How to Pick a Career Path That is Right for You
While it’s nice to have a healthy balance between your personal life and your professional life, most people spend a considerable amount of time in their professional life. For most, the 9-5 life is the standard goal. When you’re spending so much time at work, it helps when you actually like what you do. In order to find some fulfillment at work, pick a career path that you find interesting. In order to get started, consider the following tips.
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1. Take a Personality Quiz
There are so many personality quizzes to take advantage of. Whether you take the standard personality test, the Strengths Finder test, or the Enneagram test, there are many assessments that can help guide you in the right direction. When you factor in your character traits, personal habits, and interests, it’s much easier to get an understanding of what you’re good at.
When you’re able to find skills that you’re really good at, this can really help you to thrive in the career you choose. If you’re an outgoing person who loves to talk to people, it’d be hard to be a writer who sits behind a computer for eight hours a day. By taking a personality quiz, you’ll be able to factor in many of the nuances that make you who you are.
2. Read and Do Your Own Research
One of the best ways to educate yourself isn’t just through a formal degree. In fact, you can expand your mindset just by reading books. Read books on different career paths. Consider some of the most accomplished people you’ve learned about in school. Read their biographies in order to learn about their careers.
Read more about various subject matters in order to gain new perspectives. As you research different subject matters, learn about different successful people and think about what you’ve learned, you might gain a better understanding of the work you’d like to do.
3. Take Note of Your Interests and Strengths
Whether you love music, the planets, or marketing, consider the topics you love the most. If you have an incredibly vast knowledge of a subject like math, look for careers that allow you to explore or use math more. You can be anything from a math teacher to an engineer. Don’t discount your strengths or interests because you can monetize anything in 2022. Even if your career trajectory ends with you launching your own business, the sky is the limit with the directions you can take your interests in order to parlay them into a career.
4. Look for Internships and Part-Time Opportunities
Most people learn through trial and error. As you make mistakes and try different jobs, you’ll be able to learn more about what works for you. One of the best ways to dip your toes in the water of a career field involves internships and part-time opportunities. In order to find great internships and opportunities, you’ll need to do your research. Most industries look to cultivate and invest in new talent. By doing your research and looking for the right resources, you’ll be able to gain traction and an entry into the field of your choice.
If you’re interested in an aeronautics career, start by looking for space startup resources. Do your due diligence in researching, following up, and submitting the right information to be considered for various opportunities. Even if you don’t get the first few opportunities, remain persistent.
5. Network and Have Conversations
Conventions, seminars, and conferences are perfect spaces to learn more about a specific career path. Look for regional conferences, online communities, and other major communities to tap into. Most career fields maintain their own national association. For a small yearly fee, you can join and take advantage of the resources that are available within that field. As you attend the conferences, be intentional about your networking strategies (even if you’re introverted) in order to develop a strong base of relationships you can rely on as you look to progress in the field.
As you become more intentional with your career-picking efforts, know that there’s room for growth. You can always change your mind if you find yourself knee-deep in an undesirable career. It’s never too late to make a different choice. Plus, as you find what you don’t like, you’ll be that much closer to figuring out what you do like. Be patient, trust the process, and you’ll find the career that works perfectly for you.
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