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Some people are fortunate to easily find and choose a career path. Some other people are in between and have to figure things out. In this article, we’ll help you figure out how to discover your career if you currently have no clue what you are doing.
Whether you are an immigrant looking to get into a career that interests you in your new country or simply a person who wants to feel fulfilled in your job, this is the post for you.
The fact that we spend a number of hours working should be enough reason for you to want to be in a job that makes you feel fulfilled. We’ll provide you with a detailed approach to finding a career that aligns with your passion and interests.
Step 1: Start with some self-assessment
Self-reflection goes a long way in helping you be introspective on the things you want to do with and how to choose a career. Reflect on what kind of work you want to do as well as the environment that is ideal for you to perform such work.
What will you need at this stage?
You’ll need the following: a pen/ marker, a book/ sheet, or a pen, a quiet space to focus because this is real work!
What are the questions to ask yourself?
Below are a few questions to get you started on how to choose a career. Simply write out the first thought that comes to mind not caring much about any other distracting detail.
- What are your soft skills? Sample responses: communication, problem-solving, researching, inquisitive nature, etc.
- What are your current technical/ hard skills? Sample responses: Coding skills (Python, JavaScript, etc.), data analysis, accounting knowledge, etc.
- What is of importance to you or what are your values? Sample responses: Ethics, financial stability, career growth path, industry experience, etc.
- What are your interests? Sample responses: Writing, graphics, technology, etc.
- What is your personality? Sample responses: Introverted, extroverted, outgoing, competitive, etc.
- What skills are you interested in learning? Sample responses: project management, account management, coding, etc.
Step 2: Take note of your interests and dislikes
Here is a time to ask yourself questions that may feel difficult. Choosing a career is something that has to be done carefully so as to enjoy the benefits. Take some time to answer the following questions:
- What do you hate the most from your current job or role? Sample responses: Operations, repetitive tasks, documentation, picking up phone calls, etc.
- What are you willing to live with? Sample responses: Documentation, decision making, etc.
- Do you want to be an individual contributor or looking towards management? Sample responses: Want to be a subject matter expert, etc.
- Are you open to starting from scratch i.e. entry-level, mid-level role, etc.?
Additional questions:
- What is your minimum salary expectation?
- Are you open to traveling for work? What’s the limited percentage of travel time you are comfortable with?
- Are you looking for full-time, part-time, or remote work?
- What location are you looking to work in?
- What job titles will you be open to?
Step 3: Explore having informational interviews
You will need to do more in-depth research. For starters, you can have a chat with experienced individuals who can help you get in the right direction and share with you, industry knowledge.
We also offer career coaching services on our platform and you can speak with a professional to help you set the path straight for your career. During the session, we will discuss your interests and prepare you for success in choosing the right path for you as well as job-hunting strategies and preparing for your interviews to ultimately land a job in your dream career.
You can also arrange to meet with people who work in the occupations in which you are interested to provide you with some knowledge.
Step 4: Explore career options using the information you have highlighted
At this stage, you can begin looking into jobs available for the skills you have noted. We advise that you don’t necessarily tie yourself to just one job role as this might be difficult for you who is trying to make a decision.
You can start out with your current degree. What did you study and are you interested in continuing on that path? Secondly, what is your current job, and do you enjoy it? Thirdly, what skills did you develop in your current job, and are there transferable skills?
For example, if in your current role, you are a customer service representative, you can do a quick Google search for ‘Customer Service Career path’ which will provide a number of results like customer service specialist, customer service manager, etc.
Alternatively, if you no longer want to be on this career path, you can do a quick Google search for: ‘Skills needed for Customer Service jobs’. One skill is communication. Next, do a search on Google for: ‘Communication Career Paths’. There are a number of options like fundraising manager, social media manager, writer, event planner, public relations specialist, etc.
Similarly, if you want to make a substantial career change, perhaps doing something that you feel matters more than your current role, you could look into humanitarian careers. If you’re considering nursing as a career, you can search for avenues that help you get into the healthcare industry and find out what qualifications you need to succeed.
Basically, you’ll break your current role into the necessary skills and find jobs that need those skills for you to choose from.
Go through each job role/ description matching it out with your notes as we highlighted in steps 1 and 2. Streamline these job requirements until you arrive at a maximum of 2 -3 you’ll be applying to.
Read: Step-By-Step Guide: Resume Format For The Job Market
Step 5: Start applying to the identified roles
It’s always a good idea to have two roles you’ll be applying to. These roles should generally align with your skills, passion, and interests. Having two roles helps you have a more balanced approach when job searching and also helps you identify where your strengths lie.
Also, what’s the fun in figuring out how to choose a career path if you don’t take the time to find a job in your chosen field? The following articles will come in helpful:
Read: Step-By-Step Guide: Resume Format For The Job Market
Read: Step-By-Step Guide: Cover Letter For the US & Canadian Job Market
With planning, preparation, and possibly booking a career coaching session, you’ll be ready for a new journey of possibilities. We have worked with a number of clients in the past providing them with information tailored to their needs and helping them reach their career goals. We look forward to working with you!
Let’s know your thoughts about this article and any questions you may have in the comment section below.
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