How to Have a Career and Change the World

Many people think of volunteer opportunities when they look for ways to make society better, but you can do this every day by pursuing smart careers that change the world. With the right job, you can get up every day knowing that you’re going to do something good for those around you. Consider some of these powerful opportunities to improve the world.

Stop Crime before it Happens

When you think of places where you can change the world, you may not picture prisons. However, meaningful work in the prison system can help reduce recidivism, ultimately taking criminals off the streets. Prison programs that feature intensive supervision, organized treatment, and active participation have the highest success rates. Whether you’re working as a training instructor,correctional officer, probation officer or clinical psychologist, you can be part of the effort to rehabilitate prisoners and prevent them from committing future crimes.

Investigate Animal Abuse

Are you better with animals than people? Perhaps you feel like the world would be a better place if more people could appreciate the loyal adoration of a good dog, or the cuddly companionship of a kitten. If you’re passionate about animals, you can change the world as it applies to these furry friends by working as an animal cruelty investigator.

These bold professionals will follow up on cases of animal abuse. They may collect evidence of mistreatment, remove animals from dangerous situations, and testify against owners in court. In this career, you’ll find there are many ways to make the world a better place for creatures who can’t speak for themselves.

Investigate Crime

There are several jobs that make the world a better place in law enforcement. As a detective or law enforcement officer, you can take on the burden of investigating criminal activity and helping to bring guilty parties to justice. There are many careers in law enforcement available that will let you follow your passions and tailor the career field to your strengths and interests. Some of your options include:

• Fish and game wardens: Work in parks to enforce hunting and fishing laws, protecting wildlife and public lands.
• State police officers: Enforce local laws in their designated area.
• Transit police: Protect transit personnel such as those surrounding the railroad by properly securing the area and working to prevent robberies.

Work with Watchlisting

Counterterrorism jobs give you the opportunity to make the world a better place by tracking and preventing acts of terrorism.Watchlisting (PDF) is one such opportunity, ideal for job seekers who have a keen eye for detail. With this job you’ll be responsible for reviewing possible terrorist nominations, tracking identifying information, assessing all-source reporting for gaps, and identifying the information needed to nominate individuals for the US government’s screening opportunities.

Tackle Computer Forensics

Do you feel like your skill set is better suited to the office than the field? You can still make a significant difference in the world, even if your eyes are focused on your computer. Computer forensics is a growing field with exciting possibilities for tech-minded individuals. Do you enjoy hunting for clues in coding? You can pursue a career investigating information hidden on hard drives or inside computer systems. Track down hackers, decrypt data, or pull digital details from JPG and other files. Computer forensics offers a wealth of opportunities for preventing crime and improving the world.

Begin your path toward one of these powerful careers that make a difference in the world by pursuing an education in criminal justice. With this background, you can unlock numerous opportunities to effect the kind of change you are after. For more information on degrees that can help change the world, contact the Admissions office at Bryant & Stratton College.