7 Steps to Find the Right Career for You

Our career is an integral part of our life. Humans on average spend the first half of their lives studying for a job and the latter half working on it. It would be complete ignorance to not acknowledge the importance our career has in our lives. Similarly, having a right career plays a vital role in ones life.

However, careers are not simply handed down to people on their birthdays. We have to work for it. Sometimes, good and youthful years are spent to succeed in the process. It is also true that some people have to work harder than others and sometimes, after everything, things just don’t work out.

People work hard for it but sometimes the choices they make aren’t enough. It could be the lack of a proper approach or it could be something as simple as not having a vision at all.

Thus, we have listed 7 ways to help you choose the right career for you.

1. Identify your goals and values

The first and foremost step to choosing a career is knowing about yourself. You have to know yourself to make decisions that you won’t regret later in life. Therefore, perform a self-assessment to know what you like. Find out the things you want to do in life. Also, realize the things you prioritize more than others.

It sounds simple but knowing about yourself is sometimes harder than we think. You have to let go of all the shame and judgements you hold about yourself and only then will you find out about the real you. Then, use it to figure out your goals and what is it that you want to do.

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2. Ask for advice

After you are done figuring out your goals, it is time to take advice from people. This does not mean you have to take in everything they have to say about your choices. You can simply ask them about their experiences in life and work. This will help you understand things from a different perspective.

For instance, if you have someone already working in a similar field, have a long talk with them about your choices. This helps to open up a wider possible scenario. They might suggest to you something even more to your liking.

If you are not yet satisfied with these suggestions or cannot find someone to talk to, feel free to consult a professional about it. Those people have a clear idea of the topic you want to talk about and can be of great help.

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3. Know your qualifications and skills

Your qualifications are very important to begin a career. Most of the time it is your qualification that has to speak for you in your professional life.

Make sure you are qualified enough to start your career. This will not only help you maintain your confidence but also easier to proceed with it.

On the contrary, this does not mean you have to give up if things do not look pretty on paper. Your skills are just as important as what your academic paper has to say. Moreover, you can always attain the qualifications you need. It’s just a matter of time. Apart from technical skills, many organizations require transferable skills like communication, public speaking, time management and many more.

4. Learn what keeps you motivated

Motivation is a key factor in achieving many things. The same is true for career paths too. You need to realize the things that motivate you. Since making a successful career can be a long and tiresome journey, the right amount of motivation is always a must. Or you will just tire out after a year or two and are back to stage one.

Moreover, you can list out the things that have inspired you and the times you have felt extremely happy about an achievement. These are your motivations and your line of work must be related to things around them.

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5. Narrowing Down Careers

Even after all the work, there could still be a lot of options to choose from. It is time to narrow them down so that you can choose from the best. Different careers offer different opportunities. Find overlapping aspects between your preferences, skills, and the job.

It is also crucial to keep in mind the necessity and scope of the job you review. It is important to know the need for the job in your part of the world. Jobs that are not competitive are easy to land and offer better growth opportunities too.

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6. Experience the job

Our imagination of the job and working in that environment can vary vastly. Things we hear or see from the outside are not enough to truly feel the work environment. Only after working there can you decide if the job is for you. Fortunately, you can take trial versions before making up your mind.

Almost every job offers an internship where you can learn the work and familiarize yourself with the workplace. You can also vouch to volunteer for work related to that field. These experiences allow you to make sound decisions and reduce uncertainty to a minimum.

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7. Stay open to other opportunities

It is advised to keep your focus on the one thing you want to achieve. However, you should not be blind to other opportunities that are thrown your way. Finding the right career is about doing what you love. It is not guaranteed that you will find it if you let go of other possibilities.

Sometimes, experimenting with different jobs is important for you to realize the career path you want to take. Therefore, do not let go of the opportunity that is related to your values even if you had not envisioned doing it before.