Career Decision Making: Advice Needed and Wanted

MrTumN3s

Hello,

I'm going into my junior year of high school and I'm starting to think about what I want to do after college(I.E. career i want.)

My options as of late are history or phychology teacher, animator for either movies or video games, or magazine or video game writer/editor. My dream would be one day to be a successful game developer, but that dream is one that is difficult to attain and i don't hold much regard for it coming true.

To give you some backround knowledge of myself, I took a peronality test that is near 90% true to me. Analyze it and tell me what career you think i should pursure in any field.

"You like working and being alone. You like to avoid attention at all costs. You tend to keep to yourself, and not interact much with the people around you. You enjoy spending time with a few a close friends. You like to listen to others, but don't like sharing much about yourself. You are very quiet and private.

You are very practical, and only act after thinking things through. You don't like being forced to answer quickly. You have to evaluate the situation completely. You make decisions based on what you can verify with your senses.

You like to be deeply involved in one or two special projects. You like to be behind the scenes. You are very logical and fair. You feel you should be honest with others and protect their feelings.

You trust your gut instincts. You are easily inspired and trust that inspiration. You are very innovative. You analyse things by looking at the big picture. You are concerned about how what you do affects others. You worry about your actions and the future. You tend to use a lot of metaphors and are very descriptive and colourful in your choice of language.

You are very creative, and get bored easily if you don't get to express yourself. You like to learn new things. You don?t like the same old routine. You like to leave your options open."

So please, leave a comment below and tell my what type of job you think i suitably fit most, thank you and well appriciated ahead of time.

zling

if you want to be a dev you should try to become a level designer first, to do that you should try to get good at making maps and mods for games like neverwinter nights or warcraft 3. from that red text it looks like you may like being a programmer, i sugest taking a simple java or vb class in highschool (if they have them) to see if you like it. programming is very intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it it becomes fairly easy. programmers can also become devs, but usualy level designers (because it takes the same skills) and the art people get the job.

Czzarre

First thing ...most students in college don't really know what they want to be when they matriculate in. Many change their minds as they speak with ther students , take classes, and meet with mentors/professors

My suggestion is you have a nice, broad number of subjects to evaluate for your freshman year. Take a look at Psych 101, intro to history, computer programing, etc during your 1st year and see what you like the most.

You may also want to look at the job markets for Psychology, History, Video Games ...based on how competitive breaking in is, anticipated salary, need for graduate education, etc. Take time to visit the professors in each department after you arrive (don't wait, do it within the first 2 months of arrival). Ask them about the state of their field and what it takes to excell/succeed ..you will find that professors in college are approachable, friendly and give it to you straight with the respect of a peer ...very different from what you may be used to in the 11th grade.

Good luck

 

jjjk29

  Im starting school next month for game dev.  I hate math but I like programming and C++ is mainly math.  But I would really like to make video games so im going to wing it.  I wont make hardly anything when I first get a job, but I hope I can get 3 or 4 years exp.  so I can move up to a more stable studio making decent games.  I was going to go to school to be a history teacher but the more I thought about it the more I couldnt do it.

  Thats how I decided.  Whichever would make me happy in the long run.

SomeOldBloke

Get a job that pays you crap loads for doing as little as possible then you can spend a lot of time doing what you really enjoy.

MrTumN3s

To Czz and Zling,

           Your advice really means a lot, and is getting me thinking more. Czzarre, i'll check out colleges that offer classes that let me learn all the topics i am interested in, i'll try to make a plan for freshman year that'll work out. Zling, I wouldn'tmind becoming a level designer if i knew how. I have several tools to use for games like Source SDK and Hammer, as well as morrowind editor to make maps and mods. Only problem is I don't have that much experience in video game techknowledgy, which is why i'm on the fense. Thanks for the advice though man.

If anyone else has any advice to give, you're more than welcome. Thanks again guys.

