Do you feel like you’re going through the motions of life but not making progress toward your goals? Are you not sure what career you want to work in? You’re not alone—studies show that 70% of high school students are unclear about their future careers.
Yet it’s better to figure out this question early on in your college experience because choosing the wrong major can waste time and money and delay the graduation date that you’re working toward. To make the process easier, use these top 10 steps to help guide your decision-making so you can choose the right career path.
1) Examine yourself
You’ll want to examine yourself and determine if you have a specific type of personality that is inclined more towards a particular career choice or if you need to know what work style fits best. The following are questions that may help:
* Do I enjoy reading non-fiction books and studying/reading articles about my interests outside of school/college?
*Do I like being around other people (especially children) without getting tired or irritated after an hour?
*Am I very good at multitasking and taking care of many responsibilities simultaneously?
*Am I energized by chaotic environments with no structure, and everything can change in a matter of minutes, but there is always something to be done?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are that you would be successful in careers such as teaching, event planning, entrepreneurship, librarian, or research. If not, then you should probably avoid those careers and instead focus on ones that interest you but also match your strengths.
2) Think about your long-term goals
Figure out your long-term goals and what about them excites you. Think about what type of lifestyle would fit in nicely with those goals, but be realistic about your dreams–not everyone is lucky enough to work from home or work a schedule that fits their needs. Now think about your skills and interests and see if they match the type of person you’ve pictured yourself as.
If they don’t match up, revisit one of your long-term goals and see if it has changed after looking at it again. You’re not just picking something that will earn money; it will be a big part of your life for many years, so make sure it matches who you are deep down inside!
Here are some tips for making long-term goals
1) Start by breaking down long-term goals into manageable pieces and set clear deadlines to keep yourself on track.
2) Establish a timeline – when you want to accomplish each goal and make it a point to work backward from that date to establish deadlines for other tasks or actions that need to be completed to reach your end goal on time.
3) Create an If-Then plan – this is like outlining what needs to happen if one task doesn’t go as planned, so you’ll always know how to adjust accordingly.
4) Update and review your goals regularly – even if it’s just once a month, this will help keep them fresh in your mind and help avoid forgetting about them in the long run.
3) Give Yourself Time and Patience
If, like many people, you’re still deciding what to study or work on, give yourself some time and patience. It can take a few years before one feels like they know themselves well enough to make a decision. You should take time off from school or work and explore new avenues of interest.
Try things on for size and determine which suits you best before making a final commitment. Sometimes it helps to have an idea of what one doesn’t want. After exploring different options, examine them more closely by looking at each option’s pros and cons (e.g., advantages and disadvantages). And don’t forget that it’s OK to change your mind!
4) Take different self-assessment tests
To figure out which job is right for you, take some self-assessment tests to see where you have skill matches and knowledge matches. Here are some benefits of taking self-assessment tests:
- It helps find careers that you might enjoy;
- It helps narrow down choices;
- It enables you to explore a variety of jobs;
- It provides information about how qualified or suited a person may be for a particular profession;
- It gives suggestions about careers people may not know about or think about;
- It identifies work/life balance priorities such as working during office hours versus at home
- it helps identify skills needed in various careers
- it highlights strengths and weaknesses
- it offers insights into the training required for different jobs
- Taking self-assessment tests helps make an informed decision based on facts rather than assumptions.
5) Don’t Confuse Passion For Interest
Don’t confuse passion for interest – choose a profession that will excite, not bore, you every day. Be passionate about work and develop an insatiable curiosity about it. Have confidence in yourself and know that even if you are inexperienced or lacking skills, there is always room for growth.
The reality is, we’re all learning on the job- some more than others- so don’t let self-doubt stop you from exploring new opportunities or considering different types of careers to find the perfect one for you!
6) Look For Opportunities To Improve
Look at any opportunity that comes across your path and see if it might be a way to improve. Figure out how you could improve your current situation or find one more suitable for you.
Asking yourself these questions will help you identify opportunities:
- What do I like?
- What am I good at?
- What am I not so good at?
- What could use some improvement in my life?
- What would I do if I had unlimited resources, time, skills, etc.?
These are all ways of brainstorming about potential improvements for your own life, but make sure to expand them beyond just you! Ask others around you too! They may have insights into things they feel need improving around them.
7) Keep Track of Your Talents and Skills
We all have skills and talents we’re naturally inclined to use more often than others, and chances are, you’ll find a lot of enjoyment in a job or hobby that combines those things. So while it might be tempting to focus on how much money is involved in a particular line of work or how it’ll impact our other obligations, don’t forget to keep track of those talents and skills because they might reveal their own set of benefits that go beyond the salary range and long-term goals.
Believe it or not, everyone has something they’re good at doing. Sometimes, this talent will stem from an interest they had as a child that they never pursued but still enjoy. Other times, it could come from an experience or skill that became necessary during their workday. Regardless of where this talent came from, it’s worth keeping track of so you can capitalize on it when looking for jobs and hobbies later on down the road! Try keeping a list of ten things you enjoy doing and five areas where you excel; this list should help clarify your talents and offer some inspiration when applying for new jobs later on down the road.
8) Explore different sectors & industries
A crucial step is to figure out what sectors and industries interest you. One way to do this is by researching different careers, such as engineering or graphic design. Explore other professions in a sector or industry that interests you by looking at job postings, reading online articles about different jobs, and researching salary ranges for those jobs on sites like Glassdoor or PayScale. Once you have narrowed down some options, try talking to people working in those industries who might be able to help answer any questions that come up during your research.
9) Find Out What Is Hot In Your Industry Today
To find out what is hot in your industry today, look at the websites of companies doing well in that market. What they list as their benefits and perks will indicate new trends in that field.
10) Seek out professional resources
Visit your local library and explore its careers section. They may have resources such as books, magazines, websites, and information packets that are all helpful in making this big decision. Talk to professionals who work in the field of your interest, be it teachers, doctors, or librarians – they can offer some insight into whether this line of work would be a good fit for you!
Conclusion
While it can be difficult and daunting at first, figuring out which career best suits you is essential to living a fulfilling and happy life. After reading this blog post, I hope you are more aware of the steps necessary to choose the right career path and find peace within yourself. The critical thing is to keep trying until you have found the perfect fit. If anything, keep going if one way seems like a good fit; there are plenty of other options!
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