The majority of people really don’t know what they want to do in their career. Maybe you’ve had a series of different jobs which you’ve enjoyed (or perhaps even hated) but you still feel as though you are searching for the one. This is a common feeling during the career journey.
If the time has come where you really want to consider which path you are taking, and want to ensure it leads the correct way, let the following 3 tips help you.
- Outline Your Goals
You may not yet know which job you would like to do, and that’s okay. Instead, think about your long term career goals. Consider the following questions:
- Are you looking for a job which will enable you to keep progressing, with plenty of opportunity for promotion and pay rise?
- Or are you looking for a job which remains at one level because you would rather not take on a higher position with more responsibility?
- Are you looking for extensive job security for the rest of your life, or are you willing to take a risk for something different?
- Is your long-term goal to be your own boss or run your own business?
- Are you looking to make as much money as possible?
Answering these questions will help you to narrow down your career fields and help you to understand what sort of long-term job commitments you are looking for.
- Understand What Studying You Will Need to Undertake (and What You’re Prepared to Do)
Some people might want a career which doesn’t require any extensive studying or qualifications. Others may want a career which sees them gaining important qualifications such as degrees or even a master’s degree. Understanding what you’re prepared to do in terms of studies and working towards your career is essential in choosing the right path.
There are many things you need to consider regarding your lifestyle and comfort levels when it comes to preparing for a career. Could you comfortably attend university and live in Student Housing? Or would you prefer to go straight into employment and gain experience towards your ideal job?
You may have to step out of your comfort zone, but you first need to understand what your comfort zone entails.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t enrol at university if you don’t like studying. This is where you have to decide how much a chosen career path means to you. If a dream career means you absolutely have to get a degree, then you should understand whether attending university is a compromise you can live with to get the career you want.
- Think About Your Interests and Skills
This doesn’t mean that you have to choose a career based on your current skills or interests; however, it will help you to understand whether you feel positive about your current skills, or whether your gut instinct is that your current skills aren’t what you would like to develop into a career. If the latter, then you may need to learn a host of new skills to fit into your career plans – but this is of course achievable with time and dedication.
Thinking about your interests and skills is key, because you need to decide whether you want to make a career out of what you already have, or if you would like to move on to something completely different.
