1

Many students when they finish high school do not have a clear idea of what they want to do in future. Part of the problem is the size of the job market. With so many kinds of work (2000) how can you tell what will interest you? Some of the occupations are already overcrowded. In old industries there may be a little need of new workers, while new and growing industries will offer good jobs now and in the future. Finally how can you make the best use of you personal talents? Those who know themselves often find the best jobs.

Choosing a career is not easy for most people, yet it is one of the most important decisions you make in your life. It is of most importance to explore your choice of occupation from every angle, collect as much information as you can. Above all - evaluate yourself. Be sure you know your own interests and talents.

Unfortunately not everyone takes this trouble. Those who don't can make costly mistakes. For example many young people simply follow in the footsteps of their parents or relatives. But it is not always an appropriate step.

Postponing a decision is another error people make. A lot of young men think that way: "I'll get started tomorrow or next week or next year". These people refuse to face the problem, hoping it will go away. But if you don't make the first step now, how can you plan for the future?

Everyone has skills and talents but yours may not be so obvious. Make a list of your interests, your talents and abilities. Most people have a lot of these but they are undeveloped and may not seem outstanding. By concentrating on a few or on one you may surprise yourself and everyone with how good you can get.

When choosing a future career it is important to keep in the consideration the following things:

do you like meeting and dealing with people;

do you like to work inside;

do you enjoy thinking about problems;

do you enjoy working with your hands;

do you like working on you own;

do you enjoy being creative.

Analyzing all this will help not to make wrong choice.

The majority of jobs may be divided into several groups: clerical, scientific, practical, outdoor, creative and social. I can't say the exact group, in which my future occupation will be. Anyway I don't think that my future occupation is described in these groups. It can also be a mixture of different types of jobs. For example clerical and scientific.

I like meeting and dealing with people, and I'm quite sure, that it will help me in my future profession, whatever it is. I don't mind working inside, besides the weather in our region is very often not suitable for outdoor works. To tell the truth I do not enjoy working with my hands, I would prefer to think and solve different problems. I can't say that I enjoy working on my own, but often it can be pleasant and productive to work alone. I enjoy being creative, instead of feeling someone's authority on me.

I am quite confident in pointing the character features needed to my future occupation and to most of the occupations. These are: ability to learn quick, politeness, creativeness, accurateness, adaptability, friendliness, capability and others. You must also be a good team member. I think that in this or that degree I posses all these qualities, but some of them need to be developed.

2

When millions of young people leave school, they begin an independent life. Some of them start working, go into business, some of them continue schooling to receive a higher education.

While choosing a career you should take into consideration main demands that you want your future profession to meet: the profession must be interesting, you have to be sure of your future (that means that you will be able to find a job after graduation from the university), a profession must be well-paid, otherwise you won’t be able to support yourself and your future family.

During our school life we begin to think about our future life, our job. There are over 2000 professions in the world, so it is quite difficult to choose and to make a decision. Some follow their own choice and some follow their relation’s, teacher’s, parent’s advice, because they can guide them and help to make a decision concerning future plans.

I have never had a question, what I am going to do when I graduate from my school. I have known from childhood that I want to be a linguist. I have chosen this profession, because a knowledge of foreign languages and foreign cultures is growing in importance nowadays. Foreign languages are needed as the main and the most efficient mean of information exchange between the people of our planet.

Although there are 3000 languages, English is the most universal. It is the language of progressive science and technology, trade and cultural relations, and business. It is the universal language of international aviation, shipping, sports, medicine.

English is the official language in nearly forty countries. It is spoken by more than 350 millions people and also spoken as a second language in many parts of India and Africa. Besides, millions of people study English as a foreign language.

In our country English is very popular. It is studied at schools, colleges and universities. It is important for me to learn English because I want to know what is going on round me in the world.

With recent advances in technology, the world is changing rapidly in many fields, such as business, arts and medicine. These changes will affect me soon and it is important for me to read and keep up with these changes. In fact, learning English is the answer to a lot of the things that I need and want. And I can’t help mentioning the quotation: "Every man is the maker of his own fortune".

In conclusion I would like to say it is an advantage to choose our future career while at school. It gives us a goal to work towards and enables us to choose a right, suitable course of study. I’d like to mention also that if we don’t think about our future, nobody will think for us, so we just can’t have one. We must work hard to realize our wishes, because future is purchased by the present.

3

There are many interesting and useful professions and it is really not an easy task to choose the right one.

I began to think about my future profession at the age of 15. My favourite subjects at school were mathematics and English. My teachers were well-educated people with broad outlook and deep knowledge of the subjects. They encouraged me in my desire to become an economist. Now I know well what I'm going to do after leaving school. I didn't make a blind choice. It was not a sudden flash either. I opted for a career in business economics. I came to this decision little by little. It was my father who aroused my interest in that field. You see, he is a chief economist at a large plant and I often saw him work at home and discuss business matters with his colleagues. Later I got interested in the matter. Существует много интересных и полезных профессий, и это — действительно не простая задача выбрать ту, что нужно.

Economics is the science of making choices, which is based upon the facts of our everyday life. Economists study our everyday life and the system, which affects it. They try to describe the facts of the economy in which we live and to explain how the system works. The science of economics is concerned with all our material needs and wants.

To become a good specialist in economic matters and business one must know many sciences, such as business economics, finance and credits, statistics, history of economic theory and philosophy, mathematics, as well as economic management, trade business and, of course, marketing, which is a modern philosophy of business.