 

*Fixed several spelling mistakes, still several of them in there, not too worried about it though. It's always late when I post so there really is no time to care to check for spelling mistakes.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

zling

Originally posted by MrTumN3s


To Czz and Zling,
           Your advice really means a lot, and is getting me thinking more. Czzarre, i'll check out colleges that offerclasses that let me learn all the topics i am interested in, i'll try to make a plan for freshman year that'll work out. Zling, I wouldn'tmind becoming a level designer if i knew how. Ihave several tools to use for games like Source SDK and Hammer, as well as morrowind editor to make maps and mods. Onlyproblem is I don't have that much experience in video game technknowledgy, which is why i'm on the fense. Thanks for the advice though man.
If anyone else has any advice to give, you're more than welcome. Thanks again guys.

 

for level design i suggest you buy warcraft 3 or neverwinter nights, after playing a bit to get a feel for the game you should look up some guides online to help get you started with learning. when your making your first map (after learning the basics of the level editor)  you should get an idea of what you want to make, then find out how to do each little part from google. im sure there are many guides and forums to help you get into it. remember, when your starting dont bite off more then you can chew, make  your idea simple but not too simple that you dont learn anything. you will learn some basic programming also if you follow this path. i reccomend these games because from what ive heard they have pretty simple editors (as far as level editors go) and these maps can also be submitted as part of an application. one of the great things about the video game industry is that most of the time you dont need any kind of degree, they just want proof of your skills. this doesnt mean that you shouldnt go to collage though, it helps alot if you have. you should go on some websites for companies you would like to work for and see what they require from applicants. if you play your cards right you may be able to get a job right out of high school (it wouldnt be easy though).

if game design is your dream job you need to find out what it takes to get that job, then do it. good luck.

Tivian

Originally posted by MrTumN3s


Hello,
I'm going into my junior year of high school and I'm starting to think about what I want to do after college(I.E. career i want.)
My options as of late are history or phychology teacher, animator for either movies or video games, or magazine or video game writer/editor. My dream would be one day to be a successful game developer, but that dream is one that is difficult to attain and i don't hold much regard for it coming true.
To give you some backround knowledge of myself, I took a peronality test that is near 90% true to me. Analyze it and tell me what career you think i should pursure in any field.
"You like working and being alone. You like to avoid attention at all costs. You tend to keep to yourself, and not interact much with the people around you. You enjoy spending time with a few a close friends. You like to listen to others, but don't like sharing much about yourself. You are very quiet and private.
You are very practical, and only act after thinking things through. You don't like being forced to answer quickly. You have to evaluate the situation completely. You make decisions based on what you can verify with your senses.
You like to be deeply involved in one or two special projects. You like to be behind the scenes. You are very logical and fair. You feel you should be honest with others and protect their feelings.
You trust your gut instincts. You are easily inspired and trust that inspiration. You are very innovative. You analyse things by looking at the big picture. You are concerned about how what you do affects others. You worry about your actions and the future. You tend to use a lot of metaphors and are very descriptive and colourful in your choice of language.
You are very creative, and get bored easily if you don't get to express yourself. You like to learn new things. You don?t like the same old routine. You like to leave your options open."
So please, leave a comment below and tell my what type of job you think i suitably fit most, thank you and well appriciated ahead of time.

Sounds to me like you would make a great detective. Homocide maybe?

 

Czzarre

Originally posted by MrTumN3s


 ...
Onlyproblem is I don't have that much experience in video game technknowledgy, which is why i'm on the fense.
..
 

 

Hey, your in the 11th grade! ...what experience are you supposed to have?? A lot of incoming freshman think that somehow they are supposed to have a nobel prize before they enter college. Dont sell yourself short, at your age, its all about potential, not accomplishment.  Your nothing but a lump of clay ...just show em that your the best dam clay they could ask for.

 

P.S. Its 'Fence'

Unknown

Don't put a lot of stock into a personality test for when you are 17.  At 27 that may or may not be the case anymore, especially in regards to how you socialize.

 

I went to college did not have major for 1.5 years.  Took engineering math courses to cover my bases.  Eventually got a degree in microbiology, worked as a molecular biologist for 2 years.  Decided I really liked learning about the subject but hated actually doing the work of the science itself.  Went back to school and got a master in Computer Science.  Having taken engineering math to cover all requesites (because the Bio amth courses would not have satisfied CS reqs) helped me save a semester or two worth of extra course work to qualify for the master's program.

