Ways Of Deciding Which Career Is More Suitable For You

It is essential for each individual, especially young adults who have graduated from high school, to make one of the most important decisions of their lives, which is about what direction to take for their career. Some people are extremely sure about what they want to do with their lives, or they have been planning for a very long time, which career path they want to take, whereas some are confused and feel out-of-place, and so have trouble deciding which career is right for them.

This problem is not only faced by the young students, or fresh graduates from high school or college, but is more often than not faced by adults who feel like the job they already have does not fulfil them fully, and so are looking for job opportunities and a change of career.

Basic Tips For Deciding A Career

For planning a successful career, there are many possibilities that you have to keep in mind to explore, and then narrowing down on any particular option is the way to go. Basic tips for deciding a career are as follows:

Consider Your Interests

When looking for the field of work that you’re going to go into, it is important to keep in mind if you have any interest in that particular field. It will not matter how good you are at the job because if you are not directly interested in it, chances are it won’t make you happy. If something you’re doing on a daily basis is not making you happy, you will not be motivated to be better at it, in fact it will feel like an obligation resulting in either you quitting your job, or someone else beating you to it. Because if not you, there will be someone else willingly interested in your field, and so more motivated and efficient.

This is why interest is an important factor, one that should not be ignored as it could take years training for something you have remotely no interest in, and a waste of your time. Making a list of all the activities you enjoy or are good at is the first step, and then prioritising each one against the rest while writing what profession is more likely to go with should be your first step.

Assess Your Skills

It is important to know your strengths and weaknesses, and having proper knowledge of your own interests, strong points, disinterests, personality traits, all these follow when picking the right career for yourself. As each individual is different, and so is separately suited to different professions.

For example, very few people have the ability to teach, as some people are short-tempered and impatient and don’t have the confidence to teach, they will not be suitable for that particular profession, but however they maybe more adaptable to other people. Because they’re good with people, and have high persuasion skills, they may be more likely to be attracted to sales job.Taking a career test is one of the options, if you are confused about your skills.

Get Complete Information

Many times a profession that seems very exciting and interesting from the distance isn’t so in reality, and so for that purpose it is necessary to do some detailed research on it, to know exactly what it requires, as chances are you will not be suitable for it after getting the complete information. Therefore, getting complete information on the education, skills, job description etc required for the field of work, is mandatory.

Knowing Your Expectations

Knowing your expectations from a job is an important task, and one that should be taken seriously. Every individual wants to achieve something unique from their work. Either they want remuneration, flexible working hours, a job that gets you to travel more, a job that is satisfying to the soul, or sometimes a very fast paced atmosphere of work is suitable for some people.

Knowing exactly what you want out of your job, and then finding if the career you’re chasing after is providing you with that, is the challenge.

Get to Know More About the Profession

As soon as you have decided upon your field of work or interest, it is important to get firsthand knowledge of that job from those who are currently involved in them, as well as those who once were, as they will be the best in guiding you through. It will be great for you also to get a feel of the work place and then judge how you feel about it.

Choosing A Career

Facing the tough challenge of choosing a career can be overwhelming. With changing technology and growing international markets, there are a lot of options to choose from. The possibilities are truly endless so where does one start?

Your chosen career should be a harmonious blend of your skills, education, personality and interests. A self-assessment is a great way to identify a starting place for your search. Take time to jot down your likes and dislikes on a sheet of paper. Brainstorm several jobs that would utilize at least two of your likes yet avoid your dislikes. Use the list you have come up with to research and evaluate these options. You can gather job descriptions, examine the education and experience requirements, check out the career’s longevity outlook, interview others already in the position and visit the library for additional resources. Following this process will put you in a much better position for choosing which direction you would like to pursue in your career.

You could also take a formal skills assessment test. Several good ones, most of which are free, include those provided by careerlab.com, keirsey.com, the Princeton Review Career Quiz and CareerFitter.com. You should take a mix of tests as no one is infallible but all may present opportunities you had not previously considered. Taking advantage of a career coach or counselor is a great idea if you can afford it. These professionals can help you examine key areas in which you excel and point you in the right direction. Many often have their own skills evaluations as well. If a coach or counseling structure is not an option, you can get free advice from parents, friends or colleagues. Be careful when listening to the often biased opinions of parents; however, as their agenda tends to be geared towards the monetary aspect rather than what would be a good fit for you. Choosing a satisfying career should not rely on how high a position pays but rather how close it embodies your own goals and interests.

If you are young, I suggest temping. Join one or two temporary staffing agencies that specialize in your primary fields of interests. This would allow you to try out several different positions without committing yourself to a particular company. As an added bonus, you can use the temp agency experience to pad your resume. Then, if you do decide to pursue a career along the same lines of the temporary positions you have held, you may have gained some very important industry reference contacts. Don’t worry if you are already in a permanent position. You really don’t have to be stuck in one job forever. Take smart risks and explore what’s out there. Careers can become dated just as hairstyles. What fits today may not fit tomorrow and because all temp jobs can be listed under its relative agency, your resume will not reflect you as a “job bouncer.”

Choosing a career can be a grueling task. Try to only look at options that keep your interests at the forefront. Remember, going into a job simply because it pays well will not keep you happy. You want to find a career that offers the most growth potential, is attuned to your passions and properly rewards your performance.