Ever since I’ve been old enough to go outside on my own, I have loved hands-on activities and running around barefooted outside.  This is why I’m pursuing hands-on, active jobs such as civil engineering, pharmacist, and chemical engineering.

Considering criteria such as salary, a normal workday and flexibility, level of education, colleges, and aptitude, I would choose to be a pharmacist because it involves math and science and it also allows me a more flexible work schedule.

The comparison chart below illustrates the criteria that I considered in making my next career choice:

Civil Engineer                 Pharmacist               Chemical Engineer

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/k12/content/students/careers/careers-exploration.htm 11-4-14

The workday and flexibility for a chemical engineer is not hourly, and the have many vacation days throughout the year, which means someone could leave work and take off whenever they need to.  Because the level of education required to be a chemical engineering is a bachelor’s degree, someone would be able to go to college for four years and quickly get to work in an office, lab, or work field.  This career looks to be the most beneficial in salary, workday/flexibility, and level of education.

A strong argument could be used for a civil engineer that could make $122,020 per year, however, not quite as much as a chemical engineer.  If I were to invest in an engineering job, civil engineering would be the one.  Since skills in STEM, interpersonal skills, and leadership skills are required, I think this career would suit me well because I excel in math and science and, if I worked hard, I could be a good leader.  Similar to chemical engineering, civil engineering have many different places to work such as a field, lab, or even office.  It would also give me an amazing opportunity to go to an engineering college such as the university of Texas, Cal Berkeley, and the University of Michigan.

Although both engineering educations would get me in the workforce sooner, I would choose to be a pharmacist because it is a wonderful fit for my up-and-going, hands-on, and active mind-set and personality.

To begin my career as a pharmacist, I would apply to pharmacy school such as the University of Cal. Then I would try to get a job as a pharmacy technician at a local retail pharmacy such as Krogers or Walgreens.  Obtaining a job as a pharmacy technician would allow me to work around full-time pharmacist, which would provide me the opportunity to learn all aspects of the trade.  Therefore, I think, sense I love hands-on activities, that I’d be able to stick with being a pharmacist and eventually be able to make $154,840.

All three careers I have researched and studied involve working with chemicals, math and science, and are hands-on jobs that serve for customers.  However, the career I’d like to devote my life to would be a pharmacist that processes a doctor’s order for  patient’s prescription.  Fifty years from now, I’d like to still be following in my mother’s footsteps as a pharmacist making closer to $160,000 a year.