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The Path To Your

Dream Job

Following a map is the key to reaching any destination. Right now you may have an idea of what your future career should look like, but how do you get there? Keep reading for a step-by- step guide that will help you make a plan to reach your dream job.

Choose A Career 

Careers

Choose a dream job to learn more about your potential path to employment.

Lawyer

Lawyer

Represent businesses and individuals in criminal and civil cases,
advising clients in a court of law.

Scroll to see your path 

  • Degree

    Earn your undergraduate degree, ideally taking classes in political science, economics, and history.

  • LSAT

    Enroll in a course to prepare for the LSAT, and then take the test until you are satisfied with your scores.

  • University

    A law degree is necessary to be a lawyer. Best law schools include:

    • Yale University
    • Harvard University
    • Columbia University

Relocate — lawyers have the highest earnings in these three cities, all in California:

  • SJ

    San Jose

  • LA

    Los Angeles

  • SF

    San Francisco

Media salary is

$111,970

per year as of 2014

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts
43,800 new jobs will be created for lawyers by 2024.

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Knowledge Is Power

Use this information to make an educated decision
and begin your path to your dream job today.

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Accountant

accountant

Maintain, inspect, and handle detailed financial records for corporations and
individuals. Prepare taxes and conduct audits.

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  • Degree

    Top accounting programs:

    • University of Texas, Austin
    • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
    • Brigham Young University
  • Exam

    Taking the exam to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) after 150 class hours, or 5 years of school, will create further employment opportunities.

Relocate — accountants with the highest salaries are employed in these cities:

  • NYC

    New York

  • SAL

    Salinas

  • SJ

    San Jose

Media salary is

$65,940

per year as of 2014

Upward mobility in accounting is very high — there are many
chances for salary increases and advances in your career.

StarsStars
Knowledge Is Power

Use this information to make an educated decision
and begin your path to your dream job today.

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Web Developer

web-developer

Utilize programming software to build websites from scratch. Can include
HTML and CMS coding, or designing the layout in Photoshop.

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  • Laptop

    A law degree is necessary to be a web-developer. Great undergraduate programs include:

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Carnegie Mellon University
    • California Institute of Technology
  • Certificate

    Optional certifications strengthen your résumé, like Certified Internet Webmaster, Certified Web Developer, and Advanced Web Developer.

  • Portfolio

    In your free time, build a strong portfolio of mock websites and commissions to impress potential employers.

Relocate — web-developers have the highest earnings in these three cities, all in California:

  • SEA

    Seattle

  • SF

    San Francisco

  • SJ

    San Jose

Media salary is

$63,490

per year as of 2014

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts
39,500 new jobs will be created for web-developers by 2024.

StarsStars
Knowledge Is Power

Use this information to make an educated decision
and begin your path to your dream job today.

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Statistician

statistician

Use mathematical data and interpretation to help companies make informed decisions.

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  • Degree

    Should pursue and obtain a bachelor’s degree in statistics. A master’s degree or Ph.D. is necessary for teaching and more advanced, higher-paying positions. Best statistics programs:

    • University of California, Berkeley
    • Stanford University
    • University of Washington
  • SQL

    While earning your degree, accrue a general knowledge of Standard Query Language (SQL) and open source software to gain valuable skills for the job market.

Relocate — statisticians are compensated the most in these three cities, all located on the coast of California:

  • SD

    San Diego

  • SJ

    San Jose

  • SF

    San Francisco

Media salary is

$65,940

per year as of 2014

Career field expected to grow 34% from 2014 to 2024,
creating 10,100 new jobs.

StarsStars
Knowledge Is Power

Use this information to make an educated decision
and begin your path to your dream job today.

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Physician

physician

Represent businesses and individuals in criminal and civil cases,
advising clients in a court of law.

Scroll to see your path 

  • Medical

    Earn your undergraduate degree and pursue a pre-med track in biology, chemistry, or mathematics. Maintain a high GPA.

  • MCAT

    Study for and ace the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) one year before you plan to begin medical school.

  • Degree

    Earn your degree from medical school while deciding on a field of study. Great medical schools for primary care include:

    • University of Washington
    • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
    • University of California, San Francisco
  • Intern

    Requirements for internships and residencies will vary based on your field of choice. Most range from three to eight years.

Relocate — physicians have the highest earnings in these three cities, all in California:

  • FLR

    Florence

  • ATL

    Atlanta

  • MED

    Medford

Media salary is

$187,199

per year as of 2014

Opportunities for employment among physicians will increase
9% by 2024, creating 5,100 new jobs.

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Knowledge Is Power

Use this information to make an educated decision
and begin your path to your dream job today.

