For some people, choosing a career is accomplished by the end of school life – but for most people, choosing a career that best fits you can be one of the hardest life decisions to make. Despite this, there are many sources to help you. There’s online advice where you will normally be asked to answer a questionnaire or quiz. Then there’s school or college councelors who will guide you in the right direction and then of course your family and friends, who are the people who know you best. While all of these can be useful and can help you decide, it’s important for you, as an individual to take on board what you want to do. You know more than anybody what you feel most comfortable doing and what sort of career you want to pursue.
First, you’ll want to think about your personal interests. After all, you can get all the career advice in the world from a job coach or a career aptitude test, but if it tells you you’d do best working as an Aerial Engineer when you can’t stand heights, they serve practically no purpose. It helps if you start by brainstorming the activities you like to do, select a handful of your main skills such as writing or reading or even practical activities like fixing things or DIY. This way, when you research various professions, you can determine what they have to offer that satisfies your personal enjoyment of the job. Relate your skills or interests to each job that you look at.
Education
Next, you should review your educational background. Looking back at the classes you liked and those you succeeded at can give you great insight into your capabilities for the future. For example, if you liked or was good at Art, pursuing a medical career may not be for you. Your grades tell you a lot about what you are good at or enjoy doing. Another example, moving in the right direction this time would be: enjoying History at School and pursuing a career as an Archaeologist. This is not to say that you can’t choose a career in Pharmaceutical if you got a D in Science, it just means that you may be more skilled in other things, or that the path to this career could be more difficult than another interest you choose to pursue. There is no reason not to choose a hard road, as long as you are willing to work hard at achieving your Goal.
Personality
Your personality plays a huge part in helping you choose a career. For example, if you are an outgoing and energetic type, you may despise the idea of working in an isolated environment or being stuck behind a desk. Being a “people person” and knowing how people think and act, you may find a career in Retail or similar much more suited to your personality. Another example being: If you have a passion for DIY or fixing things, a career in sales isn’t the way forward. In this case, pursuing a career in Carpentry or similar would be a sensible option.
Money
Another consideration when looking for career advice is what your future looks like in your mind. Is money a very important matter to you, or are you more interested in making ends meet so you can be comfortable while also thriving on what you do? Some careers are obviously more lucrative than others, and determining how you rate money in your idea of success is essential to making the right decision for your future career.