How To Choose a Career

Choosing a career is not an easy decision to make. First you have to figure out what is most important to you in a career. Some people just want to do something that really interests them even if they can't make much money. Others want job security so that they know they'll never find themselves without a pay check. And others may prefer jobs that pay a lot of money, or are glamorous or exciting.

In order to the choose the right career for you, you need to really know who you are. If you are in high school, a guidance counselor can help you identify your preferences and strengths and what careers would be most suitable for you. You may be much older and are thinking about starting a new career. Whatever your situation is, you really need to think about what is most important to you in a career.

Now that you've given it some thought, it's time to do some research. Thanks to the internet, you probably won't need to consult a library anymore, since chances are that the information you want is likely a few keystrokes and mouse clicks away. There is so much information available online about different careers, you should have no trouble finding it.

Read the descriptions of careers carefully. Does it sound like something you see yourself not just doing, but excelling at? One way to get a better idea is to do job shadowing, where someone agrees to let you tag along for a while as they work. That way, you can really see what the work is like and get a sense of whether it's right for you.

Another way is to do an internship. Say you think you might want to work in the movie industry on the business side of it. You could potentially get an internship in a film office and get a taste of what it's like. You may find that what you thought might be your dream job is actually a nightmare. This way you find out if you really want a particular career before paying for expensive education and training and wasting potentially years of your life.

If you are tired of your existing career and need a change, then you'll find it easiest if your new career uses some of the hard and soft skills you already have or are currently using. If it is a total departure from what you've been doing, then there's a good chance you'll need to retrain, which can cost a lot in terms of time and money. However, you may find it worth it if your new career path is more rewarding and gives you a good reason to get out of bed every morning.

While the internet is a great tool, there are also some books worth reading if you need help changing careers. The best known classic is "What Color is Your Parachute?". If you haven't read this already, you definitely should, and there are other books with useful exercises that can help you.