When you're trying to choose a career, you may be distracted by the voices whispering in your ear. Your parents may be trying to persuade you to pick the most stable occupation. Your friends may try to get you to go into the same fields as them. The imaginary voices may be the loudest of all. They may tell you to go after the big bucks, follow in your mom's or dad's footsteps or pick a job from a list of best careers of the decade.
These voices aren't trying to lead you astray and they aren't necessarily incorrect. Doing what others think you should, whatever their reasons, isn't always a bad idea but it certainly can be. It is one of the primary reasons people wind up in the wrong career. While it's not wrong to listen to your parents and choose a career with a lot of stability, that is just one of the things you should consider. The same goes for compensation. Making money is nice, but making it doing something you hate is horrible. Following your friend into a career can prove to be quite satisfying as is following in your mom's or dad's footsteps. If the career is unsuitable for you, based on your personality type, interests or values, it can be a disaster.
As for those best careers lists, use them as a starting point when you are looking for suggestions but remember that what may be best based on the criteria of whoever published the list may not be best for you. So don't ignore the voices in your head altogether because they may have some important advice to offer. If those voices get too loud, however, there's nothing wrong with sushing them. Don't let them get in the way of making an educated decision about your career.
What else can you do to avoid choosing the wrong career? Find out what mistakes to avoid.
Evidence left behind by earlier civilizations can teach us about human history and pre-history. If you find that fascinating, archaeology may be a good major for you. Students who study this subject learn how to excavate, recover and analyze building ruins, tools, cave paintings and pottery. This major can prepare you to be a college professor, a park ranger or a museum curator, to name just a few options.
If you want to major in archaeology, you should begin to learn more about it. See what career paths you can follow with an associate, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree. If you're a high school student, now is a good time to take some classes that can prepare you for college. Find out what they are.
Here's some information to get you started:
In addition to learning in the classroom, archaeology majors also do laboratory and field work.
After earning a bachelor's degree, many people go on to graduate school to continue studying archaeology or to study another discipline.
High school classes in history, science, math and English will help prepare you for your college coursework.
Depending on the college, the archaeology major may be offered by the anthropology department, the classical studies department or it may be an interdisciplinary program that is part of several departments.