Figuring out how to choose a career can be quite scary. Although this is an incredibly important decision, you will often get conflicting advice on how to get started!
This guide breaks down the simple steps you can take to decide on a career and move forward with confidence.
1. Do some self-reflection
Choosing a career is a big deal, and it requires a lot of thought. Although nothing is set in stone, your decision will have a significant impact on the direction of your life for the foreseeable future.
And such an important decision can only be made with self-reflection.
There’s a lot to think about, but the ultimate goal is to think about what you want from your career and what kind of work will make you feel most fulfilled. To help you get started in choosing a career, here are some questions to ask yourself.
Something jumps out at you?
When trying to decide on a career, one of the first things you should think about is what stands out to you the most. There’s a good chance you have a few lanes you gravitate towards. But which one are you drawn to?
Think about the career that has always interested you. Maybe there are certain jobs that you thought would be interesting to get. Or maybe there is an area you are passionate about.
Anyway, start with these as potential ways to go. Quit the jobs others pressure you to take. While your career can influence others, what you pursue is your decision and yours alone.
Knowing that it piques your interest is the first step in determining which path to take.
Think about what motivates you
Another important part of self-reflection is considering your natural motivations. Everyone is driven by different things, and you must determine what drives you.
For some people, money is a major motivator. There is nothing wrong with that. Knowing that you need a good salary to live comfortably and stay motivated will narrow down your career options and guide you in the right direction.
Others have motivations directly related to their future careers. For example, you may be motivated by the opportunity to help others in a direct and practical way.
Your greatest motivation can also be unrelated to work. Many people are driven by the opportunity to have a flexible schedule or take more time off during the year to be with their families.
Whatever the case may be for you, tick off these motivating factors. Tapping into what motivates you is a great way to ensure you’ll still feel fulfilled in your career decades down the road.
Consider how you like to spend your day
Here is a big factor that can influence which career you choose. You will spend a significant amount of time chasing success in your career. The average person spends over 90,000 hours at work during their lifetime!
To stay happy and fulfilled, choose a career that will allow you to spend your day the way you like. Again, this can vary from person to person. Some people thrive in collaborative environments where they can bounce ideas off others and stay socially active.
However, others are natural introverts who prefer to work alone or in the comfort of a remote home office (here’s a list of jobs that are great for these people).
It is also wise to consider the physical aspects of the career. If you like to spend your day in constant activity and movement, a career that requires you to sit at a desk for eight hours may not be the best choice.
Identify your values and long-term goals
Finally, you need to identify your values and what career goals you want to achieve in the future. This is important because choosing a career is about finding something that makes you feel good about what you do. It should be a continuous march to achieve goals and be happy about how you spent your working years.
Your goals can evolve, but you need to have a clear view of your goals. What will make you look back on your career with a sense of pride?
Do your values push you towards the need to help people? If so, you can pursue a career that revolves around doing good to others. For example, many people with similar goals practice medicine, social work, and other related professions.
Your goal may be to provide the best life possible for your family. In that case, your focus will be to find high-paying jobs that will allow you to maximize your earning potential.
Alternatively, your long-term goals may not revolve around work at all. Instead, they can pursue the freedom to pursue all of life’s passions or pursue a big dream later in life. There are many careers that help you do this.
Understanding what you want to achieve and how everything that aligns with your personal values makes a difference.
Take a career assessment
Once you’ve done some self-reflection and figured out what’s important to you out of a career, consider doing a career assessment. Career assessments are a great way to narrow down your options and see a list of careers that match your aspirations.
There are many options out there. One good choice is O*NET Interest Profiler. It is the nation’s largest source of employment information. The massive database contains information on hundreds of jobs.
The Interest Profile is an assessment that connects your interests to specific jobs. While not the be-all and end-all of your decision, career assessments are a valuable resource that can make deciding on a career that you find fulfilling much easier.
2. Start checking out specific jobs
You can then create a shortlist of careers to explore using the information you’ve learned about yourself through self-reflection and career assessment. You likely have a list of options that interest you, so now is your time to research and learn more about each one.
Check out specific jobs. Explore their salaries and learn more about the day-to-day lives of people working in these jobs. Think about everything that is important to you and see how these professions stack up.
You should also explore the growth potential. Entry-level roles are how you get into specific industries. But many have branching paths that lead you to other jobs and opportunities.
