How to choose your career: Interview with Shelley Richard
In 2018, I published a book about how to choose your career. In 2024, I moved the content to this site. Below is the interview with Shelley Richard.
You specialize in working with high school students, college students, and recent college graduates. Since young people often don't have much experience on which to draw to make good career decisions, what advice do you have for them on how to figure out which career to choose?
In my experience, many young people feel like once they pick a career, they are stuck with it for the rest of their lives. This, however, is not the case. Therefore, it is important that young people begin to explore different career paths, self-assess to understand if these paths are a good fit, and also come to the understanding that they don’t have to be stuck in a career; they will gain skills and experience from whatever path they choose that can be built upon and transferred to another path as they develop and progress in their career throughout their life.
A great place to start narrowing down areas of career interest is through Career Clusters, the U.S. Department of Education’s model for grouping careers first into 16 clusters and then into more than 81 career pathways, each having their own knowledge and skill requirements. These clusters can be viewed and researched further on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. One can start by eliminating clusters and pathways that do not appeal to their interests and start to make a list of pathways for further research. It is important to pay attention not only to the job descriptions but also to things like job outlook, salary, and educational requirements.
Next, I advise using every opportunity to talk to people to learn about what they do. I am a huge fan of the informational interview, which consists of interviewing someone in your field of interest to learn more from an “insider” to help you determine if the field is a good fit for you. So much can be found online about a career, but being able to speak to someone who can provide the inside scoop is invaluable. Your questions can be tailored to your own concerns, values, and career goals.
An informational interview can be as informal as spending time with a relative at a family get together to learn more about their career or it can take a more formal approach. Ask friends, family, teachers/professors, counselors, people at your place of worship, anyone you can think of, really, if they know anyone in the fields you would like to learn more about. Next, ask for an introduction, contact them via phone or email, and ask them if they have 20 minutes to meet with you in person or on the phone to answer questions to help you learn more about what they do. Always conduct yourself professionally and say thank you to anyone who helps you along the way.
Don’t worry too much about making the wrong career decision; nothing has to be forever. Get started exploring career possibilities early and have fun with the process!
What do you think are the most important variables in choosing the right career path: strengths, interests, values, or personality?
I believe that taking a holistic approach when self-assessing, which includes looking at strengths, interests, values, and personality, is imperative. If you only look at one of these, you are only viewing one piece of the puzzle. As an example, an interest assessment might suggest that your highest interest area is “Artistic,” relating to creativity, innovation, and artistic expression, and might also suggest a list of careers such as photographer, art teacher, musician, and architect.
If, in addition to interests, a values assessment is completed, one will get even more information that will help to further explore and narrow career options. In this example, a values assessment might show that one’s top values include financial gain, making a difference, and work/life balance. With this additional information, one can now further narrow down their list of good fit careers through the lens of values.
You may like the job description for an architect, as it fits with your interests, but knowing your values, you know to do further exploration: What is the median annual wage? What environments can I work in where I feel I am making a difference? Are long hours and overtime typical for this career? (A great place to find answers to these questions and more for a variety of jobs is the Occupational Outlook Handbook. By then adding in information gained from assessing strengths and personality, an individual is able to make a very thorough assessment of careers of interest. Self-assessment is the first step in the career development process, and often, it is the one where the least amount of time is spent, if any. By taking time to explore strengths, interests, values, and personality, one will have more self-awareness and will be more able to assess career paths and job opportunities.
What is your favorite way to assess strengths?
Think of three or more occasions when you have felt successful, energized, productive, and engaged in a project or activity. Maybe it was a school assignment, science fair project, planning a party, or playing a team sport. Write down your examples and then consider what actions you took. Make a list of all these actions/steps involved in the process and then circle those which you most enjoyed and made you feel most energized. This should give you a list of some of your strengths.
Since self-assessment of strengths is subjective, next, it is valuable to get some outside input. Make a list of at least five people who know you well and in different contexts. You might ask parents, a close friend, a teacher, coach, or an advisor for a student organization. Let them know you are assessing your strengths and would like for them to list your top strengths, providing examples when possible. Ask them to be honest, but not critical. Give them a few days so they can think about it. Once you have their information, notice the strengths that come up most often and compare to your own self-assessment. Where do you see overlap? Did you notice any differences?
