7 Steps To Take Before Choosing A Career

Lizz111

New member

Follow these steps to narrow potential career options:


1. Assess yourself - Each individual has different goals, talents, interests, and values. In other words, there are certain careers each individual should not pursue and others where they'd excel and be satisfied. Determine what you would enjoy and excel at by taking career assessments, receiving career counseling, and conducting thorough self-evaluation.

2. Make a list of potential occupations - After conducting some self-assessment, it should be apparent the types of careers you should pursue. It is not possible to pursue each one, so the list should be used to determine where to begin your career search. Select 5 or 10 careers and create a new list with these choices. When making your choices, select jobs that interest you, are recommended following career assessment tests, and ones matching your skill set.

3. Explore the options - Learn about each potential career after narrowing your list. Be sure to learn about educational or training requirements, job duties, employment outlook, annual earnings, and promotion opportunities. Information can be obtained from the Internet, but try to meet with a professional in each field to obtain in-depth details about each profession. If you not know professionals in these fields, contact willing participants and schedule informational interviews. However, you will probably find that you have relatives, colleagues, and school mates currently working in fields that interest you. During an informational interview, collect details about annual salary, employment prospects, and entry-level employment requirements. It's not recommended to request employment during these interviews, but take advantage of networking opportunities.

4. Narrow down your list - Eliminate careers that no longer interest you after thoroughly reviewing each one. Many people become dissuaded from pursuing a career after learning about education requirements, annual earnings, and declining industry growth. Once you've become acquainted with each career, narrow your list to 1-2 options.

5. Set goals - After your list has been narrowed, establish attainable goals. You should be informed enough to establish short and long term goals. Typically, short-term goals can be met between 1-3 years and long-term between 3-5 years. It will not be easy reaching each goal, so be prepared to work hard, make adjustments when necessary, and remain committed. Goals are typically achievable when they're defined, flexible, realistic, and attainable within a specified time period.

6. Create a career action plan - Once you've established career goals, begin developing a career action plan consisting of goals and specific steps to reach them. Additionally, career action plans contain possible obstacles, steps to address them, and resources that can be utilized when assistance is needed. This plan will clearly define how you will receive required training or education, obtain employment, and develop professionally once you've begun your career.

7. Obtain training - Obtaining required career training will probably consume the majority of your time and efforts as you pursue a career. Depending on the profession, you may be required to earn a college degree, complete vocational training, learn new skills, or complete an apprentice or internship.
 

Kingsley

Valued Contributor
Thank you for the insight it is indeed a welcome idea as there are somany people who we are struggling to build a career and there are others struggling to create a career path. but with the above steps it will be easy if one should follow the above steps. I could remember when I was starting off when I was much younger, for us our career paths were determined by our parents and we had little or no choice and even if we had choice we could not make it because our parents decisions always overrides ours. But am glad the younger generation can easily build and find there career path with those steps.
 

Jasmine

VIP Contributor
I am working on the job that I have desired since I was in high school. When I was in high school, I kind of developed interest in social media marketing. Therefore, I not went for Business and marketing courses in college, I also started building followers on various social pages. I also went to design schools to learn graphic designing which is must for social media marketing. I also enrolled for a writing course to become a better copy writer. MY advice is you need to continue building your education qualification and also enhance skills to get a better job.
 

Icon

Active member
Before you choose a career you need to be sure that the that is what you want to do and make a living with and you need to be prepared for all the UPS and downs, the advantages and disadvantage so you don't get discouraged along the line so be careful with such desition
 

Carpon

Valued Contributor
Yeah you have given a compendium of what career choice should be guided by. I love this and indeed you must be able to have a list of the things you can potentially dive into. If you have passion for many things, you jot them and begin to use some factors to eliminate some of them.

It may be your environmental conditions, and exposure and other things that can influence career choice.
After you have scrutinized and found exactly what you want to go into, then you must also begin to get educated about it.

Know more about what you are about to go into and that can be gotten through education, career advice and mentorship. Mentorship is very important in the life and career of an entrepreneur. Your exposure to mentors who will give you all the necessary knowledge and advise is very important because no man is an island and you cannot decipher your road to success career wise independently.
 
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