What do you want to be when you grow up?
Choosing a career path feels easy when you’re a kid. You can dream big and think ahead about all the things you want to achieve, whether that’s going to the moon or attending an Ivy League. But when it comes time to get a job, setting a realistic path is easier said than done.
Maybe you entered the workforce in a certain industry and decided it wasn’t for you, or you’re a new grad and aren’t sure where your degree could take you. No matter where you are in your journey, learning how to choose a career that both fulfills and supports you can help you take the right steps.
The keys to making the right decision are self-reflection, research, and an open mind. If you’re ready to explore a new career path or just taking your first step, here’s what to consider.
How to choose a career path: 7 essential considerations
Throughout their lifetime, the average person spends a total of 13 years at work. And if you run your own business, you may work even more: a Gallup survey found that 62% of small business owners put in more than 50 hours weekly. With those numbers in mind, you might want to choose a job you enjoy doing.
But finding a rewarding job is just one piece of the puzzle. Some people might prefer to chase after a higher salary, while others are willing to earn less if they feel passionate about the subject matter of their work. Others have an entrepreneurial spirit and want the thrill of being their own boss. The secret to picking the right job path is reflecting on your personal values and researching potential options that match. And remember that if your decision turns out to be the wrong one, you can always change careers later on.
Here are seven considerations you need to make before choosing a career:
1. Your skills
Having the right soft and hard skills for your work helps you feel confident performing tasks on the job. Examine your current skill set and think about what you might need to learn. This can help you decide on a path that both matches your interests and aligns with what you’re already good at.
Perhaps you’ve always had an excellent eye for detail (soft skill), and are great at math (hard skill). You have a skill set that could make you an excellent candidate for an IT role.
Perform a self-assessment by listing the skills you already have, and search for roles that align well with these abilities. After selecting a few potential job paths, research which additional skills you’ll need for the position and the feasibility of getting them. You might need to enter a different degree program, attend a bootcamp, or find another self-driven learning method.
If you're not looking for a first job but a career change, you should also think about transferable skills — applying the expertise you acquired in a previous role to another. Transferable skills make you an attractive candidate to recruiters and help you avoid extensive retooling.
If you worked in retail and wish to move into tech sales, you might already have the persuasion and communication skills to succeed in this new career.
2. Your passions
Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi says that enjoying your job helps you enter a flow state and do better work. A flow state can make you more productive and even help you make fewer mistakes. Considering your passions while making a career choice is a great way to find a job you love and be a strong employee when you land it.
To flush out ideas, journal about the activities you enjoy. There’s no single correct career path for you, so this exercise can encourage you to think divergently about your choices.
If you feel best helping others, you could seek a career in medicine or mental health, boost people’s mood as a stylist or massage therapist, or find a client-facing products or services role. You could also choose a route that supports a different aspect of your career wish list — like fostering an excellent work-life balance — and affords you the time to volunteer on the weekend to continue helping others.
3. Job outlook
As you create a list of potential jobs to decide on a career, look at the growth outlook and stability for these roles. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook is an excellent resource for finding in-demand jobs. You can search for any position and view growth predictions for the field, like whether the number of jobs will grow, decline, or stay the same in the next decade. Choosing careers in a declining industry may make it harder to land a role.
This can help you make an informed choice about your career development, but remember that your skills, determination, and background will ultimately determine your ability to get a job. For example, the job outlook for childcare workers is declining, according to the BLS. But if you get a degree, earn relevant experience, and show off your passion for the role, you can still find a position.
4. Salary and benefits
A great salary can help you meet basic necessities and feel confident about meeting your financial goals. Use sites like the BLS, Indeed, or Glassdoor to view salary ranges for the potential jobs on your list. You might find that people with a master’s degree don’t earn more money in the field, or a certain certification will help raise your pay — and that information can help you decide what steps to take on your path.
If your dream job doesn’t pay as much as you’d like, this doesn’t mean you have to give up on the goal. But it may imply making lifestyle shifts, like moving to an area with a lower cost of living.
