Right For You
Choosing a career can be a daunting task at the best of times. Depending on your stage of life, be it new student, or someone wanting to find a new field of interest, you want to ensure your selection for future employment is right for you. However, all steps in deciding your career follow the same format.
Finding Out About You - Self Assessment
You can't figure out what you want until you figure out a bit about who you are - what makes you happy; what do you want to achieve; what do you want out of life and/or your career?
Read this article on Self Assessment for some great links on FREE assessment tools. You shouldn't have to pay to realize who you are and what you want to be. Now, USE those links. This is the hardest part of Choosing a Career - knowing yourself and what kind of environment suits you best.
Finding Out About the Career
Once you have a better idea of what you might be best suited for, DO NOT just enroll in a course for that area, or try for a job in that area. RESEARCH that Career: what are your options? Does the course lead to other career choices? What is the average salary for the job? Will your needs be met if you earn that salary? Is it a viable market? (meaning you CAN still find a job in that area.)
There's a great site (American) for getting a better idea of job requirements and daily routine - check out the US government's Occupational Outlook Handbook. For Canadians, try this link of sites.
Finding Someone Who Works in that Career
All the written information in the world will NOT give you a real "feel" for the job; you need to talk directly to someone who IS in that field. See if your network of family, friends and acquaintances knows of anyone who works in the area you are interested in - contact them and arrange a mutually convenient time to discuss their work.
Finding Out If It's Suitable
Finally, only you can decide if a particular career is right for you. Once you have the information about your potential career, try and visualize yourself in its day to day routine. Can you imagine yourself in that environment? Are there too many con's in that job for you? Do you get excited thinking about that job?
Remember, you may not know you like/dislike the work until you actually are involved in it. You can always choose again, and you have gained valuable experience that can be applied to another area within the working world.
Some other articles to help you in your selection of work are Choosing A Career, Choosing a Career - Being Specific and Final Part to Choosing a Career.
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Copyright Sept. 6, 2007. Paym Bergson and Suite 101. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use of this material will constitute an infringement of copyright.
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