How to choose a career—for many, it’s a big and scary question. Deciding on the right career path is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your life. 【小题1】 Don’t worry. Here is a practical guide on how to choose a career path.

List your skills.

No matter who you are, I know there are plenty of things you’re good at. Make a list of every single one that comes to mind. What subjects did you ace in school? What talents do people compliment you on? 【小题2】 Don’t leave out any skill, even if you don’t think it qualifies as a career skill. You never know how your unique set of strengths could transfer to a job.

Identify your passions.

Passion isn’t just a pipe dream. 【小题3】 No one wants to do work that makes them feel like a zombie! Finding your passion doesn’t mean the work will always be easy, but it does mean you’ll be fulfilled while doing it. Make a list of the activities that bring you to life, energize you, inspire you, and make you lose track of time.

【小题4】

The next factor we need to consider is mission. Who are the people you most want to help? What problems do you want to solve? What causes inspire or concern you? How have you been able to help people in ways that were meaningful to you? These are important questions to ask yourself, because without having a deeper purpose or why behind your work, it will be hard to stay with it in the long term.

Do some research.

【小题5】 Here is where you could find out the minimum requirements for each profession educationally, physically and mentally. As you continue your research, prioritize jobs that are in line with your aspirations and dismiss ones that clash or have little in common with your strong attributes.

Do you ever stop to question whether or not you’re on the right career path? You might even be thinking, “How do I even know what the right career is?” If you’re feeling stuck, unsure, or confused, don’t worry. 【小题1】

Take career assessments.

Take career personality tests that can help tell you what you should be. A career test should be valid and reliable. The test should actually measure what it claims to measure, and you should get consistent results over multiple tries. 【小题2】 Remember, a career assessment isn’t a shortcut (捷径); it’s a tool. It’s up to you how you use it.

Make a list of your options.

【小题3】 Make a list of all your options, whether those are actual job opportunities, education, or career paths. Once you have everything written down, you can determine what isn’t exactly right, and narrow your goals. Then rank your options from best to worst.

Look for overlap (重叠).

What you’re good at, what companies need, and what you like to do might all be different, but it’s important to try to find the overlap between the three. 【小题4】 Rather than looking at job titles, consider your interests, hobbies, and skills, and then work out how those translate.

Ask a mentor (导师).

Never underestimate the value and power of a good mentor! There are many different types of mentors, from the kind you pay to the kind that has been there, done that, as well as the kind that can support you at work. 【小题5】

Finding your dream career isn’t easy, and the path can be scary. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it!

How to Do Man-on-the-Street Interviews

The man-on-the-street interview is an interview in which a reporter hits the streets with a cameraman to interview people on the spot. 【小题1】 But with these tips, your first man-on-the-street interview experience can be easy.

When your boss or professor sends you out to do man-on-the-street interviews for a story, think about the topic and develop a list of about ten general questions relating to it. For example, if your topic is about environmental problems in America, you might ask, “Why do you think environmental protection is important in America?” 【小题2】

Hit the streets with confidence. 【小题3】 Say, “Excuse me, I work for XYZ News, and I was wondering if you could share your opinion about this topic.” This is a quick way to get people to warm up to you.

Move on to the next person if someone tells you she is not interested. Don’t get discouraged.

【小题4】 Each interview that you get on the street shouldn’t be longer than ten minutes. As soon as you get the answer you need, move on to the next person. Make sure that as you go from interview to interview, you are getting a variety of answers. If everyone is giving you the same answer, you won’t be able to use it. A safe number of interviews to conduct is about six to ten. 【小题5】

If your news station or school requires interviewees to sign release forms to appear on the air, don’t leave work without them.