Picking your career path is a pretty big decision, as it’s one that will impact your life in a huge way! You need to take this decision seriously, consider what you want in the long-term, and what makes you happy.
As intimidating as that sounds, though, it’s not such a big ordeal to go through. Whether you’re fresh out of high school or an older professional looking to make a change, there are just a few simple things you’ll need to think about. Careful consideration (with some time to ruminate) will help you ensure you make a great choice.
Passion and Interest
They say those who do what they love never work a day in their lives. While we don’t believe this is necessarily true (work will always be work), picking a career path that genuinely interests you and makes you happy will make a huge difference.
This depends heavily on who you are as a person. There are countless different jobs for personality types across the spectrum, and something suitable for everyone out there. Think about what topics and activities really grab your interest and light you up. Whether it’s language and words, numbers and formulas, or helping people around you, this will help direct you.
Skills and Strengths
Identifying your own talents and skills is another factor that’s important for landing a job that fulfils you. Aside from what you enjoy, consider as well what your strong suits are, whether they’re technical skills, communication, creativity, analytical thinking, or problem-solving.
Consider how you would be able to use these strengths in different career paths, and where they would be most useful. However, don’t feel like you’re limited by what you already consider yourself good at. Instead, be open to learning new skills through education, training, and hands-on experience in order to open up doors that you wouldn’t otherwise even have knocked at.
Values and Beliefs
Total job satisfaction is greatly dependent on your own values and beliefs. Consider the things that matter most to you in life and in a work setting.
Are you serious about work-life balance, or are you driven to prioritize your career over other aspects of your life? Do you need to find a deep sense of purpose in your work? Do you need to be helping people in your job? Do you value freedom or the opportunity to be creative and express yourself? Perhaps you strongly prefer either working with people or being independent. All of these factors should play a role in your decision.
Workplace Environment and Culture
Finally, don’t forget that work is where most people will spend the majority of their day – so the environment and culture you work in will have a serious impact on your lifestyle, mental health, and general wellbeing.
Think about what kind of atmosphere you might prefer: a collaborative setting, an independent role, a fast-paced environment, or working from home. Think about the culture and overall organizational structure that’s most common in a particular industry or path and whether or not it sounds like a good fit for you.