Hey, ever wonder making right decisions in life?
Are you unclear which path to go after graduation?
Probably you are looking for the best course for your career?
Or something you might want to shift career because of the circumstances you have been.
Before anything else, I would like to share this famous quote
"Don't let anyone tell you, you cant, because you can".
William Gardner
Read more inspiring career quotes here.
Are you ready to take control of your life? Don't let other people control your life and decisions.
Make wise decisions by yourself.
In this article, I will share with you the 6 steps to making the right career decision.
My goal is to empower you make the right decisions.
The Importance of Making the Right Career Decision
Whatever you are up to, your career is important in your life. It determines your social status in the society. It builds your credibility and power.
Making the right career decision can have a lasting impact in your over-all well-being.
That is why it is important to make the right career decisions.
Many college students failed to chose the right course when entering into college. Later, after graduation they thought the course they took is not their passion. Thus, many are always looking for a career change.
Sadly, not all people know how to change careers. They end up changing careers in their 30's and even late 50's.
It is vital that chose the right career to yield the right results and fulfill your dreams. On the other side, choosing the wrong path or making uninformed decisions will bring frustrations.
Being clear and sure of what you want to be in the future will likely lead you to find purpose in your work. It works like the invisible hand. You wake up early morning feeling motivated to do the job.
You then have that sense of fulfillment. Thus at any point in your life, you feel contentment and satisfaction even though your salary may not compensate your skills.
So, making the right career decision cannot be underestimated.
1. Know your Limits through Self-Assessment
It may be daunting but it is worth the time to evaluate yourself in relation to your desired career path.
You can assess your skills, interests, and values. By understanding yourself you will have the idea what type of career that will be a good fit for you.
Start by evaluating your skills – what are you naturally good at?
What are the things that you like most doing? Things that is easier for you to do and without grumbling. These are the things that you can likely to excel.
The second is you have to take note of your interests.
What subjects or activities do you find fascinating? What topics do you enjoy learning about?
Your interest can propel you to do an extramile in your job. Because you like the activity very much, their is a tendency that you have to give your full effort. The enjoyment you have in the activity can help you do more than what you expect to do.
By knowing your interest, you can zoom in to what matters to you. This brings me to the next area of assessment. Your values.
Consider your values in choosing career decisions.
Do you value money over life-balance, family over work?
Do you prefer to work abroad than in your homeland?
In this simple assessment, you will align yourself with passion and purpose. Eventually, you can live a life fulfilling and satisfying.
2. Exploring Different Career Options
Now that you have the idea on what you want to look after in your career, you can now explore different career paths. There are countless opportunities that you can take your career path to the next level.
You can start by matching your skills, interest and values with the industries you are interested.
To do this, you can conduct interviews. Seek professionals in fields that interest you and ask if they would be willing to share their experiences and insights. Additionally, networking with professionals can open doors to potential job opportunities and mentorship.
Consider shadowing professionals or participating in job shadowing programs. This activity allows you to observe professionals in their daily activities. See how they fit to your lifestyle or values. Look some examples of job shadowing programs here.
Of course, this is a great help if intend to switch careers.
Be open-minded and take the leap of faith as you step out of your comfort zone.
At first, you will not like the whole decision making process, but later you will appreciate it.
Learn to embrace the process and view each opportunity as a chance to learn and grow.
3. Develop in Demand skills
In our fast-paced society, job market is constantly evolving. There are job roles that are in demand than others. Look for job board sites and see what are the roles that are sought after by employers. This information can help you make a more informed decision and increase your chances of finding a rewarding career.
Read news publications, classified ads and start by analyzing job market reports.
Go online in searching for these data. Check every now and then the trends in your industries that is aligned with your skills.
Develop the skills based on these trends. One of the many in demand skills in IT industry is data science. Consider developing transferable skills too.
This is my favorite and so I started to subscribe in online courses. Additionally, if you are considering to have more work-life balance, you can add virtual assistance in your skillset. To be ready to change career at any time at any age, you need to upgrade your skills.
Additionally, consider reaching out to professionals and recruiters in your desired field. These professionals can help you and be your mentor. This brings me to the next tip.
4. Seeking Guidance from Career Professionals and Mentors
Choosing the appropriate mentor is the most crucial step in making a career decision. They could aid in your decision-making. Mentors can offer insightful advice that will help you make the best career decision. Additionally, career advisers can assist you in making professional decisions. They have the resources to assist you in defining your objectives, identifying your strengths, and creating a plan of action to reach them.
Mentors, are people with expertise in the area you want to work in. Based on their own experiences, they can offer support, direction, and guidance. Developing a mentorship connection can be quite beneficial for your professional growth and can assist you in making decisions that are based on practical experience.
Be honest and transparent while discussing your issues, flaws, and strengths. They will be better able to help you if you give them more details.
Take use of their knowledge and experience, but keep in mind that the choice is ultimately yours to make.
Use their advice as a tool to help you make decisions, but ultimately trust your gut and go your own way.
5. Dealing with Doubts and Fears
Do you fear failure in you decisions? This is one of the six career change challenges.
Its normal to have fears when making right decisions about our careers.
It's natural to have doubts and fears when making a career decision. Change can be intimidating, and the fear of the unknown can hold you back from taking action. Recognizing doubts and fear are part of the process. Let not those unknown hinder you from making the right career decisions.
If in time, you encounter doubts and fears, try to reflect on it. This is the time you practice a decision strategy such as reflective decision-making. Or do some rational decision-making instead.
Read here for a more detailed discussion on strategies for decision-making.
Additionally, embrace failure as a learning opportunity. Understand that setbacks and obstacles are inevitable on the path to success.
Failures are opportunities for you to improve. Don't fear failure rather try to take lessons from it. Without failure there is no success.
Expect the Unexpected: Review and Adjust Your Career Plan
Last but not least, keep in mind that your career path is not fixed. Change is permanent. In our lives as we grow older, we develop and gain more knowledge and skills.
Often we tend to change careers because of circumstances. In this light, it is great to make sure that we are always aligned with our
passions and interest. Otherwise, we can change those that are not anymore within our goal list.
Some questions you may consider in monitoring your career path:
Do you still have a plan? Are you still enthusiastic about your profession? Are you excited about any new opportunities?
Additionally, seek feedback from trusted mentors, colleagues, or supervisors. Remember that your career is a journey, and it's okay to course-correct along the way.
Conclusion
Yey. You have finished this page.
Making right decisions is important in everyday life. I hope that you are enlightened to make the right career decision. Making the right career decision takes the simple steps. This includes self-assessment, exploration and developing new skills, overcoming fear and doubts.
Lastly is reviewing your career plan.
So, take control of your career, embrace the process, and trust that the right path will unfold before you.
Good luck on your journey to finding the right career!