What advice do you have for parents who are worried about their children's ability to support themselves after school is finished?
My advice is for parents to encourage not only academics and keeping up the GPA but also their child’s involvement outside of the classroom so that they gain relevant experience and marketable skills. While academics should be first priority, time should also be made for co-curricular activities. In my work with incoming college freshmen, I have them do an activity where they imagine they are about to graduate and need to write a resume for a job. I give them a blank resume template with only section headings such as Work Experience, Volunteer, Leadership, Internship Experience, and Skills. I ask them to imagine applying for jobs in their field of study. I have them fill in the resume with activities and experiences they would like to gain over the next four years that are relevant to their goals, and then plan out how they will get involved.
On their college’s website, they should be able to find a list of student organizations. I suggest joining one or two organizations—it’s not about being a member of many, rather deeper involvement in one or two. A communication major, for example, may join an organization related to environmental concerns because it is in interest and may then consider a position within the group related to their field of study, such as marketing or communication chair. If no position exists, take initiative and ask to take on responsibilities related to the club’s marketing, social media presence, or public relations. Through this hands-on experience, skills are being built and so is the student’s resume.
For college students, I always advise getting to know the staff at the career services office early on. The staff can help with choosing a major and career path, finding an internship and/or job, getting into graduate school, and so much more. If you become a regular visitor, you will stay on top of internship and job opportunities, get to know recruiters who visit campus, and the staff will have you in mind when opportunities arise that fit with what you seek. Remember to always conduct yourself professionally in all interactions with professors, staff, and peers. These are people who may be providing recommendations at some point and you want them to think of you in the most positive, professional light.
By starting with the end in mind, students should begin with a four-year plan for getting involved and building skills and experience, in order to increase their chances of being able to support themselves upon graduation.
How can schools do a good job of assisting students with career development? Does your advice differ for high school level vs. college?
In my experience, at the high school level, the amount of career development offered varies from school to school. I think for most schools, there is a real opportunity to get kids more engaged with the career exploration process. Kids are told what to do from the start of kindergarten through twelfth grade, and then suddenly they are asked to pick what career they want to do long-term and then pursue education toward that goal. If discussions do not start early on, this can really overwhelm a student. Many of them pick what they know; Dad is a successful engineer, so I think I will major in engineering. I think programs should be offered each year of high school to help students learn about their strengths and interests, as well as expose them to different types of careers. I think it is important for parents to be aware of how much their child’s school is doing related to career development and be prepared to supplement by helping guide them on their own (encouraging job shadowing, volunteering, and informational interviewing) or seeking outside assistance from a career counselor.
Colleges tend to do a good job of providing career development opportunities through their career centers. The key is that students must take it upon themselves to attend workshops, events, and job fairs offered by the center, and take advantage of the career counseling offered as part of their student fees. When visiting college campuses, be sure to find out what type of programs and counseling exist to assist students with career development. In the past, career centers were called placement offices where students were actually placed into jobs.
The new model of the college career services office strives to empower students to explore and manage their own careers. As the proverb goes, “Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to fish and you feed them for a lifetime.” Career centers have the goal of teaching lifelong skills to help students throughout their professional lives.
Do you have ideas about the focus of career development for each year of high school and college?
During freshman and sophomore year of high school, it is good for students to self-reflect on their strengths and natural talents. They should pay attention to what school subjects they excel at and enjoy, what activities they enjoy participating in, and what skills they most like using. By considering who their heroes/role models are, and why, they may start to realize their values. These first couple of years of high school are a good time to complete an interest inventory to learn how interests connect to careers, which they can then start to research. I always tell students and those looking for career inspiration to take advantage of every opportunity to talk to people about what they do.
High school students can start to do informal informational interviews with their friends’ parents, relatives, teachers, etc. They might begin by telling someone about their strengths and interests and ask if they fit with the type of work that person does. This can start a great discussion.