At this stage, you might also want to consider the typical employee benefits for roles in this field. Look up job postings in your target industry and discover whether it’s standard to offer things like healthcare, retirement support like 401k matching, or unique perks like gym memberships and wellness stipends. You might have to factor these items into your budget later, so it’s good to know whether potential jobs offer them or not. For example, most freelance and contractor gigs have no insurance at all.
5. Realistic goals
Your age, geography, and non-work responsibilities should also play into career planning. These can help you determine whether a role is feasible for you. If you hope to work as a translator but most jobs are abroad and you can’t move your family, this career may be out of the question. Or if you’d like to become a surgeon and are in your 50s, it might be hard to complete the required years of medical school and start practicing before retirement.
Being realistic helps you make sound decisions, but it doesn’t have to dampen your enthusiasm. You may just have to modify your goals. Instead of becoming a surgeon as a second-act career, you could find another high-impact role in the medical field that requires fewer years of preparation, like an emergency medical technician or a nurse.
6. Your personality type and values
One of the most important litmus tests for how to find a career you love is aligning a role with your personality and values. Make a list of your core values, like integrity, community, or compassion, and facets of your personality, like the need for high-paced work, that an ideal job must reflect. Then, research which industries represent these values and traits. Social work may support compassion and integrity, while graphic design fosters creativity.
As you get closer to defining your ideal role and work environment, read the vision and mission statements of organizations in the target industry. These descriptions tell you a lot about the business's values and can help you better determine if you’re a good fit. If you value work-life balance, you might not want to work at a startup that describes itself as fast-paced and unpredictable.
7. Others’ experiences in the field
As you narrow your list of potential career paths, contact professionals in the industries or companies you’re considering. Universities often provide databases that current and former students can use to contact alumni for career advice, so take advantage of these resources.
You can use professional networking platforms, like LinkedIn, to politely contact people in your circles who work in your target field. Write a brief and kind note asking if the person would be willing to share their experience through an email or informational interview.
The candid responses you receive will help guide you in how to know what career to choose. Some may honestly admit that they don’t enjoy their work or list some of the downsides of it. Others will sing the praises of their profession and offer helpful tips for getting your start.
How to find a career once you know what you want
Once you’ve decided which direction to follow, the question is no longer how to pick a career, but how to get that job. Here’s a quick guide to preparing yourself and starting the job search process:
- Upskill: Research the abilities you need for your dream role and programs that can provide them. Go back to school or enter a certificate program if need be. You could also take short courses if you only need to upskill individual abilities, like a coding language or software.
- Polish your resume and cover letter: Write a standout resume and cover letter that highlight your experience, skills, and unique offering. If you’re applying for a creative role, make a portfolio of your work as well.
- Consider an internship: A great way to get real-world experience and discover whether a job is right for you is to do an internship. In the process, you’ll build up a list of professional references and acquire resume-boosting skills that’ll stand out to hiring managers and recruiters.
- Start applying to jobs: Use job search platforms and your professional network to find open roles in your target industry. Be sure to tailor your application materials to the different companies you’re applying to, letting them know why you want to work with them. Address the hiring manager by name and align your skills with the business’s needs.
- Prepare for interviews: Practicing for your interview can give you the confidence you need to succeed. Prepare for your big day by mock interviewing and working on common questions with peers and friends.
- Follow up: After you’ve interviewed for jobs, follow up with hiring managers to demonstrate your continued interest. It’s a good idea to continue applying for other opportunities during this time to increase your chances of landing a role. Work with a career coach: If you’re feeling stuck or like your path isn’t going as planned, working with a career coach can help. They can help you reflect, pinpoint areas for improvement, and create a clear action plan to get you where you want to go.
How to figure out what career you want
No one knows how to choose a career automatically. This process takes time and lots of self-reflection. But everyone has innate talents, interests, and skills that can guide them toward rewarding work.
Trust your instincts, but do your research as well. No career option is perfect, and the best path is one you enjoy that also helps you meet financial and professional goals. Use a mix of head and heart to find a position that ticks off your practical and personal must-haves. And if you don’t succeed at first, keep trying. Your happiness is worth it.
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