Your goal at this point should be to learn as much as possible. The more you educate yourself about your options, the easier it will be to choose a career.
3. Identify industries that fit your criteria
Now it’s time to open up your research by looking at entire industries. As we mentioned earlier, many jobs will lead to greater opportunities as you advance in your career.
While an entry-level position may not appeal to you now, it could pave the way for what you eventually want to do.
For example, you may have a goal of helping people by running a non-profit. While you can get a job at an existing nonprofit, non-profits serve almost every industry! There are non-profit organizations dealing with health, technology, education and more.
Knowing which industries fit your criteria can guide you in the right direction when choosing a career. Consider what’s important to you and find the most suitable industries. Then, learn as much as you can about these industries to see which ones are worth pursuing to reach your goals.
4. Determine what education or training you will need
Education requirements are a significant barrier in many industries. Sometimes you can get entry level jobs without much education. But if you want to continue to grow in a particular field, you may need to invest in a degree or certification program.
Once you know which jobs and industries best suit your goals, research the education and training required. It is nothing more than a high school diploma and practical training for several fields. For others, you need to get multiple degrees.
In some cases, you will need a degree to enter the industry and must continue to obtain additional training and certifications to advance over time.
Either way, understand what you need to do to pursue a career path. Then, determine if it is possible.
You may find that the educational requirements are a little too steep in terms of time or money. It’s OK!
At the end of the day, that’s what this whole process is about! It’s a matter of figuring out what’s right for you, and education is a big investment to consider before deciding on a career.
5. Connect with people who are where you want to be
Here you go beyond online research and start learning from people with in-depth knowledge of the careers that interest you. There is no better way to gain more insight into a potential profession than to reach out to those in the thick of it! Think about where you want to be and use that as a jumping off point when talking to these professionals.
There are many ways to connect with others. To get started, try your existing network. Do not hesitate to contact if you know people from the industries that attract you.
Alternatively, you can search through LinkedIn and connect with people that way. You’ll find that more people are willing to talk about their careers if you show genuine passion and interest.
You can even send cold emails. Get contact information from companies in the industries you love. While not everyone will respond, there is a good chance that some will.
Once you connect with people who are where you want to be, ask the burning questions you want answered. During your conversation, you can ask them how they got into the field, their day-to-day life, or some of these informative interview questions.
Use these links to learn more about possible career paths. As always, be respectful and conduct yourself in a professional manner. You may end up working with these people one day!
6. Get started
During your self-reflection and research, you must narrow down your options. Some careers will become less favorable the more you learn about them. Others will become even more interesting!
Once you’ve decided on a career, it’s time to get started and take steps to begin your professional journey.
Getting started can be a variety of things. If you need further education, there is no better time than now. The sooner you take these steps, the sooner you will start your career.
Research schools, talk to admissions staff and invest in your future career.
If you don’t need additional education or training, starting your career will require you to craft the perfect resume and apply for jobs.
The job search may take some time. You’ll want to focus on finding the right employer and applying for jobs that meet your needs. But you might need to update your resume before you can do all that.
If so, highlight relevant skills and strengths. If you have work experience, find ways to connect those jobs to the positions you want to land in your new career.
Apply to as many jobs as possible (without compromising on the quality of your applications), and don’t be afraid to use your network to find new opportunities.
7. Never stop learning
Choosing a career and landing your first job is an achievement in itself. But never rest on your laurels. this is only the beginning!
Never stop learning and finding new challenges. Set new goals, expand your horizons to keep learning, and challenge yourself.
Finding a career you’re passionate about is only half the battle. You still need to find ways to stay motivated and feel fulfilled. The best way to do this is to keep pushing yourself in your new profession.
Continuing to grow and learn will help you reach your full potential. It will highlight new goals worth striving for and give you new ways to feel fulfilled and happy with your choices.
Summary
Now that you know how to choose a career and choose something that appeals to you, it’s time to start going through the process yourself. Do some self-reflection, check out opportunities, and talk to people who already have the career you want.
Following these steps will give you insight, clarity and confidence to move forward with the career path that is right for you.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job hunting and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to teach professionals how to navigate today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as Link Top Voice in Job Search and Career and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She was quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also a writer The infographic resume and co-author of A social network for business success.