By junior year of high school, students should continue with informational interviews and they could look for opportunities to job shadow. As they talk to people about their jobs, they might ask if it is possible to meet them at their place of employment for a couple of hours or even the whole day to get an idea of what a typical day is like in that job. Their counselor at school may also be able to help them set up a job shadow experience. If a student is planning to attend college, their junior year is the time to be doing college visits. Even if a student has not decided on a major, they should have a few majors of interest in mind so that they are sure that the colleges they are considering offer those majors.
I always suggest visiting the career services office when doing college visits to ask questions like: What companies hire your graduates? What does your office do to help students find internships and jobs? Do you have a list of typical starting salaries for your graduates? What services do you offer to help students choose a major or career? By the start of senior year, students should know where they want to apply and be finishing up completing applications.
Once in college, a student might follow a similar process, focusing on self-assessment and exploration of majors if still undecided on a major. Typically, by the end of sophomore year, a major should be declared. Working with the campus career center, students can get assistance with this process. Junior year of college is a good time to complete an internship in one’s field of study, and if possible, a second internship during senior year is even better.
During junior and senior year, students should attend job fairs, events on-campus where recruiters are present, job shadow, and conduct informational interviews in order to network, clarify career goals, and find out about job opportunities for after graduation. At the start of senior year, it is good to continue working with the career center to polish your resume, work on interview skills, sign up for on campus interviews, and apply for job openings.
Studying liberal arts is considered a risky choice by many people. What are your thoughts about that?
A liberal arts degree may be viewed as a risky choice, because unlike a more technical degree, oftentimes there is not a linear career path, nor the hard skills found in many job advertisements. Students of the liberal arts, however, learn and develop skills sought after by employers. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2016 Job Outlook Survey, the top five attributes employers seek on a candidate’s resume are leadership, ability to work in a team, written communication skills, problem-solving skills, and verbal communication skills, all of which are honed through a liberal arts education.
In my experience working at a liberal arts university, many times the problem was that these students were unable to articulate the value they were able to bring to the workplace. Liberal arts students must recognize these skills within themselves and be able to demonstrate and provide examples of them to potential employers. I advise students to keep track of accomplishments, projects, and interactions when they used sought after skills and then write out “PAR statements” to use on their resume and in interviews. PAR stands for project, actions, results. An example might be:
Project - Volunteered to organize a food drive for the Finance Club’s service project
Actions - Contacted local food bank to find out the greatest food needs
Created marketing materials to advertise to campus departments, organizations, etc
Organized a committee to assist with project, collect/deliver food, advertised
Results - Exceeded goal set for amount of food collected by 200%
Developed new partnerships/opportunities to collaborate on campus
Developed skills in written and verbal communication, teamwork, and organization
Often, an individual studies the liberal arts because they are interested or passionate about the subject matter. Many times, these students plan to attend graduate or professional school upon receiving their bachelor’s degree. As they progress through their coursework, they may not be focused on career paths until closer to graduation. This is where the risk comes in. It is imperative for students whose end goal is a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts to gain practical experience and narrow down career goals, ideally by the beginning of junior year, in order to minimize the risk of not finding gainful employment upon graduation.
Do you think college is worth the investment?
I definitely think college is worth the investment, but as with any type of investment, you must do your research first in order to maximize return. When investing in the stock market, people typically spend time researching companies/stocks and consulting with professionals in order to invest in what will best meet their needs at the time and yield the most returns.
During high school it is important to self assess and research potential career paths that fit with who you are (personality, interests, strengths, values), as well as practical factors such as job outlook, earning potential, required level of education, and cost of education. It is important to research colleges thoroughly by taking campus tours, talking to current students and alumni of your potential major, and researching employment data of graduates.
This research will help you to determine what type of college and degree will fit best with your goals. As I discussed before, making sure to get involved in order to gain relevant experience and practical skills while in college will only increase your marketability, thus maximizing your chances for high returns on your investment.
Through your research and self-assessment, you might realize that the best investment for you is an associate’s degree or technical certificate. You may realize your preference for hands-on, practical work, which is the sole focus of a technical degree without the additional coursework included in a bachelor’s degree. Also, comparing the price tags of two-year versus four-year degrees, and then looking at salary data and potential earnings, can help you make a decision as to the best fit for you.
