If someone asked you right now what you are planning to be when you grow up, would you have a crisp and specific answer? Like, "I want to be an oceanographer focused on studying whales and their migration patterns" - or would your answer be further along the lines of “I have no idea” or “I have an industry in mind.” If your answer is the latter, you are not alone. In fact, I just completed an unscientific study and asked 330 people, (primarily members of the Greek and professional communities at University of Iowa), the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and found that over 57% of participants either don't know or have not thought past an industry. The results made me realize, hey, I’m not alone in this tricky career hunt!

Career planning is like taking a raft and floating down the Mississippi River. If you aren’t careful and don’t plan your route, you could take a wrong turn and end up in Idaho when you’re trying to get to the Gulf of Mexico. My father always uses this analogy when explaining the importance of setting goals and being deliberate.

I recently attended a meeting about career planning and internship strategies. The speaker started out with a very interesting question - What are you going to be when you grow up? As much as I feel like I have thought about that question a million times, I am not sure I have really “thought” about that question specifically - as in "I am going to be a marketing manager for a major player in the fashion industry." Hey wait - I think I just "thought" about it.

The speaker made a lot of good points, but the three that stuck with me the most were:

• Take some time to think about it. I mean really take some time.
  • Buy a journal and dedicate it to your career search.
  • Write down every industry you have an interest in and every possible position you could see yourself in within each industry.
  • Talk to people at school, home, etc.
• Do the research.
  • Google is your tool—Use it.
  • There are tons of amazing websites out there focused on career planning.
  • I took an hour and researched and was amazed from what I learned. Want to know what it takes to be an Oceanographer? Click here.
• Schedule coffees and job shadows
  • Once you have a better idea of industries and occupations you are interested in, reach out to family friends and other contacts with those professions to see what a typical work day would look like.
  • While getting an internship may be challenging, I have been surprised how easy it is to get someone already in the workforce to sit down with me over coffee and share everything I need to know about their specific role and industry. It’s almost like a mini internship without the risk and the 3-month commitment.

Setting goals and being persistent with pursuits is very beneficial for later in life—whether it’s finding a job after college/high school, setting a goal to work out every day, or to create and sell a product, you won’t see any results unless you go for it. Don’t just talk the talk, take the steps to get where you want to be.

And remember, just because this article says “set goals, be deliberate, have a plan,” doesn’t mean you should stop dreaming, innovating, and trying new things. If you lose an ore and end up in Idaho that’s okay; Idaho is a fabulous place. There are a lot of mountains, great places to fish, and don’t forget to stop by the Idaho Potato Museum!

So…What do you want to be when you grow up?