Single Parent with Decisions to Make

I am a graduate student in a journalism program which I love. However, I am a single parent and I need a more stable job to provide for my child. I was thinking about going into education and I have just received my substitute teaching certificate and plan to put it to use in January after I finish my current unpaid and curriculum required internship. I'll be finished with school next December and I think journalism is something I can do once I get my finances together and my son is older. I do love journalism and I'll miss it but I can freelance to keep my feet wet. I would prefer to teach at the collegiate level, but I would teach at the high school level if need be.

Am I doing the right thing by changing to education, and is there a way that I can gain a teaching certificate without adding to my loan debit and going back to school? How do I make myself appealing to substitute teaching jobs if I have had minimal interaction with children and no solid "career" type of jobs (seeing I went from under grad to graduate school)?

Finding My Niche

This question is way more complicated than a simple answer over the internet can accomplish. You might also look at why it is difficult for you to make a decision. Sounds like you would benefit from meeting with a career counselor that could help you clarify your skills, interests, needs and values so you can begin to focus your efforts. Then you can begin researching and exploring possibilities, direct yourself toward that goal and implement a search strategy. There are many good books at the library that address the issue of passion. But for many, there may be more than one career path that will bring satisfaction and financial reward. Things have to be prioritized and compromises need to be made.

Narrowing My Choice

Unfortunately, no one can tell you what career to choose. It takes work to determine your skills, interests, values, and needs. I would suggest you meet with a career counselor at a local agency who can walk you through the process of clarifying a direction, researching possibilities and understanding the requirements so you might better target your educational efforts. You mentioned you have an associate's degree. A good place to start would be career counseling center at the college you attended.

Recent BA in Psychology & Music

No job is going to fall into your lap. You have to do the legwork and make it happen. You may have to do some work (possibly with a career counselor) to determine a focus and target for your efforts. The workplace will not be your career counselor - you have to determine the fit - no one else will do it for you. That is your job!

Job Change After 25 Years in Retail

I certainly would recommmend that you work with a career counselor. You could contact: The Jewish Vocational Service at 216 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 700, Chicago, Illinois 60606, (312) 673-3400. The Skokie office of JVS is at 5150 W Golf Road, (847) 568-5150.

The Jewish Vocational Service would be a great place to start and there are also other agencies available that are listed on the ChicagoJobs website Career Counseling and Legal Help section. The Skokie Public Library also offers free 1/2 hour sessions with a counselor to help you begin to plan your next step. There is a great deal to consider - what industry were you working in (retail covers a lot of area), what other skills have you developed, what size retail business did you own, etc? Are you willing to consider additional education and what financial needs do you have at the moment. . . . . What are your dreams for the next "chapter" of your career that have not yet been filled? You are right to understand that you could benefit from speaking to a counselor who can walk you through the process!

Finding a Career Counselor

Working with a career counselor or career coach may indeed help you move forward in your career. But be careful of your expectations - it is a collaborative process. No one, proven or not, can answer the questions you have posed without a great deal of effort on your part. And some of the questions you raised may be beyond the scope of a career counselor's work. But there are many assessments, techniques and information available to help you navigate this territory.

Career Counseling Field & Leadership

There are many different paths to take to get to the next step in our career/life. And there are different routes one might take. But I'll give it a shot anyway.

First, some questions you might want to consider. What do you mean by leadership position? Are you looking to be an executive in a career counseling agency or Executive director or CEO? (These comments are meant to help you clarify your statements when making connections. Offer information as clearly as possible, so the listener doesn't have to try to figure out what you mean.) So, clarify what career goals you are interested in. When that is done, look at ways you can learn all you can about what they are, where they are done, who does them now, what are the projected earnings, etc.

Fatigued and Disabled; Options?

This is a question that is not easily answered. I might recommend that you connect with other career counseling agencies that work with persons with disabilities for some suggestions. The only suggestion I can make is to open discussions with people who are currently working in positions in nursing to ask for some suggestions. You do not indicate what salary range you are seeking, what other skills you have and what other restrictions you have. A career counselor may be able to help you further explore your options.

Choices for a High School Student

I commend you for beginning to think about your future while still in school. It might be a little early to decide on a final career, but it certainly isn't too early to begin the process. First, you might connect with your high school counselor and see what career programs or services are offered in your high school. Then you might spend a little time thinking about and asking people in your life what they do, how they got there and whether they find it satisfying. There are many good websites that can further help you explore.