“I like being outdoors and I like animals.” Grace said. She was a sweet natured young lady from Guilford, CT. But “I’m not interested in anything related to becoming a vet or a vet tech.” Bryn continued and then systematically ruled out working for any businesses focused on pet-owners, biological research related to animals, and pretty much any other job in the already very small field of working with animals.
I love animals. I also like idealists.
I’m an idealist but a pragmatic one. I’m not critical of Grace’s interests but rather alarmed at how little thought she gave to what she would do with her interests. I was further alarmed when I asked her what she was thinking as her senior year of college was passing. Did she consider what she would do? “Not really. I was just trying to get through school.”
Grace’s story is not particularly unique. I hear similar versions of “I’m interested in music or movies or [fill in the blank with a hobby]” which is fine if the person has given thought to how they would make their passion pay the bills. But most have not.
I tell parents who call Career Counseling Connecticut that perhaps our generation was equally clueless. But we entered the workforce in the 90s and 00s when entry level jobs for college graduates were plentiful. The world today is not so kind to directionless college grads. We can help.