Although nearly 30% of Americans with associate's degrees now make more than those with bachelor's degrees, according to Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce, our society tends to place a higher value on bachelor’s degrees and white collar jobs than it does on associate’s degrees and blue-collar jobs. Students receive the message that a four-year degree is the way to the American Dream, causing too many not to consider technical training for jobs that are in high demand. This has created a “middle skills” gap, where jobs that require more training than a high school diploma, but less than a four-year degree, are not able to be filled.
Some examples of these types of jobs are electrician, dental hygienist, paralegal, computer technician, and firefighter. Since it is possible to earn a degree from a community college or technical school in half the time and with significantly less debt than a bachelor’s degree, and with strong employment outlooks and earnings, then if it is a good fit with your goals and interests, it just might be the better bet. In addition, many in these fields go on to start their own business and many decide to pursue further education later in their careers.
Any additional education beyond high school will serve to open up more career options and increase earning potential. An associate’s degree will provide the hard skills needed for a specific job. Bachelor’s degrees provide an opportunity to explore many subject areas in addition to a chosen major and provide exposure to new schools of thought, rounding out an individual and opening their minds to the many career possibilities that exist for them. Whichever one you choose to invest in, it is wise to first research all options in order to make the best choice that suits you individually.
What can students do to ensure they aren't among the long-term unemployed?
To begin, as students are researching potential careers, it is important that they explore the jobs outlook. Data on the job outlooks can be found in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. This site provides data on projected employment until 2024, information on demand and competition for jobs, and links to state and area data. As much as possible, you want to be sure the career path you are investing in is one where there will be demand for jobs upon graduation.
I cannot stress enough the importance of getting involved to put into practice what is learned in the classroom. A business major will study theory and perform case studies in their courses, but if they engage in a student organization where they do fundraising or serve as the organization’s treasurer, they will get practical experience to reinforce classroom learning, as well as build their resume in the process.
In the 2016 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook Survey, more than 80% of employers who responded said they look for evidence of leadership skills on a candidate’s resume. Leadership does not just mean serving as president or holding an office in an organization, but could include taking initiative to start a new club/organization, stepping up to chair an event/fundraiser/food or clothing drive, or serving as a residence hall advisor.
Many students, as well as their parents, are surprised to learn that a lot of entry-level jobs now require some type of previous relevant experience. Because of this, I highly recommend completing at least one internship, even if it is not required. Often, internships are done during junior or senior year, but can sometimes be done earlier depending on an internship’s requirements.
The career services office will have a database for searching internships, and professors and advisors within each college of study should also have suggestions for finding an internship related to a student’s field of study. If an internship is not possible, relevant experience can also be obtained through volunteer work, part-time employment, and involvement in organizations on and off campus. Again, students should utilize their campus career center to work with a counselor to brainstorm experiences relevant to the jobs they seek.
Last, but definitely not least, students should also take advantage of all opportunities to network with professionals. Valuable networking can be done through job fairs, employer panels, guest lecture series, mentoring programs, job shadowing, and informational interviews. Get to know your school’s alumni office and find out about opportunities to connect with alumni in your field while you are still a student. Building these networks while in school may prove mutually beneficial when it comes time to job search and on into your professional career.
Do not get frustrated if your dream job is not available upon graduation. Take on jobs that serve as stepping stones, allowing you the chance to build skills and contacts to get to the next level. Strive to learn as much as possible, take on new challenges, and build your professional reputation.
Is there anything else you'd like to tell readers?
The career exploration process should be fun! In fact, it doesn’t have to feel like a “process”. I encourage you to stay open to possibilities and get outside your comfort zone to try new things, learn new skills, and meet new people. You may discover clues as to what you are meant to do in the most unexpected places.
Shelley Richard is the Associate Director, Career Education & Advising, Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University. Through assessment of personality, interests, and values, Shelley is passionate about helping individuals develop meaningful career goals and guiding them through the process of how to best achieve those goals.
