3 Tips to Picking a Career That You’ll Actually Like

Finding a career is one thing; choosing one is a different ball game. Everyone has been there: unsure about what they want to do with their life. Whether you’re still in high school or recently graduated from college, figuring out what career to pursue can be challenging – especially if it’s the first job out of school. It can be scary, but you don’t need to panic. Instead, you can find your path by taking a step back and deep breathing. Think about what interests you, the work-life balance you want, and where you tend to excel. Once you know those things, picking a career will become much more manageable. 

Know Yourself

Choosing a career isn’t just knowing what you like and dislike. While that’s a part of it, there are many ways that your personality can influence your ideal career. First, you want to start broad: what basic field would you enjoy? Do you love making a difference? Or do you love the idea of working in an industry that makes new things? Pick a broad idea, and then focus on what you can specifically aspire towards. 

An excellent place to start is highlighting your strengths and weaknesses. For example, are you someone who can multitask, or do you thrive doing detail-oriented, menial tasks? Some people like jobs that they can highly engage in. Other people want a very distinct balance between work and life. If you want a complete separation between personal life and work, fifo jobs might appeal to you.  

Talk to People in the Field You’re Interested In

When deciding what career path to follow, finding as much information about the industry as possible is essential. The best way to do that is to talk to people in the field you’re interested in. Networking for your future profession is also a great way to discover if you have the personality and skills necessary to succeed in that field. In addition, anecdotes can be very helpful when deciding which career path to follow. If you don’t know anyone in your desired field yet, you can look at blogs written by those working in the industry you’re interested in. Blogs written by people in your chosen profession can help you discover more about the industry and provide some much-needed insight into what working in that field is like. In addition, there are websites catered to finding other people interested in your desired field.

In addition, you can visit career fairs to meet people and get information about the various paths ahead of you. These fairs can also help you develop a resume catered to that desired field once you’ve settled on it.  

Take an Honest Look at the Future of the Industry

Say you’ve decided on a career in a growing industry. Awesome. However, it’s essential to look honestly at what it’ll look like come ten, fifteen, or twenty years from now. If the industry is projected to decline, it may not be a good fit for you. Things like the crypto business or trendy, new markets can be appealing due to their rapid growth, but a career is a commitment. You don’t want to commit to something that isn’t committed to you.

It’s important to consider not only the future of the industry but also the future of your specific job within that industry. For example, if you want to be a factory worker, you should research whether your job will be automated in the future. Or, if you want to be a web developer, it’s essential to know whether the demand for one programming language might rise or fall. However, even if an industry is projected to decline, it doesn’t mean you should avoid that industry. Instead, it’s imperative to be flexible so you can pivot if needed. For example, if a position is expected to decline, you should keep that in mind when committing to it. Or, you can look at industries projected to grow in the future and follow them forward with your career.  

Bottom line

It can be easy to get overwhelmed when deciding what career path to pursue. However, if you know yourself well, know your skill set, and take an honest look at the future of the industry in which you’re interested, you can make a more informed decision. Knowing yourself well, your skill set, and taking an honest look at the industry’s future can help you make a more informed decision when picking a career path.