Tips: How to Make a Career Choice

When we were kids, we were often asked what we wanted to be when we grew up. Without much thought, we would provide an answer. We all wanted to be doctors or astronauts or engineers as they were the only professions that we thought existed at the time. How were we to know? Again, we were just kids.

However, as we reach that age where we really need to consider our career options. We need to take into consideration our skill sets, pay, and work-life balance. We contemplate how to choose a right career. It all becomes very real and it can be daunting.

Questions to ask yourself when choosing a right Career

What are you passionate about?

To have a successful career, it all boils down to what you are passionate about. However, without a proper set of skills or talents, one can’t just blindly turn their passion into a career. It’s wise to look at all that interests you and choose accordingly from there. For instance, let’s say you have a degree in Journalism. From reporting to content writing to designing, take a close look at what really interests you that you are good at.

How would you define your personality?

Some people like to lead, while others like to follow the leader. How exactly would you define your personality? Are you someone who should be a leader or are you the kind of person who works for someone else? Do you like the spotlight or would you rather be in the shadow? You need to see what kind of personality you have and decide accordingly in order to have a career that best suits you. If an introverted person works in public relations, one can only imagine how difficult it must be for said person to do his work flawlessly.

What is your educational background? And What training do you have?

There are always eligibility criteria in terms of educational background & training for any job. Ensure that yours matches your dream job. The training you’ve had could be the perfect match for certain profiles. If there is a particular job you are after that requires certain skill sets, consider taking training courses. Do thorough research on how long the training will last or how many courses you would have to take. Plan accordingly.

What kind of work culture are you looking for?

Bear in mind that wherever you work, you will be there for a while and your colleagues will be your new work family. You must fit in with the work culture in order to have a fruitful career. So, go through companies’ mission statements and see if their values align with yours. 

What kind of work-life balance are you after?

The typical 9 to 5 hours of working is not for everyone. Some choose to live a flexible lifestyle, while most of us want permanent jobs, there are those who would rather work on their own terms through contract basis jobs. Then, there are those who require overnight shifts. So, before you decide on how to choose a career path, study the schedules and job descriptions of the profiles. For instance, if you want to be a doctor or nurse, know that there will be times you would have to stay at the hospital past your working hours. 

What growth opportunities do the career field or company offer?

One can’t just randomly pick a career without doing thorough research on the industry or preferred company. So, research if the industry or company is showing progress or if they are slowing down. 

Well, now that you know what kind of questions you need to ask yourself to choose a successful career, we hope you find yours.