How to choose a career that’s perfect for you | Five helpful insider tips!

Some people say that if you make your passion your job, you will never have to work a day in your life. But others think you should build your career based on the skills you have. With so many confusing opinions about choosing a career path, it’s easy to get lost. But if you keep a few basic things in mind while researching, you should be fine.

In this post, we have compiled a list of 5 questions you should ask yourself while deciding which career to choose. Whether you’re just starting out or changing jobs, these tips on how to choose a career path will help you tremendously.

1) Where do my interests lie?

When faced with the challenge of how to choose a career for yourself, the first factor you should consider is what interests you. The right thing to do would be to take an inventory of the things that appeal to you most in terms of work. Start asking questions like-

• What are your hobbies?
• Which are the activities you’ll miss the most if you stop doing them?
• What can you do without getting tired easily?
• Do you prefer working indoors or would love to be on the go at all times?

Start by underlining the things you can do well and compare it with what you’ve done in the past (if you’re changing jobs). This will help you discover the skills that can help point you to the right career path.

2) Which skills set me apart?

Everyone has abilities and activities that they’re good at. So the question is: what are you good at?  This is one of the most important tips on how to choose your career. Find out what your talents are from childhood and which skills you’ve picked up over time.

Skills can be divided into hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills refer to the skills you learned by studying, e.g. like graphic design or painting. Soft skills refer to people and life skills you have, e.g. time management or communication. Examine different career paths and find out the one that best compliments your talents and skills.

3) What are my strengths?

Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Discover the things that make you unique and are most likely to help you succeed in a particular career path. It could be your ability to coach people, interpersonal skills, excellence at research, or something else altogether.

Personally, I suggest you create a list of these skills before choosing a career and get your family or friends to get an external perspective before you choose the strongest of them (your Unique Selling Point) and find out the career path that fits it most.

4) What do I want the most?

In trying to answer the “what career is right for me” question, you must be sure of who you really are by understanding your personality. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Are you self motivated or do you need others to motivate you? And are you a thinker or an action taker? What is your temperament? These are some of the questions you must answer before you decide what you want the most.

5) What options do I have?

After you’ve assessed yourself with these 4 points, the only thing left to do is decide on the actual profession you’re going to choose. Find occupations that align with everything you’ve just learned about yourself.

Create a list of these professions based on the basic information and think if they offer you all you want. Do they offer the kind of lifestyle you want? Does the career match your professional expectations? These are some of the questions you should research while you shortlist your final occupation.

Last thoughts

These guidelines will tell you how to choose the right career. However, you also need to consider your education and training as each industry expects you to have attained a certain level of training or experience. Check the availability of jobs in each career path you decide to choose especially when you are new or trying to change jobs. And do not allow other people’s expectations to sway your decision. Your career is absolutely yours, so take your time and make the best decision for your future.

Need help choosing the perfect program or university? iSchoolConnect is here to help! We help students figure out how to choose a career and get into the perfect university based on their scores and preferences. We also give out super helpful information about topics such as the highest paying jobs in 2019, top careers in computer science, most affordable countries for studying abroad, and so much more. So hurry up and subscribe to iSchoolConnect’s blog for more content or contact us for study abroad assistance!

Liked this blog? Also, read Best career options | 6 career options you can go for!

FAQ

Q1. What is career planning?

Career planning refers to the process of planning career choices, establishing career objectives, and deciding on educational and developmental programs to improve the skills required to achieve career objectives.

Q2. How do I choose the right course?

Choosing the right course consists of the basic question- what do you want to do? From there, you can choose the necessary course that best fits your career.

Q3. Why is it important to choose a career?

When you choose a career, you are choosing work that you will likely become an expert in over time through education and experience.