We're not sure you are that much younger than other discussion members, but we feel sure you are lucky to understand (at any age) that the career you've chosen thus far isn't working for you. It takes insight and courage to realize that the path you are following won't take you to the places you like to be.
You might consider talking with a career counselor at this juncture to see what suggestions he or she might have for you after more discussion about yourself, your likes and dislikes and your interests. This person will need to have more information then you've given in this message in order to be able to suggest possibilities. He or she can gain this kind of information through a verbal interview or by using a specific career assessment interest inventory. Two of the more popular and helpful assessment tools are:
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This personality indicator instrument has been used extensively in the career development field (it is adapted from Carl Jung's theory of psychological type) and allows for exploration of preferences, particularly in four major dichotomies:
- Extraversion-Introversion: describes where people prefer to focus their attention and get their energy — from the outer world of people and activity or their inner world of ideas and experiences.
- Sensing-Intuition: describes how people prefer to take in information — focused on what is real and actual or on patterns and meanings in data.
- Thinking-Feeling: describes how people prefer to make decisions — based on logical analysis or guided by concern for their impact on others.
- Judging-Perceiving: describes how people prefer to deal with the outer world — in a planned orderly way, or in a flexible spontaneous way.
The Strong Interest Inventory (based on the work of John Holland). This instrument assesses a person's interests in a broad range of occupations, work activities, leisure activities, and school subjects. It then compares your interests to the interests of people working in certain occupations. This instrument explores the six Holland Themes, 25 basic interests, 109 contemporary occupations and four personal styles.
You can take these tests (not really tests!) through online sites but to realize the most benefit from them you need the professional insight of someone trained to administer and interpret them once your results are in. You can go to the CPP Inc. site, (publisher of both instruments) for more information about how to take the test or find someone in your area who can administer it to you. Both will cost a few dollars to take but are worth it as a way to jump-start your thinking about what might be next. You can also find many free assessment tools or instruments on the Web, but they won't be as comprehensive as the two listed above.
Finally, if you just don't feel you can or want to try this route, you can begin your own exploration about other careers by talking with people doing the kinds of jobs you think you might like. Find someone working at a magazine of interest or in the fashion industry and ask them questions about what’s really involved, how they got their start, what they like and dislike, the three major tasks and responsibilities, etc. This process takes time, persistence and work, but it will help you learn what's really involved (and what credentials, if any, are needed) in other fields that might be a better fit with you.