 

Don't get to worried, don't be in a rush.  Not knowing and being cautious helped me more than knowing and commiting to Biology.  Being honest with myself and cautious made me take the decision to go for the harder math just in case.   And in the end that was the right decision.   I could never have really known that I would not like working in Biology without actually working in Biology that is just the way life is.  I still find Biology and microbiology facinating but I know that I am simply not a scientist and find running DNA gels and ELIZA plates really boring.

 

Perhaps I could have gone to med school and used my bio degree.  Perhaps I would even like being a doctor more.  But there are many downsides to that route as well.  That route is long and would involve a lot of debt.  I worked for a doctor in a research hospital and personally found the enviroment not to my taste.

 

Just keep moving, keep doing stuff.  Don't worry about getting it perfect.  Perfection is a myth.  And doing nothing is the worst thing you can do.  Heck you don't even need to go to college.  That is just another myth.  You need to do something to improve yourself.  But getting an apprenticship as a plumber is more lucratiuve than what some people I know who went and got college degrees are doing.  And many of those people did not wind up doing their "dream job".  

 

I cannot count the number of girls who thought they were gonna be Vets in my bio courses but never had a chance due to grades.   There are a lot of unrealistic expectation.  A lot of propaganda about how college is better than all other options.  A lot of pressure to find your "dream job".

 

Don't buy into this pressure.  Don't let it freeze you up, keep moving, keep doing and do what you think will do well for you.  Don't do some major in college because you think you are supposed.  But don't be stupid and make if you go down a route that you cover your bases.

 

Lastly do not allow yourself to be afraid or intimidated.  Cautious yes.  But do not be intimidated.  I took 140 credits in college because everything past 12 credits was "free" at my college so I took 18-20 credits every semester.  I didn't need to but I did it anyway.  Some people go for double majors.  I didn't, but I had the credits of a double major.  I don't regret it.  I got a minor in philosophy just for kicks.  No reason not to and you can always drop courses if you get in too deep.  Not harm no foul.

When i was getting my masters I purposely did not take a job/assistantship for the first semester because I was worried about how hard it would be.  My borther had gone through the same program and had trouble.  So I thought to play it safe and concentrate solely on school and use loan money.  This was a mistake.  I got a chance assistantship offer and did not act on it.  Had i done so I would have saved myself $10,000 to $20,000 in loan money.  Looking back I was not really playing it safe,  I allowed myself to be intimidated.  Especially since I could easily have juggled both school work and a TA.

 

There is a difference between being cautious and missing opportunities due to fear.  Between covering your bases and allowing yourself to freeze and miss things.

 

Don't allow this unrealistic pressure force you into a hasty decision.  Make you decision in the fullness of time, knowing full well that it WILL involves misstep.  Just keep moving and don't get intimidated.  There are almost no 17-18 year olds that really know what they want to do.  And this expectation that they will know is a falshodd everyone allows.  No 17-18 year old has enough experience to truly know that.  At best they are guessing.  Esepcially since school is theoretical and as I found out you can easily like to know and not like to "do".  But it doing that gets you money.

AIMonster

Personality tests aren't good assessments because they give statements that basically describe the majority of the population anyway (I'd feel that personality test fits me somewhat too, and probably at least 50% of the population would say the same).  Not to mention there are several contradictory things in that assessment such as:

"You are very practical, and only act after thinking things through."

"You trust your gut instincts."

Relying on your gut instincts doesn't make you practical and someone who acts only when thinking things through.  People who think with their instincts tend to so quickly and without thought.

No offense, but off the bat I would stratch off video game writer/editor (at the very least editor).  Your grammar isn't perfect and you made several spelling errors.  At the very least you shouldn't take these jobs unless you want to try to put significant improvement in those areas (And I know my grammar isn't perfect, not even close, but I did spot quite a few grammar and spelling mistakes there).  Writer/Editor jobs are best suited for those types who are always picky on grammar and tend to use vocabulary you'd need a dictionary to understand.

Do you like to draw?  Have you taken art classes or are heavily interested in art?  Then an animator would be a good career. 

If you like working with the past or human psyche and teaching things to others then try the other career paths.

Have you dabbled with any developer tools or tried to make a mod?  That's good to do especially at an early age if you want to try to be a Game Designer (and as you mentioned out of all the career choices you have that's the most difficult to get into).  As a bonus if you want to be a Game Designer having a degree in History or Psychology is helpful for that career path.

oskironmaide

Dont trust personality tests.. they suck. Unless it is a peer reviewed one like the Myer-Briggs, and still they wont tell you who you are or what will you do.