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Psychiatrist

psychiatrist

Diagnose, treat, and work with patients to prevent disorders relating to
mental and emotional health.

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  • Medical

    Earn a bachelor’s degree, taking a pre-med concentration or track if possible, including focuses in biology, chemistry, math, or physics.

  • MCAT

    Study for and take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) one year before you plan to start medical school.

  • Degree

    Psychiatrists must earn a degree from medical school. Top institutions for psychiatry include:

    • John Hopkins University
    • University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
    • University of Pennsylvania
  • Resident

    Complete a four-year residency program serving under licensed psychiatrists. During this time, consider what subspecialties interest you.

  • Target

    In order to subspecialize psychiatrists complete a one-year fellowship after residency.Some fields include:

    • Psychosomatic Medicine
    • Forensic Psychiatry
    • Addiction Psychiatry

Relocate — top-paying psychiatry positions are located in:

  • BIR

    Birmingham

  • IND

    Indianapolis

  • VAL

    Vallejo

Media salary is

$181,880

per year as of 2014

The profession will grow 15% by 2024, resulting
in 4,200 new jobs.

StarsStars
Knowledge Is Power

Use this information to make an educated decision
and begin your path to your dream job today.

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Occupational Therapist

therapist

Work alongside patients to help them build and restore their abilities to
perform day-to- day tasks.

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  • Da Vinci

    First obtain your bachelor’s degree, ideally in psychology, anatomy, or physiology if there is no occupational therapy track.

  • Degree

    Earn a master’s degree from an institution approved by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, which you must do to sit for the certifying exam. Great programs include:

    • Boston University
    • Washington University in St. Louis
    • University of Southern California

    Note: Many institutions combine undergraduate and master’s degrees in occupational therapy into one five-year program.

  • NBCOT

    To gain employment you must then pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam.

Relocate — the highest salaries for occupational therapists are found in these cities:

  • LV

    Las Vegas

  • BMT

    Beaumont

  • DAB

    Daytona

Media salary is

$75,400

per year as of 2012

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment growth
of approximately 27% by 2024, creating 30,400 more jobs.

StarsStars
Knowledge Is Power

Use this information to make an educated decision
and begin your path to your dream job today.

Choose Another Path

Actor

actor

Land a lead role in a major film franchise and win multiple Oscars.

Scroll to see your path 

  • Degree

    Attend a top acting program. Or skip college and study with an independent acting teacher or top improv comedy school. Top programs include:

    • Julliard
    • Yale School of Drama
    • Tisch School of the Arts (NYU)
    • Carnegie Mellon

    Top improv schools include:

    • Upright Citizens Brigade
    • The Groundlings
    • The Second City
    • iO
  • SAG

    Join SAG-Aftra – the union for professional film and TV actors – which will allow you to work on union projects.

  • Handshake

    Find representation through networking or by participating in an industry showcase. An agent or manager can submit you to audition for professional projects.

  • Film

    Start booking parts in films and TV shows.

Relocate — acting is an industry-specific job and you must live in a major city to earn a living. The best cities for acting include:

  • SJ

    San Jose

  • LA

    Los Angeles

  • SF

    San Francisco

Average salary of SAG-Aftra members:

$53,423

But that number is skewed by actors like Dwayne Johnson
($64.5 million) and Jackie Chan ($61 million) in 2016.

StarsStars
Knowledge Is Power

Use this information to make an educated decision
and begin your path to your dream job today.

Choose Another Path

Athlete

athlete

Win NBA Championships and try to surpass Michael Jordan as the greatest
player of all time.

Scroll to see your path 

  • Scholarship

    Earn a scholarship to a top Division I basketball program.

    • Only about 3% of high school senior basketball players make it onto an NCAA team.
  • NBA

    Colleges with the most current NBA players:

    • Kentucky (21): Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, John Wall
    • Duke (19): Kyrie Irving, Jahlil Okafor, Jabari Parker
    • UCLA (15): Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine
    • Kansas (14): Andrew Wiggins, Paul Pierce, Marcus Morris
  • Draft

    Enter the draft after 1-2 college seasons.

    • Only 4 of 14 NBA lottery picks in 2016 played more than 2 seasons.
    • The last four-year college player drafted #1 was Kenyon Martin in 2000.
    • Only 1.1% of NCAA players are drafted into the NBA.
  • Time

    Play at least 4.8 seasons – the average length of an NBA career.

Relocate — athletes have the highest earnings in these three cities, all in California:

Average salary was

$4,900,000

for the 2013-2014 season.

StarsStars
Knowledge Is Power

Use this information to make an educated decision
and begin your path to your dream job today.

Choose Another Path
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