Choosing A Career Path

How does one know which career path to take in life? This is the most asked question at career fairs and educational seminars.  People usually get stuck trying to figure out what they are destined to be. This is partly because the job options today are just a lot and there is influence from one’s immediate circle….friends or family.  A person will look at how much individuals in a certain industry earn per year  before making a decision. Choosing a career path is much easier than you think but first you have to go through some self-introspection and be honest with yourself so that you come about the right conclusion. Today,i am going to share with you some pointers that I think may help you get to a decision  quicker and they are:

Passion

When it comes to passion, look inward not outward. We both know there are things that come natural to you. You can do these things without breaking a sweat and it almost feels like you were born for those particular things. If you are lucky you may discover them at a very young age depending on your environment. Try  figure out what these things are that you are passionate about and can do with minimum effort. We all have them, you just have to find out what it is. It could be a sport that you feel drawn to or in some cases it could be a subject that you have a natural interest for and cannot do without. Sometimes it could be an above normal curiosity as to how certain stuff works. Finding what you are passionate about will be helpful in your choice.

Exposure

Sometimes the reason why you are undecided is lack of exposure because of your environment. That said, it is important that once in a while you attend career fairs and educational seminars to find out what career paths are available and what are the requirements to qualify for that path. Your goal when going for exposure is not to be convinced that  a certain type of career is the one. The goal is to be up to date with career trends and gather as much information as possible. So collect the handouts, pamphlets and brochures to read later at home in your free time.

Ability/ Capacity

Now that you have figured out what interests you in the form of your passion and you have gathered all the available options through exposure, it is time to ascertain whether you have the ability to handle that career path. For example, to be an engineer you need to perform well in science subjects that include mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology all depending on the type of engineer you want to be. If one wants to be an accountant they  need to be good in commercial subjects such as accounting, mathematics , business studies etc. As you take classes at school, check how you perform in the subjects so that you can have a rough idea whether you can handle specializing in the area. Give it your best in all subjects so that you get an unbiased assessment when you check your report card.

Mentorship

With passion, exposure and ability in alignment, it is now time to seek mentorship. A mentor is usually someone accomplished who is going the same direction as you are that can guide you and show you the way. All a mentor has to do is to give you a blueprint of the stages required on a particular path and you fill in the blanks yourself. You have to understand that life sometimes is like a math problem…if the formula is correct you will get the right answer. It is your journey, so ask for guidelines mainly then achieve them in your own way if you can. If you can’t, try and emulate what your mentor did but always keep in mind that the opportunities of their time and other variables that determined their success may be completely different from today  making your case unique. I would advise you get guidelines as the formula then do your own implementation staying on the same path hence achieving the same goal.

So that’s how you choose a career path. If you want to live a happy life, pick on a path that you love, no matter how hard others may tell you it is. If you love it, chances are you will find a way to achieve it.