Dont let the idea of being a game developer behind. Most people go to school for something and end up going out doing something totaly diferent.

I have a bachelors degree on computer animation and right now im doing a master on game design.. but i am going to be a game producer since the curriculum is more aimed towards managment and production than design.

Hell.. i may end up selling cars if nothing works haha, what matters is that you get skills

Dont worry if your grammar sucks, you will have time to improve. My first lenguage is spanish and my second is hungarian, English is my third language i still have alot to improve but im sure i can speak better than some americans.

MrTumN3s

Originally posted by templarga


If the career aptitude test does describe you, teaching might be difficult. I am a college professor (I teach Political Science) and the one thing that surprised me is how much I deal with a lot of people.
I am not a people person. I am very insular. I like my small group of friends, hate meeting new people in person, and people drain me. If I am around people a lot, I get emotionally drained (if that makes sense). I'm very much like that as well. Though, it's not so much that i hate meeting new people in person; it's just i have a hard time forming a solid friendship/relationship with that person as opposed to my small group of friends that i've known for a while.
Teaching is dealing with people....and I do not mean in the classroom. The classroom part was easy for me because I was teaching. But outside of that, I had people come to me with their problems, dealing with faculty and staff, parents to a degree, committees, student organizations, etc.... Not that I really minded but it was more than I expected. Helping people with external problems i do not mind that much, I actually believe i might enjoy it. But i see what you mean.
There were days when I got home I could hardly speak because I talked so much during the day.

 
Going by the rest of your description, you would make a perfect teacher. thank you I've been wanting to be a teacher since the 8th grade.
My advice: When you get to college, take a Freshman seminar course. They are usually called something like "Strategies for College Success" or "University Experience". They are not usually required courses but are optional. I took one when I was a Freshman and it was great. Part of the curriculum for the course is a career section (usually). If not, talk to your instructor and ask if they can talk about careers specificially. I'll check that out. As i have not looked at colleges yet, my options are still open. I'll certainly look at this though.
Two other recommendations: See if your high school or college (when you get there) offers the chance to take two tests. Both cost but sometimes you can get them for free. The first is called the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI). It is a personality test that discusses your personality on several levels. For example, Introvert and Extrovert, Thinker/Feeler, etc... I actually took this test this past year, and I found that my result i got was so efficient with pin-point accuracy. I may actually still have the paper, but the Myers-Briggs test i took in Biology. Great test.
The other is the best career test I have seen. It is called the Discover Career Planning Program. It is awesome. When I teach my freshman seminar course, I make my students take it and they like it.
Something else and its a personal recommendation. Don't start college with one career in mind unless you are 110% sure that is what you want to do. When I started college, my goal was to get a degree in psychology and criminalistics and I wanted to do criminal profiling for the FBI. Well, I failed all courses in psychology REALLY bad...so much for that. Then I thought about criminal justice (police, court work)...bored me to tears. Then I took a course in political science and fell in love with it. Now I teach...and I started college saying I would never teach----go figure!  Hahah, go figure after all. Thanks for the advice man, i really appriciate it. You really know what you're talking about.

 

MrTumN3s

Originally posted by zling

Originally posted by MrTumN3s


To Czz and Zling,
           Your advice really means a lot, and is getting me thinking more. Czzarre, i'll check out colleges that offerclasses that let me learn all the topics i am interested in, i'll try to make a plan for freshman year that'll work out. Zling, I wouldn'tmind becoming a level designer if i knew how. Ihave several tools to use for games like Source SDK and Hammer, as well as morrowind editor to make maps and mods. Onlyproblem is I don't have that much experience in video game technknowledgy, which is why i'm on the fense. Thanks for the advice though man.
If anyone else has any advice to give, you're more than welcome. Thanks again guys.

