Career Considerations
Take these recommendations and observations with a grain of salt. Do your own research and inquiry. I encourage you engage these discussions with your peers, teachers, or working/practicing mentors. Please leave comments if you have suggestions or first-hand experience to offer.
Pursue a career that suits your passion, skills, and lifestyle
The three aspects may have to be in balance or by your priorities.
Can you find the work enriching, stimulating, challenging, opportunity to grow, and aligned with your values?
Do you have or can you gain skills needed in the trade/role? Would your talent or aptitude to learn, perform or execute be employable?
Are you able and willing to be patient, flexible and assertive to pursue your ideal position—if it were not readily available? What secondary skills or occupations might support you while continuing to pursue your primary goal?
Even at the ideal position, is there an income “range” to be aware of—compared to your lifestyle goal and other occupations?
Portfolio / Resume
Unless you follow a path of self-employment (e.g. entrepreneurial or service) you most likely will seek employment by a company, firm, or business. Your seeking to fill a vacant or need may be amongst others doing the same.
A hiring employer will review some short-hand reflection of your “employability” or fitting their need. This likely will be a summary of your work/school history—illustrating what you have done, or are capable of doing. Does it reflect your passion, skills and reliability?
If the job has the need for talented skills or alignment with their style needs, a portfolio is likely reviewed. It may be a limited selection, prior to reviewing more of your work or a face-to-face interview. Select work that you think best represents your ability to meet their needs.
If the job entails using their preferred software, tools, or systems then it is something they may specifically seek. They may offer training, but may weigh how much training is needed when comparing candidates—how adaptable are you or how soon can you hit the ground running?
It’s understandable that exiting High School you may neither have much work experience nor portfolio work to demonstrate your employability. Your educational or trade skill path should help prepare you with school experiences or portfolio work in your area of focus to help you be most ready for employment.
If your area of interest or specialization benefits by work examples, take initiative to create works to add to your portfolio that demonstrates that. You may benefit having a modular set of varied work examples, depending on the hiring employer or prospective client. Pull out examples that may distract or detract, if you know that it may not align with their needs or values.
Consider having a professional-facing online presence—an online portfolio or dedicated social platform. If used as a professional online portfolio—keep it professional and representing you. Avoid casual or unrelated posts. Categorize your work by skill set or theme. Keep it fresh and current with relevant examples.
A note for the self-employed: prior work examples may be your portfolio for prospective clients. Demonstrate your range. Be proactive in gaining exposure, recognition, or networking. Participating in exhibitions, competitions, or even pro-bono or volunteered services can increase your exposure.
Networking
People often are open to and willing to share their experience or feedback to students—as they were students once themselves. Often they may appreciate the aspiring young talent seeking safe advice that could have benefited them at your age.
Working/practicing adults can reply to your questions with their first-hand perspective. Such as: what was your path to lead to your current position? What is a typical day/week like—which parts do you like the most or least? What skills are most valued in their role? What piece of advice did they get (or wished they had known) when they were your age?
Teachers, upper-class-men and club peers may offer insight or even industry experiences to give you exposure and help answer some of your questions. Attending or joining a professional club takes initiative, but does not imply committing to that career focus. But know that other classmates are just as curious and seeking exposure or answers to their curiosity.
Networking is a people-skill. It is not to be feared, and often appreciated when asked by an aspiring student. If talking to adults feels foreign or makes you anxious, it is a common feeling and a learned skill gained with practice.
You may find certain questions get better responses than others, and keep a short list of questions on-hand (ready for when the opportunity arises).
Take mental notes, be a good listener. Let them talk and share. Follow up questions on something they shared can show that you were listening and interested.
Thank them for their time; follow up with a thank you card or email. When they offer”keep in touch” or “feel free to share your portfolio or ask questions” please take advantage of their offer.
Even if you don’t have more questions for them or even if your career pursuits may veer in a different direction, you may follow up and share that—what do they think about that pursuit or do they have any network/ colleague that may be helpful connecting with? [Networking!]
You are always updating your portfolio and always networking
As previously noted, keep your portfolio fresh and showing your best work. Review it a few times each year. Ask peers or mentors for feedback—what shows best, what could be improved?
Share your online presence link when possible or to your advantage.
Participate in exhibitions and competitions to get exposure.
Volunteer your creative services.
Participate in professional clubs or organizations—at least to network and make connections to future clients or employers—consider it as work and less of an option.
If a student asks for advice, be generous, grateful, and supportive (but honest).