Your career path can be a scary thing to contemplate at the tender age of 17 (or at any age!). What’s great though, is that what you decide now doesn’t necessarily have to be what you’re doing in fifty years. Many people will change careers as many as five times in their lives, learning new things and enjoying the changes along the way.

The college course or university major you choose will likely dictate what job you have when you’ve completed it. An easy way to get directly into the job market is to take a college course before going to university – they’re shorter, more focused, and they generally include job find help. You might find a college diploma is a great launching pad into a university degree.

Online colleges are one of the best ways to find a huge selection of programs that could interest you. No 3D Animation or Medical Transcription at the local college in your town? No worries, just look online!

When choosing the diploma you want to get into, there are many factors to consider. The biggest one is your own personality and how you feel you’d work with the specific characteristics of each career.

Figure out what it is you love to do.

• Are there fields of study that spark your interest, or have you taken courses that you particularly enjoyed? Meditate if you have to – or simply browse online until something takes hold of your imagination!
• Do you have a hobby that has money-making potential? Are you entrepreneurial-minded? You might want to enter a field that is self-employed.

Ask yourself whether you have what it takes to succeed in your major.

• Call the school and talk to the instructors; they can give you an idea of what the program is like.
• Call some companies in the industry and explain you’re looking to get into the field and would like to know what a typical day is like.

Think about the growth of the field that interests you.

• Is the field expanding?
• Are graduates with your major being hired right out of college, or do they need additional training?
• JobFutures.ca is a great site to give you an idea of the growth of a particular career.

Decide how important money is to you.

• Contemplate the earning potential and base salary of jobs that are related to certain majors. Think of the lifestyle you would like to maintain and how certain salaries may affect it.
• Think about whether you would be happier having a job you love with little pay or having a job you can tolerate with substantial pay. Choose a career course accordingly.

Be cautious about taking advice.

• You can’t let someone else choose for you – not your friends, your parents, or even your career counselor.
• What's right for someone else is not necessarily what's right for you.
• Follow your own passions.
• Don't lose sight of your own goals.

Remember, Nothing is Permanent!