 

for level design i suggest you buy warcraft 3 or neverwinter nights, after playing a bit to get a feel for the game you should look up some guides online to help get you started with learning. when your making your first map (after learning the basics of the level editor)  you should get an idea of what you want to make, then find out how to do each little part from google. im sure there are many guides and forums to help you get into it. remember, when your starting dont bite off more then you can chew, make  your idea simple but not too simple that you dont learn anything. you will learn some basic programming also if you follow this path. i reccomend these games because from what ive heard they have pretty simple editors (as far as level editors go) and these maps can also be submitted as part of an application. one of the great things about the video game industry is that most of the time you dont need any kind of degree, they just want proof of your skills. this doesnt mean that you shouldnt go to collage though, it helps alot if you have. you should go on some websites for companies you would like to work for and see what they require from applicants. if you play your cards right you may be able to get a job right out of high school (it wouldnt be easy though).

if game design is your dream job you need to find out what it takes to get that job, then do it. good luck.

hey man, I do in fact have warcraft 3, so I'll pop in the disks and check that out. What Neverwinter Nights game will i need for the map editor? I'm almost certain there's a ton of them.

MrTumN3s

Originally posted by gestalt11


Don't put a lot of stock into a personality test for when you are 17.  At 27 that may or may not be the case anymore, especially in regards to how you socialize. Understood, definitly see what you mean.
 
I went to college did not have major for 1.5 years.  Took engineering math courses to cover my bases.  Eventually got a degree in microbiology, worked as a molecular biologist for 2 years.  Decided I really liked learning about the subject but hated actually doing the work of the science itself.  Went back to school and got a master in Computer Science.  Having taken engineering math to cover all requesites (because the Bio amth courses would not have satisfied CS reqs) helped me save a semester or two worth of extra course work to qualify for the master's program.
 Yeah, same thing happened with my one of my teachers at my school. He went into engineering courses expecting to be an engineer,(not sure what field exactly, and then towards the end he stopped his classes and decided he wanted to be a math teacher. 
Don't get to worried, don't be in a rush.  Not knowing and being cautious helped me more than knowing and commiting to Biology.  Being honest with myself and cautious made me take the decision to go for the harder math just in case.   And in the end that was the right decision.   I could never have really known that I would not like working in Biology without actually working in Biology that is just the way life is.  I still find Biology and microbiology facinating but I know that I am simply not a scientist and find running DNA gels and ELIZA plates really boring.
 


Perhaps I could have gone to med school and used my bio degree.  Perhaps I would even like being a doctor more.  But there are many downsides to that route as well.  That route is long and would involve a lot of debt.  I worked for a doctor in a research hospital and personally found the enviroment not to my taste.
 
Just keep moving, keep doing stuff.  Don't worry about getting it perfect.  Perfection is a myth.  And doing nothing is the worst thing you can do.  Heck you don't even need to go to college.  That is just another myth.  You need to do something to improve yourself.  But getting an apprenticship as a plumber is more lucratiuve than what some people I know who went and got college degrees are doing.  And many of those people did not wind up doing their "dream job".  
 Oh most definitly in regards to the plumber. However, to be a plumber, it's not really something kids or people looking for a career tend to steer towards. You don't see many kids saying they want to be plumbers after all. The synopsis i have for myself is that I'd rather do a career where I enjoy my work over the money i'm receiving. 
I cannot count the number of girls who thought they were gonna be Vets in my bio courses but never had a chance due to grades.   There are a lot of unrealistic expectation.  A lot of propaganda about how college is better than all other options.  A lot of pressure to find your "dream job".
 
Don't buy into this pressure.  Don't let it freeze you up, keep moving, keep doing and do what you think will do well for you.  Don't do some major in college because you think you are supposed.  But don't be stupid and make if you go down a route that you cover your bases.
 
Lastly do not allow yourself to be afraid or intimidated.  Cautious yes.  But do not be intimidated.  I took 140 credits in college because everything past 12 credits was "free" at my college so I took 18-20 credits every semester.  I didn't need to but I did it anyway.  Some people go for double majors.  I didn't, but I had the credits of a double major.  I don't regret it.  I got a minor in philosophy just for kicks.  No reason not to and you can always drop courses if you get in too deep.  Not harm no foul. If you don't mind me asking, what college did you happen to go to? Free credits after 12 seems pretty great. If it were ever possible, double majors would be nice, however i'm not the type of person to push myself too hard unless i see a reasonable goal at the end, or if i know i can't "do it" so to speak.
When i was getting my masters I purposely did not take a job/assistantship for the first semester because I was worried about how hard it would be.  My borther had gone through the same program and had trouble.  So I thought to play it safe and concentrate solely on school and use loan money.  This was a mistake.  I got a chance assistantship offer and did not act on it.  Had i done so I would have saved myself $10,000 to $20,000 in loan money.  Looking back I was not really playing it safe,  I allowed myself to be intimidated.  Especially since I could easily have juggled both school work and a TA.
 
