How To Choose The Right Career

Your career could define your destiny, so it has to be the right one. You should do what you love and are passionate about. And if you’re good at it and work hard, then you’ll definitely succeed. If you choose the right career then may you make a good living and earn fame, but mostly importantly, it’s about happiness in your life. You’d love your career if it makes you happy. In this modified post, read to understand how to choose the right career for yourself so you can live it happily. ~ Ed.

 

Choosing a right career isn’t easy for some people, especially with so many career options available nowadays.

You may want to do so many things. But eventually, you find that it’s not possible to zero-in and decide on one.

Or, sometimes you’re forced to do something and make it your career because you need to earn a living.

What a dilemma career can cause for some; but what about you?

Did you really make a choice of your present career or did it just happen after many trials and tribulations?

Well, talking about myself, I belong to the latter category as blogging and writing isn’t what I had really planned for in life.

However, I feel good about what I’m doing now, and grateful that I’ve finally found a career that I love.

But not everybody gets as lucky I’ve been, and it’s wise to plan your career in time. So, let’s know more about what a career is and how to choose the right career options for yourself.

“I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life’.” ~ Maya Angelou

What is a Career

A career is a profession or occupation that you’re trained for. It is also the option that you choose to follow in order to earn a living and live the life you want.

Career has inherent prospects for progress, both in terms of money and recognition.

Usually you start at the bottom of a job hierarchy pyramid and work your way through – to rise to the top in your career or professional life.

Generally, when you say you want to make a career, you mean that you want to excel in that particular field and secure your future by rising to high positions. And of course, earn enough money too!

I agree with how Wikipedia defines career – “Career describes an individuals’ journey through learning, work and other aspects of life.”

Not so long ago, the primary motive to choose a career was only to find paid employment.

However, career is now defined as a continuous life long process of learning and development to gain more experience, and live a life of satisfaction with whatever you do.

A career includes all the aspects of your work and life that help you find and live your purpose of life.

“Analyzing what you haven’t got as well as what you have is a necessary ingredient of a career.” ~ Orison Swett Marden

The Right Career Options for You

Your career is based on your life’s learning through knowledge and experience.

I chose the career option of being a freelance writer and a blogger, and I want to keep learning and becoming better in what I do.

Career is more than just a job. In fact, it’s all about you and your choices, dreams, desires, ambitions, abilities, interests, and the efforts you make to fulfill them.

You need to choose a career option that enables you to realize your full potential in doing something that you love.

You must feel that it is made for you and you’re made for it – a right career option is the true love of your life.

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” ~ Confucius

4 Things to Consider While Making Career Choices

I opted for a career and became a teacher earlier in my life. In fact, I just chose from the options I had that time and didn’t make any deliberate effort.

I didn’t know if I really wanted to be a teacher. As a result, I had to change my career later in life and become a freelance writer and a blogger, after I made efforts to understand myself.

More so, I had a personal condition that I wanted to spend quality family time with my kids, who needed me more in their growing years. And family always comes first for me.

Though it turned to be a good move for me, but those who wish to work in a corporate world, seek better jobs and reach high positions – need to do much more.

They need to be careful to make the right career choices right from the beginning, and work smart to reach their goals.

Here’s what you need to do for choosing a career that you’ll love and keep for life:

Know and Assess Yourself

Your career is all about yourself. Making the right career choice depends on the kind of personality you have.

Your personality is the sum total of your attitudes, beliefs, likes, dislikes, and the characteristic patterns of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

You need to choose a career that is in accordance to your personality.

For example, if you like to help people and believe in the cause of serving others, you can learn how to become a social worker with this guide, or you may like to enter the service industry, opt for medical related jobs, or become a blogger!

You can even take a career or personality test to help you determine who you are and what kind of lifestyle you like.

Exploring and knowing yourself helps you cut down on the career options, which leaves you with a handful of choices.

Be Practical

May be you harbor certain dreams and desires, and develop certain ambitions in life. However, you need to do a reality check.

You need to gauge your abilities and capabilities, and discover the skills and talents that you have.

Of course, you can develop and learn skills at any stage in your life, but you need to choose a career based on your present set of skills.

You may take an aptitude test to ascertain if you’ve scientific, aesthetic, commercial, or any other inherent abilities or bent of mind.

Practically evaluate the career you choose, and see if it falls in line with your values and if you think the career will bring you happiness in life.

If you foresee certain financial limitations, constraints based on geographical locations, family liabilities, educational qualifications, or physical disabilities; then it would be wise to refrain from choosing that career.

Don’t choose a career just because you see others have chosen it or if somebody tells you to do so. Find out your strong points and best qualities, and make a career choice based on that.

Find the Career Options

It’s your life, your career – so it’s you who needs to do the hard work and decide the right career for yourself.

Once you know who and what you are, it becomes easy to find which career suits you better.

You can read career books, browse career related websites, and get to know about what people do in the job and profession of each career that interests you.

Don’t forget to look up the employment news papers, job websites, and survey your surrounding area to find out which career choices deliver what you want.

You must know and like the job description and way of life that the career offers, and the levels that you can rise to. Assess if the work style matches your lifestyle concept.

It will help you further if you meet and talk to job professionals or people who’ve already adopted the career you want to choose.

They’ll be able to guide you better, and you’ll get answers to many of your queries from them.

Listen to Your Heart

Most people realize that it’s not money but happiness that makes you love your career in the long run.

When it’s the matter of love and happiness, nothing else knows better than your heart. After using your brain and its logic or reasoning power, pay attention to your intuitions and feelings of your heart.

How can you ignore your heart while choosing a career, which is like selecting your love of life?

Choose a career that you can live. You can make that out when you find that your heart and mind are always absorbed with your career, and you’ve no problems with it.

The right career options for you are the ones that you can enjoy. Ask yourself if you like the job or work related to your career?

Is it something that you longed to do in your life? If you feel you’re making a career out of your hobby, then nothing like it.

In case you find that you’re good at what you do, you’re comfortable with it, enjoy  doing it, and there’s scope in all aspects – then you’ve found the right career.

“If you don’t wake up in the morning excited to pick up where you left your work yesterday, you haven’t found your calling yet.” ~ Mike Wallace

Wrapping It Up

Now you know that choosing a career isn’t hard but you need to know the way to go about doing that.

If you’ve further doubts, you can always consult your college guide, a career counselor, or a life coach.

But don’t get disheartened if you couldn’t make the right career choice because there might be something better waiting for you ahead.

Sometimes opportunities in life knock at your door when least expected, so be aware – and that’s when you can switch to the career of your choice, like I did.

It’ll help you if you set your goals, write a career action plan, and train yourself for the career that you want.

Remember that choosing a career is subjective and it differs from person to person – you’ve to take an informed decision and choose the career that is best for you.

That will be the right career you’re looking for. Listen to your heart because it’ll never guide you the wrong way. So, what are you waiting for! Go ahead and make the right career choice. 🙂

“The best careers advice to give to the young is ‘Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.” ~ Katherine Whitehorn

Over to you –

Do you follow a career of your choice, and were choosing a career easy for you? What factors affect the choice of right career options? Share your views below.