Ana Weaver
Rome was not built in a day. As you work and study for better grades, time to finalize your career has already arrived. By the time you become an adult, you must begin to formulate a plot about what and how you will work towards your life ambitions. Having a set direction to move indefinitely pays off when the time comes. The process of mapping out a blueprint, however, isn’t as simple as you may think. So let’s dig in and work our way up to a clearer perspective of things.
Here is the list of points for you to reflect on while selecting a career path that will earn your bread and butter and satisfy your passionate soul:
1. Self-assessment:
You must find out where your passion lies before you make your career choice. You must reflect on your skills, hobbies, work you enjoy, talents, and strengths. It would help if you differentiated between wants and needs. You may want a high-paying job but what you need is a career that stays with you for a lifetime.
Gen Z is more inclined towards making their passion into a career, but all of it starts with you identifying your skills and interests and a way to link your career to your passion.
You may also seek the help of a career counselor. In addition, there are several career tests and self-assessment tools that will help you figure out your true calling.
2. Build a list of careers:
Based on your self-assessment, you will have clarity on what career you want and how you must go about it. Build a list of viable career/job options that you would like to pursue for your future. Focus on your passion and map the available and possible job options and ways to earn your living without compromising your passion.
Your choices must be based on the type of skill set you have – natural and technical, talent, interests, personality, and your education and qualifications.
You may want to have a list of possible occupations you would excel in. For example, you have excellent communication skills and would like to continue studying. So you may want to look into a teaching career or research.
Here, you put together your flair, gift, technique, expertise, and strength to identify your calling. You may not know, yet, how you are going to go about it, but say the least, put it on paper as a mere option.
3. Identify your options:
Once you have a list of a few options, you will want to conduct in-depth research regarding each element on your list. To continue the previous example: you have decided to build a teaching career. You now explore the different options available within this profession and identify the requirements accompanying each of them. Assistant teachers, professors, school teachers are some of the many diverse options available.
With any of your choices, you may have to get job experience, further degrees/certifications, education, related training pertaining to the job you are aiming at. You may get the required certifications, education, and classes from online sources that are viable and trusted. Wizeprep allows you to learn, practice, and prepare for any exams you might require to crack as a qualifying test.
4. Identify goals:
With a list on hand, you are off to a perfect start. Make sure each alternative on the list is one you could fit in. you can see yourself building a future and working in the environment that accompanies the line of work. You must not make an impulse decision and hence, the list.
We are talking about building a prosperous life through your chosen profession. Therefore, you must identify your long-term and short-term goals. It would be best to chart your way around your craft to know that you are making progress. Goals help you map your progress. Short-term goals may be completing a training program, prepping for the qualifying exam, and so on. Long-term goals may map your job promotion and salary increment over 3-4 years.
5. Shorten the list:
As you explore the possibility, options, and goals in your chosen trade, you will have to practically reduce the list as you research, eliminate and rethink your possible solutions. You might want to conduct thorough research to narrow your options based on your interest and feasibility.
Cross off any alternative that does not appeal to you. Scratch off the options that come with duties and regulations that you don’t see yourself doing. Eliminate any options with a weak job outlook. Also, let go of the options that your qualifications do not fit with, or you don’t want to pursue further.
6. There’s more than one path to your dream career:
You must know that there is more than one singular path that leads you to your dream career. You must understand your end goal and work with dedication towards it. Some may choose to get degrees and certifications, while some may get an internship and apprenticeship to qualify equally for the same position. Your path matters only with respect to the quality of your work and the experience and expertise you have developed through it. You may enter as a junior and work your way up or crack the interview to the post. But either way, you are required to commit and put in the hard work.
7. Write a career action plan:
your career action plan refers to the path you want to take to the top. You must have fuzzy eyesight of how you are going to progress when you have finalized your career. You want to anticipate the barriers and take care of the obstacles to manage your way to the top. Put in the efforts to minimize errors and increase your efficiency to prove your capabilities of handling responsibilities.
Conclusion:
Making a career choice that can influence your life, lifestyle, family, children, and retirement can feel overwhelming. The trick is to work your way through the comprehensive alternatives and pitches available at your point in life. You must know how to choose your career and its influence on all the consecutive decisions you make henceforth.