​What do you want to be when you grow up?

One of American adults’ favorite questions to ask children is, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ It seems as soon as a child can form full sentences this becomes one of the questions posed to them. Some people find their passion very early on and always have the answer ready to this question. I was never this kind of person. My interest changed frequently. Sometimes daily. Some of the greatest hits included pink racecar driver, pastry chef, Olympic fencer, chocolatier, archaeologist, and Dracula Lady.
 
In kindergarten and elementary school, students learn about different careers like fireman or policeman or doctors. Or teacher. Or president. Then never much beyond that. In my 3rd grade, we had a job unit where every student had to choose a profession they would like to be when they grow up. We presented it to the class and got extra credit if we dressed up in that professionals’ uniform or gear. I picked pastry chef.
 
In eighth grade, a similar project arose. It was more in-depth and included a paper and 15-minute presentation on a career choice. This time I chose archeologist, bringing a fake Halloween skull and a paint brush with me to my presentation - so I could “demonstrate” how to uncover artifacts. 
 
Despite doing these projects as a kid, I found that I did not really know what kinds of jobs I might like to do after graduation. Doing research that took me deeper into the details of specific careers was very helpful. Logistics like the daily tasks of a job are key to happiness in a career. I had no idea of the
 
There is much more to each job than the actual picture a person gets in their head. The daily tasks, the compensation, the chances for advancement and other realities make all the difference in finding a good fit in a career.  Geographic location is a real consideration.  Using Onet gave me a broader understanding of contexts in which anthropology could be used and also the realities of where and what anthropology jobs might look like.
 
The knowledge accumulated during research is very helpful during an actual interview. It can help with longterm planning. Research can help you understand the prospects for the coming years in an industry.
 
Ultimately, a person might need to “try out” a job to really know if it is a good fit, but doing some research ahead of time can save a lot of trouble and help narrow the scope of possibilities. This is a much better use of time and energy and resources.