This question needs to be answered, of course. It sounds like a weighty problem, but it can be made easier by process of elimination. First exclude categories of career paths that you will not be embarking on – which will help focus on the areas that hold promise.

• Chinuch – Face it, you will not be getting the ‘sheteleh’ of your dreams. Not you, and not any of your friends. (Unless you are the son/son-in-law of the rosh yeshiva.) So that leaves you settling for a “teaching job” that you don’t really want just to be able to say you are in chinuch. Do you really want to live your life this way?
• Doctor – This needs 7-9 years of medical school + residency and costs anywhere between $150,00-200,000 to accomplish, besides living expenses during this time period. If your family wants to foot the bill and you think you have the brainpower, go for it. Otherwise, its a pipe dream. (And please don’t take out that much in student loans!)
• Lawyer – Maybe not 7-9 years, but definitely a long haul. Plus, there are lots of experienced lawyers that are out of a job who will gladly advise you against the law profession as a career path in 2011.
• Low paying careers – Notice, I didn’t say low paying jobs, but low paying careers. Examples of these are (but not limited to) – clerical jobs, city or other low-level government jobs, manual/physical labor, or any career where there is lots of competition and no clear path of advancement opportunity.

Choosing a career path to follow is a tough decision. By breaking it down into manageable pieces, you can make it easier and more likely to actually decide on something.

Next, we’ll start exploring possible career paths for a kollel graduate.

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These people believe that a job is something they are entitled to as a living being. And so they don’t feel the need to perform well, all they need to do is show up and hold their hands out for their paycheck. But their employer doesn’t think so. To him, working at his company is a privilege, because he wouldn’t trust just anyone. He expects only the best from his employees, and the money he pays them is in return for the value they create for him. These opposing viewpoints cause friction between them, leading to the employee hating his job and the employer wishing he never hired such a bum.

Not all jobs need to turn out this way. If you share your employers attitude about the job, that it is indeed a privilege to be able to prove yourself at providing value to his company, you can go very far. Demonstrate that you do have what it takes to win, and make yourself valuable at the same time. Then, we you request a raise, you actually will have earned it. And your boss will be eager to make you happy, because of the value you are providing him. It’s only a privilege when he decides to give you a chance. After that, you show him what you are really worth. And then he’s becomes the one to have the privilege of having you.

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Truth is, I could’ve really used his help. Why did I refuse it? Yes, I was somewhat uncomfortable to start working with someone I hardly know. But thinking more about it, I realized that had he offered me differently I would’ve easily accepted.

His offer was, “How can I help you?” That means I had to realize that I have a problem that needs to be solved, or a need that requires solving. But I didn’t know that I had a problem or a need, since it was something that I was expecting to take the succah down on my own.

Instead, had he come with his hammer and drill and said, “Let me help you with this beam or tying up the schach,” I would’ve gladly accepted his offer. I would’ve finished the job earlier, easier, and would’ve made a new acquaintance in the process.

When you look for a job or career, keep this in mind. If you approach business with the attitude of “Can I please help you?” you are only going to find takers from those who already know they need help. For every company or business that knows they need help, there are countless others desparately need the help you can give them but don’t even realize it.

“Can I help you please?”

instead

Here’s what you might need…

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The same thing goes for almost any business. In the olden days when we were limited by such things such as geography, being able to specialize in one particular aspect of a business meant that you usually wouldn’t have enough business from the local markets. ‘

Now of course, the situation has changed dramatically. A store that specializes in a particular category can take to the internet and sell their products or services pratically anywhere. Customers – who are searching high and low for a solution to their problem – come flocking like bees to the honey, practically begging you to sell them your wares.

Knowing this, you can enter the world of business with a clear sense of direction.The question everyone has is, now that I’ve left kollel what am I supposed to do? Now, the answer is much clearer. All you need to discover is where is your personal expertise – the one thing that you have a special talent for. Just as it is clear that a cow was made for plowing and a horse was made for riding, so too you can discover your own speical unique talent and use it to create your specialty.

Do you need to attend college to get a degree in this specialty? Not necessarily. Michael Dell and Steve Jobs are two examples of mega successful enterpreneurs who dropped out while they were in college to pursue their specialties. Many of the greatest artists in the world never went to college. And many successful people who attended college became successful in an area totally unrelated to their college degrees.

The point of the matter is, there is something in the big wide world that you are attracted to. Pursue it, as long as its moral and ethical. You are being steered in that direction. Become successful at what you are good at, and help the customers that are seeking you out.

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