a foreign language? Do you know American Sign Language? Can you speed-read, do you have an excellent or “photographic” memory, and do you have legible handwriting? All are among items to consider when determining the skills you possess.
Prior Work Experience or Volunteer Work
Certain courses of study such as nursing and physical or occupational therapy require some experience or volunteer work in the field before you can be accepted into the program major. For nurses, often a C.N.A. (certified nursing assistant) is required. For therapy, volunteer hours in a therapy department are often required. Sometimes working in a medical office can count for some credit toward this requirement.
For other health care fields as well as these, other work experience and responsibilities will always be counted, so think about all of the responsibilities of your prior jobs. Are there skills or talents that you learned or perfected that can be an asset? Any lessons learned in customer service, for example, apply here as well. Experiences with problem solving, teaching, giving detailed instructions, patience, motivating others, leadership, supervision of others, and team building are all valuable experiences you should highlight.
Personal Likes and Dislikes
In this category you need to consider and list personal preferences that could influence your career choices. This could include a multitude of considerations: Do you want to work inside or outside? Can you stay awake for long periods of time, or do you require ten or more hours of sleep? Do you have allergies? Do you have racial or ethnic biases that would prevent you from working with people of all nationalities and colors? Do you have an attitude about diseases such as AIDS or mental illness? Do you prefer small companies or large organizations? Are you willing to relocate? Do you like fast-paced environments, or do you prefer a slow-paced, quiet environment?
These are very important things to consider. Be honest with yourself. Perhaps you have a real aversion to children or older people. If you tend to make judgments about people of color, people with disabilities, or those with certain ailments such as HIV or AIDS, then you need to understand why and whether or not you can learn to be nonjudgmental or tolerant. List these items and explore them along with your career options.
Educational Commitment
How long are you willing and or able to commit to the education or training you will need for your professional choice? For instance, some health care professions require several months of training, while becoming a physician could take upwards of eight to ten years of college and medical school/residency. Do you like school? Are you interested in learning? Do you have the patience to spend another ten years in school? Do you have the time to spend?
Or perhaps you need to take it in steps, such as becoming a nurse first so that you can support yourself and your family while you pursue your dream of becoming a doctor. Or maybe you could become a therapy aide so that you can support yourself through physical therapy school. The educational building blocks are a huge perk for students at all levels in the health care field.