There is a difference between being cautious and missing opportunities due to fear.  Between covering your bases and allowing yourself to freeze and miss things.
 
Don't allow this unrealistic pressure force you into a hasty decision.  Make you decision in the fullness of time, knowing full well that it WILL involves misstep.  Just keep moving and don't get intimidated.  There are almost no 17-18 year olds that really know what they want to do.  And this expectation that they will know is a falshodd everyone allows.  No 17-18 year old has enough experience to truly know that.  At best they are guessing.  Esepcially since school is theoretical and as I found out you can easily like to know and not like to "do".  But it doing that gets you money.
 
Wow. You should speak at seminars for kids expecting to go to college. Everything you've said i've taken and will take into account. Hopefully this thread stays up so i can look back at all this that you've wrote. Means a lot to me when people like you who know a lot about what they're talking about give advice to less knowledgeable kids like me. Thank you sir.

 

MrTumN3s

Originally posted by Magnum2103


Personality tests aren't good assessments because they give statements that basically describe the majority of the population anyway (I'd feel that personality test fits me somewhat too, and probably at least 50% of the population would say the same).  Not to mention there are several contradictory things in that assessment such as:
"You are very practical, and only act after thinking things through."
"You trust your gut instincts."
^^ hahah, i caught on that as well. I agree that personality tests aren't always that well suited.
Relying on your gut instincts doesn't make you practical and someone who acts only when thinking things through.  People who think with their instincts tend to so quickly and without thought.
No offense, but off the bat I would stratch off video game writer/editor (at the very least editor).  Your grammar isn't perfect and you made several spelling errors.  At the very least you shouldn't take these jobs unless you want to try to put significant improvement in those areas (And I know my grammar isn't perfect, not even close, but I did spot quite a few grammar and spelling mistakes there).  Writer/Editor jobs are best suited for those types who are always picky on grammar and tend to use vocabulary you'd need a dictionary to understand. Truth be told, I am actually very well at spelling and grammar. However, when I'm up late like at twelve and one and especially now at 5:10, I'm very forgiving to my writing. Although you don't know me that well, I am modest enough to say that whenever I have to debate I use vast vocabulary. This also especially in writing. Matter of fact, all my papers I've done this past year have been a B+ or higher, which includes midterms and finals. But thank you for the contructive criticizm sir.
Do you like to draw?  Have you taken art classes or are heavily interested in art?  Then an animator would be a good career.  Sadly, as much as i love art, I'm attrocious at it.
If you like working with the past or human psyche and teaching things to others then try the other career paths.
Have you dabbled with any developer tools or tried to make a mod?  That's good to do especially at an early age if you want to try to be a Game Designer (and as you mentioned out of all the career choices you have that's the most difficult to get into).  As a bonus if you want to be a Game Designer having a degree in History or Psychology is helpful for that career path.

 

MrTumN3s

Originally posted by oskironmaide


Dont trust personality tests.. they suck. Unless it is a peer reviewed one like the Myer-Briggs, and still they wont tell you who you are or what will you do. I took the Myer-Briggs test this past year in Biology class, and found it to relay amazing accuracy.
Dont let the idea of being a game developer behind. Most people go to school for something and end up going out doing something totaly diferent. 
I have a bachelors degree on computer animation and right now im doing a master on game design.. but i am going to be a game producer since the curriculum is more aimed towards managment and production than design.
Hell.. i may end up selling cars if nothing works haha, what matters is that you get skills Haha, good to keep the options open
Dont worry if your grammar sucks, you will have time to improve. My first lenguage is spanish and my second is hungarian, English is my third language i still have alot to improve but im sure i can speak better than some americans.  You know, congradulations to you. English is the most difficult language to learn due to all the dialects and uses(there, their, they're), so tip of the hat to you sir. Thank you all in all though