Don't worry, if you are lucky enough to know what you want to do for living when you grow up, you are one of few teens who do know. Most people change their ideas many times before they settle on a profession.

While you are a teenager, it's important to get wide exposure to the things you might like. One of the ways to do that is to try different things and pay attention to what you enjoy - or don't enjoy - about them.

For example, if you enjoy taking things apart and seeing how they work, you might you might have good spatial and mechanical aptitude and want to explore careers in engineering.

If you like to write, there are all sorts of careers that use writing skills - careers in the law, journalism, publishing, and communications are some of them. Do you like to paint and draw? To use a camera? To rearrange the furniture in the living room? These artistic qualities could lead you to careers in fields such as graphic arts, photography, or interior design.

Study hard in school - you almost always need a college degree to get a good job these days, unless you are extremely talented or persistent.

But it's also important to make time for career exploration. If a particular career interests you, read as much as you can about it - and find a way to try it out. Here are some ways you might get exposure to careers that appeal to you:

• Volunteer. If you are interested in acting, volunteer at a theater. If you think you want to be a veterinarian, volunteer at an animal clinic or at the zoo. If you want to be a singer, sing with your church choir. If you want to teach, volunteer as a tutor for a younger student.

• Make time to pursue your interests. If you like to write, get things published in the school paper or on a website. Share your stories with friends. If you like to paint, you could take art courses, but you might also want to take some computer courses in graphic arts and see what sort of art you can create on the computer. If you think a career in medicine or health is for you, plan a health-related exhibit at school. Creating projects for science fairs is a great way to explore careers in environmental sciences, math, chemistry, plant science and other scientific fields.

  Pay attention to what you like about any activity you try and what you don't like. These clues will help you explore other careers you might enjoy.

• Adopt a career professional. It's not hard to find someone who works in a field you might be interested in. Ask your parents if they have friends who have careers that interest you. Then ask these friends if you can go to work with them one day and see what they actually do.

  Most people are flattered when someone is interested in their work, so don't be afraid to approach people about their careers. Prepare a list of questions to help you get a good sense of the job. For example, "why did you choose this particular career?" "What part of your job do you like most?" is another good question. Are you the type of person who likes to interact with a lot of different people, or do you prefer to work on your own? "What is the hardest part of your job?" can lead to cues about the downside of a job you are interested in.

  Another approach is to write to a university professor who specializes in a subject in which you are interested, and if he or she responds, ask if you can conduct an interview about the work.

  Read biographies of people who have had careers in the field you're interested in, and then think what it is about their lives that you find most compelling. For example, in a biography of a judge, what is it that seems the most satisfying to you? Dispensing justice? Knowing the law? Doing what is right? If it's doing what is right, think about other careers that might lead to that same satisfaction, like being a volunteer coordinator for a homeless shelter or being a policeman or woman.

It's important to love your work - you will spend a long time at it, and earning your own money will give you the freedom to do what you want with your life. So start paying attention now to what interests you and how you could turn that into a career. Remember, research and experience will help you to decide whether it's worth putting in the years to study for a profession and then landing the right job.


Linda Thornburg is one of the authors of theCool Careers for Girls series.