There can be a great deal of pressure associated with finding the right career path for you. Despite the fact that many people tend to switch gears in their career at some point or another and end up doing something new, you might feel early on as if you need to take steps towards finding precisely what you want to do for the rest of your life.
The fact is that there are many factors that will go into this sort of decision. There simply isn’t one prevailing factor that can drive a decision such as this. Having a substantial list of significant factors that are important to you can help you to make an informed choice when it comes to the sort of career that you choose to pursue.
Furthermore, those who are at a complete loss as to what sort of job would suit them best can use such a list to help guide them in the right direction. Knowing what you want from the career that you pursue will allow you to ask the right questions when it comes to specific opportunities and end up with a career that works for you.
With that in mind, if you are currently in the process of trying to figure out what sort of career would be best for you, here are some of the top things that you should consider.
Job Satisfaction
There are many aspects that contribute to overall job satisfaction. The hours that you work, the benefits that come with the job, and how rewarding the job itself is when all is said and done can result in people being more often than not quite happy in a certain role. If such things don’t add up, then you will be more likely to find that most people in certain jobs wish that they were actually doing something else.
The first thing that you will want to do, therefore, is establish just what it would take for you to be happy in your career. Is salary your primary motivator, or do you want to have a job that ultimately results in helping those less fortunate? Defining job satisfaction in your life will help you to get a better understanding of what you need to be looking for in your future career.
For example, if you associate job satisfaction with the ability to work towards building a better community, then a job as a social worker might be something worth considering. When you have a specific option for a career in mind, you can then find out what it would take to pursue that career. In order to become a social worker, you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree followed by an MSW degree.
Once you have a better idea about what sort of job will bring you a sense of fulfillment, you can start taking proactive steps towards becoming qualified for such a job.
Salary
No one likes to think that they have made an important life decision solely based on money, but the salary that you earn throughout your career is certainly something that needs to be taken into consideration. You have to ensure that you are earning enough to support yourself and cover any other financial commitments that you have made.
Bear in mind the fact that your starting salary doesn’t have to be something that will remain with you for the entirety of your career. Rather, there are many career paths that provide a great deal of earning potential as you progress and develop your professional skills.
Because of this, you should consider keeping salary progression near the top of your list of things that you keep in mind during your job search. This will give you the opportunity to work towards more as you go along in your career.
Take the time to find out how much you need to earn initially in order to ensure that you are covered financially, and then find a career that will allow you to earn more as you grow and develop.
Flexibility
In this day and age, it is not necessary to resign yourself to working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in an office five days every week. Instead, more and more companies are offering flexible working situations for their employees.
If you value a stronger work-life to home life balance, you should consider career paths that allow you to work from home, even if only part-time. If, on the other hand, you are more interested in being in a more structured work environment where you can interact with coworkers or clients on a regular basis, then perhaps a job that places you in the traditional office setting would be more up your alley.
It is worth bearing in mind the fact that a great many companies are shifting towards remote work scenarios for their employees, meaning that you might come across more options of that nature going forward.
Location
Just as in the world of real estate, the location of your job is going to be one of the factors that you will want to consider as you conduct your search. While there are certainly plenty of remote work options to look into, you want to ensure that the career you choose won’t require you to relocate to a location that you don’t want to live in.
To that point, there are also many jobs out there that involve a great deal of travel. If you aren’t comfortable with the idea of traveling around for work, then you should try to avoid careers that would require you to do so.
However, if the idea of traveling for work appeals to you, then you should absolutely include this on your career wish list. Traveling for work can be stressful, but it can also provide you with an opportunity to see parts of the country or even the world that you would not have otherwise been able to experience firsthand.
Professional Development
When you are trying to make as impactful a decision as what sort of career you want to have, it is important to consider the longevity of that career. In doing so, you might want to look into the sort of professional development opportunities that exist in the careers you are thinking about.
While you might qualify for an entry-level position based on the level of education that you currently possess, many companies offer employees who are committed to staying long-term professional development opportunities. Some might even fund an advanced degree or pay for you to go through extra training.
These are the type of companies that value loyalty. They are willing to make an investment in their employees in return for loyalty as well. Such a scenario can prove to be incredibly advantageous if you are the sort of person who is looking to advance and develop professionally.
Your Personal Interests
For many people, finding the right career means finding one that will still be interesting ten years down the line. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you lose interest in the job that you have early on and are then compelled to start the process of searching for the right one all over again.
As you are brainstorming potential career options, take some time to list out the things that you do for fun and are generally interested in. While it might not be totally realistic too, say, turn a hobby of yours into a career, you can look for careers that share similar traits with your interests.
For example, those who enjoy playing team sports as a pastime would likely be suited to a job that requires them to function as part of a team. There is no denying the fact that there are many skills that are learned from your hobbies and interests, such as teamwork, which can easily be applied to your career.
Education
Among the many things that you are already considering as you conduct your job search, you can’t forget to include the educational requirements associated with the sort of careers you are researching. There might be plenty of options available to those who possess the same level of education as you at this point in time. However, you might also find that there are several careers that appeal to you that would require you to go back to school to earn a specific type of degree.
As you are considering this point, think about how much of an investment of time and money it would take for you to obtain the appropriate level of education that you would need. You might find that you aren’t interested in earning another degree or going back to school at all.
If, however, you are willing and able to commit yourself to earning another degree, there is no reason why you can’t start taking real steps towards preparing yourself for the career of your choice.