It is very important for a specialist in business matters to be a skilful user of computers and to speak at least one foreign language. It should better be English as it is the most popular language of international business communication. You'll be able to follow business developments in the world by listening to radio and TV news, by reading newspapers or magazines, or by getting in contact with your business partners abroad. If I pass my entrance exams successfully and enter the University I'll try to study to the best of my abilities to achieve my life's ambition and to justify the hopes of my parents. I also hope that I'll never regret my choice and get a well-paid and interesting job afterwards.

Maybe I should consider a job in a world of banking. There's a surprisingly wide range to choose from, in the financial world. For example, I could work for a big international company, run my own company, write about economics as a financial journalist, run my own International Business Research Agency, raise money for charities or just sell famous paintings...

Vocabulary

broad outlook — широкая перспектива

to encourage me in my desire — поощрять меня в моем желании

a blind [blaind] choice — слепой выбор

a sudden flash — внезапная вспышка

to opt — выбирать(решить)

to arise — возникать

to get interested in — заинтересовываться

to affect — затрагивать

to be concerned — быть заинтересованным

to justify the hopes of my parents — оправдывать надежды моих родителей

wide range — широкий диапазон, круг, область, сфера

to run — управлять

to raise money for charities — собирать деньги на благотворительность

Questions

1. When did you start to think about your future profession?

2. What professions do you like best of all?

3. Who helped you to make your choice?

4. What do you know about your future profession?

5. What are your parents 'professions ?

6. What do you know about them?

7. Have you got any traditional professions in your family?

How to Choose a Career That’s Best for You

Be Positive and Get a Job Faster

The Job Search Is Your Responsibility

Are Your Skills Really Transferable?

As U.S. News unveils its Best Careers of 2011, it makes sense to think about whether one of the jobs on the list is a good fit for you.

Of course, since we all have different skills, interests, experiences and expectations, there’s no one career that’s best for everyone. So how do you choose the career that’s best for you?

Whether you’re trying to decide where to look for your first job or pondering a possible career change, here’s what you should consider when thinking through this important decision:

What are your natural talents?

We all have natural talents, certain tasks that come easy to us. When we use our natural talents, time moves fast and we tend to receive compliments for our abilities. Knowing where your natural talents lie is key to choosing the right career. Of course we’re capable of doing other things, but those other tasks usually feel more like work. What do you always enjoy doing, and how can those skills be applied to a job?

What’s your work style?

Each of us has a preferred work style, even if we don’t realize it. That style can sometime conflict with a career choice. For example, a flexible work environment might allow you to deliver projects on various dates, while a structured environment would require specific deadlines and strict guidelines. What works better for you? In which environment do you tend to thrive?

Where do you like to work?

What’s your preferred work location? Your preference could vary from a small regional office to corporate headquarters to a home office, an airport hotel in Buffalo or a beach suite in South Florida. How often do like to work away from home? Do you mind traveling for your job? If living out of a suitcase makes you cringe and you need a consistency in your workplace, avoid careers that require a lot of moving around.

Do you enjoy social interaction?

Do you like working with others or as part of a team? Are you motivated by the needs of others and your ability to provide a solution? This is critical because some people shy away from that connection and would rather deliver value behind the scenes—without the complications of interacting with colleagues and clients. Know your social needs so you can choose a career that matches them.

How important to you is work-life balance?

Do you value a short commute and a home-cooked meal every night? Do you live for weekends out at the soccer field watching your kids play? If you need those creature comforts on a regular basis, pick a career that will give you the time to enjoy them. Look for jobs with regular hours and little to no requirements to work overtime or on weekends.

Are you looking to give back?

Some careers have a component of giving back, where the beneficiary of your hard work is not a corporation’s bottom line but rather a sick child, an endangered species or the planet’s air quality. If it’s important to know that your hard work makes a difference in the world, this could be a significant driver in your career choice.

Are you comfortable in the public eye?

Certain careers encourage or even require employees to have a public persona. You may become known in your local community. If you’re a spokesperson, that recognition could extend to a nation level. Or if you serve as your company’s representative at trade shows or special events, you may become known in that niche community. How does this strike you—as an opportunity or an obligation? If you thrive on recognition and the chance to build a personal brand while promoting your company’s work, look for careers that allow you to stand out front.

Do you deal well with stress?

Some of us thrive on big deadlines, or being on the hook for important projects. We like being the glue that holds everything together. In this role, people trust you and expect that you’ll suck it up and deal well with the pressure. Of course, we all have different stress thresholds. If you thrive under the gun, you may do well in a high-stress career. But if stress makes you want to run the other way, look for jobs that are more laid-back.

How much money do you want to make?

As you look forward in life, what are your expectations for money? You might be single now, but maybe you hope to become your future family’s breadwinner. Or maybe you’re part of a successful two-income family and need to decide whether you’re comfortable living on less or compromising on other career aspects, like work-life balance, to earn a better income. If money is the reward you seek, there are careers to match.

If choosing a career feels like too much pressure, here’s another option: Pick a path that feels right today by making the best decision you can, and know that you can change your mind in the future. In today’s workplace, choosing a career doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stick with that line of work for your entire life. Make a smart decision, and plan to re-evaluate down the line based on your long-term objectives.

Recognize that you’ll change as time rolls on. Your needs for money, freedom, balance, and recognition will change with you. But for now, think through each of these ideas, and you’ll be well on your way to choosing a career that’s best for you.