Career choice could be a difficult path without the right guidance. Here is all you need to know about choosing a career!
I plan making this a quick yet detail post about career choice – therefore, without much ado, let’s delve right into it.
Career Choice – What are they?
You’ve heard different guru giving you insights about choosing the right career.
However, what most so-called career coach fail to do is to give us detailed guide on what career choices are and how to plot our own graph in the sand of time.
So, here is a quick simple definition:
Simply put, career choice is the selection of a vocational path.
That is, the selection of a particular path or vocation in terms of a career.
Now, you need to understand something before making a career decision.
Just as the simplified definitions above: you need to select a particular vocation and outline how to grow in that vocation.
The most tedious aspect about a career choice is the selection process; however, after the selection of a career path – the rest just entails development.
Just like building a skyscraper – the most important element is the foundation. Once you are able to properly structure your foundation, the building just gets going (depending on the depth of the foundation)
How to make a career choice?
We’ve just disclosed that, a solid foundation of a career choice can to a great length determine how high your career path goes!
Therefore, let’s take some building blocks to a stronger career foundation.
- Look Inward – Your career is You and you are your career.
One of the first thing you need to do before making a career choice is to look inward!
What do you think you are wired for? What can you do that will bring you joy?
I never loved a crowded environment and as such, working in the bank was a no brainier for me.
I hate keeping ideas all to myself, therefore, anything I do must involve me impacting knowledge and sharing ideas.
So, you need to look inward first before making a lasting career choice.
If you are an introvert and you get a job as a radio or TV presenter, you are indirectly looking at a career path downstream!
Therefore, look inward and work your way outwards.
- What do you want? – As you plan to make a career choice, you must determine exactly what you want out of a career!
This question sounds simple but until you know your purpose as an individual, people will use you as they please!
What exactly do you want when you think of a career path? Set a standard for yourself and work towards it.
At the age of 24, I wrote out exactly what I want out of life.
I drafted a 10 years plan and at the top of it was retiring at the age of 35.
Now, I know what I want and I decide to make career choices to actualize my wants.
You need to know what you want. Do you need a career path that will transcend into your 50’s?
Do you want a career that gives you more time for your family and loved ones?
Do you want a career that takes you away from your family? All these are decisions that will make your career choice complex if not tackled earlier in life.
- Look at your Skill? – Now, you can learn a whole lot in school but, your skill also can be a pointer to your career choice.
Now, at an earlier stage (14years) I had developed great computer skills.
I worker at a daily newspaper firm as an ‘Office Assistant’ but my skill launch me to the level of ‘Chief Layout Editor’ within a year!
Here was what happen. My skill shaped my career choice.
When I joined the firm, I began to develop my computer literacy skills especially in the use of ‘Adobe PageMaker’ which was the trending software for Newspaper and Magazine layouts then.
As an office assistant (cleaner) I had direct access to the office and at night, I would sneak in and scatter the page on the PC and rearrange them afterwards.
On one faithful day, our Layout Editor QUIT for a greener pasture on production date!
The Editor in Chief / Director was running around looking for someone to finish the job and the last resort was to trust me to do the job.
I already had the skill after nights of rearranging the works and it was my time to take the stage.
My first production was AWFUL (Pressure) however, they had no option!
By my 3rd production, I was the youngest Chief-Layour-Editor in The Gambia working for Daily Express Newspaper!
My skill shaped my career choice when it met the right opportunity! However, I was prepared for the opportunity as I had developed and sharpened my skills!
- Do I love what I do? – If you love what you do or about to do, you will excel in your career decisions.
Your career choice can be greatly affected by your heartbeat towards what you do.
Don’t get stuck up behind a desk when you love exploring the world!
I hate travelling and as such, it would be unwise for me to pickup a career in freelance photography or exploration.
I also hate chores that keeps me outdoors too long! So, I pattern my career choice based on what I love and have a flare for!
If you can’t take heat, don’t be in the kitchen! No matter how modern the kitchen is, you will still be exposed to some level of heat.
Now, you should be able to separate your hobby from what you love doing day in day out when choosing a career.
You could have a hobby in cooking but do you really love cooking to the extent of catering for the multitude?
Now, don’t mistake a hobby for love!
- Location – When deciding about a career path, your location could be a great pointer to your career choice.
Now, we tend to look for jobs and gainful employment around our locale.
As such, your current residence could also affect your career choice in a great way.
Are you considering leaving your currently place of abode or are you thinking of maintaining your current apartment.
All these are great career choices you will need to make to advance your career.
- Consistency – Your consistency matters in which ever career choice you choose to further.
I’ve mentioned over and over. You need to make a career choice that will give you peace of mind.
You will need to further a career path that you will be consistence on.
Choosing a career that makes you happy today and tomorrow you feel like quitting is totally out of your career choice.
Your consistency on q particular career path makes you more of a professional in that career path in the long run.
So, when choosing a career, look out for a job that you will be consistent on.
Career Choice Test
Let’s take a look at some career choice test to enable you further your career goals and plot a great career graph.
- Qualification – What are your qualification? This could either make you advance in your career or reduce your promotion in a great deal.
Are you really qualified for the career you aspire to pursue?
You need to further your qualification to its greatest point if you must really stand out.
Your qualification could determine how fast you actualize your career choice.
This is a great test to your career choice either now or later on in the future.
- Motivation – What motivates you? You need motivation in that career you are aspiring or already in.
Now, the best kind of motivation is self motivation whereby you motivate yourself either by self compliments or by positioning your mind to success.
If you don’t get motivated, after a while, you get tired! It happens to us all. Once in a while, we need a tap on the back, however, when we don’t get it, we tend to give up!
The fact remains, you can motivate yourself to success. You can set a picture of the future in your mind and every time you need a pat, you look deep into the future!
• Family and Partner – This could be a great test to your career choice and decision.
Your family to a great deal will affect your career path if not properly managed and setup.
You might live far from work and need to head out of the house as early as 6am before your kids wake up and get back as late as 11pm due to traffic.
Over a point in time, this will affect your family and but a great load of work on your partner.
You must be willing to make it work out if you must advance in your career.
Your family and loved ones must have a shelf space in your heart even when making your career choices.
Which Career works for me?
Which career do I find attracted to? Jumping from one career to the other is not the best way to go.
Right from college, you must know which career path will work for you and start patterning your life and education in that line.
What works for me might not great work for you.
I have said it over and over, I dislike travelling and as such, I pattern my life around my immediate environment.
I make trips once in a while when occasion demands but venturing as a wildlife photographer was a no brainier for me!
If you love the outside world, sitting behind a desk night be a no brained for you!
You must know what works for you before making a career choice!
Top Career Choice and Jobs
There are no top career choice anywhere.
What you need is a career choice that pays the bills and you derive fulfilment from it.
You need a career choice that gives you joy, fulfilment, a career path that you can grow in and lastly, that pays the bills!
Some top career choice includes the following:
• IT Firms
• Recruitment Agency
• NGO
• Multinational organizations
• NPF Jobs for Police
• NIMASA Jobs
• Road Safety Jobs
Choose your career path carefully as your career choice could defined your advancement in life.
