Making a Career Choice: How to Find a Career That’s Right for You
For most adults, their career choice was one of the hardest decisions they had to make. It is difficult for young people to know what career would bring them the most fulfillment as adults. To make matters worse, there are hundreds of job prospects which makes choosing one a difficult task.
This is why the average person changes careers around 5 to 7 times in their life. The career you choose now will change as you mature and learn more about your strengths and weaknesses.
So, if you are finding it hard to choose a career, know that you are in great company. There are some steps you could take to become clearer on what the right career path for you might be. Keep reading for some great tips on how you can find the right career for your unique personality.
Make a List
One great tip to identify a career that is right for you is to make a list of all the careers that are of interest to you. The number of professions available overwhelms many students and prevents them from considering what career to pursue. By making a list of only those jobs you would be happy to work at you make the task of choosing one career easier.
Pursue Careers That Complement Your Strengths, Weaknesses and Personality
Typically we are happiest when working at jobs that we excel in. You are also more likely to be great at a job that uses your natural strengths and weaknesses. When you are good at your job you are more likely to get well paid while experiencing less stress and burnout.
For instance, if you enjoy mathematics and solving problems you are likely to excel as a programmer. But if you are terrible at maths and prefer working with your hands, a programmer’s job would probably be unsatisfying.
Do your best to identify your strengths and weaknesses and jobs suited for your personality. Your career counselor may have access to personality tests that may help you identify suitable careers for you.
Research the Careers You Find Interesting
Once you have a list of at least 10 jobs that you find interesting, do a google search on them. This will help you see whether you would be willing to spend the rest of your life in that career. For instance, if you are thinking of becoming a pilot, do a google search on “a day in the life of a pilot”. This should bring up blogs and videos from professionals in that career talking about the best and worst aspects of the job.
If you are still interested in a career after the research, try and interview someone in that profession to learn more about it. Your career counselor may help to connect you with people in that industry. You can also ask questions on Reddit or Quora and even message industry influences on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
Confirm That You Can Stand the Down Sides of a Potential Career
Each profession has its good points and bad points. Doctors make a lot of money but they must spend many years in medical school. Dog walkers have an enjoyable job outdoors but the pay may not be as high as other professions. Analyze the negative aspects of each profession and decide if you are willing to put up with them.
If possible, approach people that are already in the profession you are considering and ask them what it takes to get to the top of their profession. Here are some questions to ask:
- What sort of lifestyle do they have and is it what you aspire to?
- Are you okay putting in the hours that the professionals in that career work?
- Can you handle the pressures and demands of the job?
If you are willing to work through the frustrations and obstacles that they mention, then you may excel in that profession.
Test Drive Your Chosen Career
After doing some research on your list of careers you should narrow down your list to one or two professions that you want to pursue. To be sure that you would find fulfillment in your career choice, try and get an internship position in that industry.
This will show you the reality of what your day-to-day life would be like in that role. You will also be able to see what kind of people you will be interacting with and if you would be happy in their fold.
You could also take a short course on platforms like Udemy or Skillshare to learn more about your career choice. For example, if you want to be a nurse you could enroll in a nursing assistant program and start learning about the industry. Once you finish the course you could test your skills by starting to work in the industry.
Take a Gap Year
If you are still confused about your career choices after going through the above steps, consider taking a gap year. Many students opt to take a year out after high school to travel and gain some life experience before they can start college.
This is often a great idea because you can learn so much about yourself and the world at large during your gap year giving you clarity when it comes to deciding what to do with the rest of your life. The gap year could save you a lot of money that you would have paid for the wrong college course.
Take the Leap
Once you have gone through the steps and narrowed down your career choices to one or two, you should now leap and start pursuing your top career choice. Keep in mind that even your dream career will have some obstacles and challenges that you will face on your way to the top. Don’t allow a few frustrations to take you away from a career that is perfect for you.
The Best Way to Make a Career Choice
Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. This is why you should take your time to explore your available options before choosing your final option. Make a list of all the careers that appeal to you and then narrow it down by researching the positive and negative aspects of each one. If you are still confused, consider taking a gap year to work and travel so that you can gain a bit of life experience to help you make a better decision.
For more information about choosing a career as a nursing assistant, read the rest of our blog.