Choosing a career path or a lifelong dream can be difficult or challenging but important in living a satisfying and fulfilling life, there are certain things that must be noted, checked, evaluated and ruled out.
Career is a profession, occupation or livelihood, especially one that requires special training with achievable progress. The need for career cannot be overemphasized as it shapes our life, bring our dreams and aspirations to life, promote earning and impact to our society and generations to come.
Before a career is chosen, considerations, assessment, evaluation, and deep reflection must be made. Creativity, innovations, skills and technological advancement must be enhanced.
The Following are Steps in Choosing the Right Career Path:
1. Self-examination:
This deals with evaluating yourself; dislikes, interest, hobbies, skills, personality, values and certifications. Identifying the activities you enjoy, strengths, weaknesses, and what matters to you most place you on a right radar in the process of choosing right. Coming into the realization of who you truly are help you to assess and build your career accordingly.
2. Career Prospect Exploration:
This involves picking and writing out possible career ideas aligned with your self study. Career ideas must strictly be associated with your assessment and within the scope of your capacity.
For example, if you are creative, enjoy painting or drawing, introverted and like your space, family and integrity you love. You can consider going into interior design and decoration, graphics design, fashion drafting, photography and videography, etc.. How to Find A Career You Genuinely Love: 4 Secret Ways
3. Career Research:
No one barges into a job and makes much of it. Research is a systematic and diligent inquiry to seek or revise facts, principles, theories and their applications. In choosing a career path, you need to carry out adequate and intensive research, meet up with professionals in the line and ask questions, check out for related opportunities and how they work. Research help broadens your view about different profession and their job description as this guides in choosing what’s best for you.
4. Career Options:
After proper and insightful research, narrow your list of career choices by evaluating factors such as cost, ability, job satisfaction, salary range, possible personal growth and development, work and life balance, and health status.
Using the SWOT analysis can help in choosing from different career ideas i.e.
Strength: Consider your forte and ability e.g. creativity, good communication or writing skills, etc.
Weakness: Detect the defect and inadequacy e.g. financial constraints, visibility issues, etc.
Opportunities: Check the availability and favorability of your career choice e.g. popularity, timing, technology or knowledge gaps, etc.
Threat: Assess immediate or potential danger such as competition, work concentration, etc.
5. Career Development:
This consists of learning skills, updating previous knowledge, seeking more certifications in the career chosen. Seeking help, advice and instructions from professionals as well as getting hands-on and gaining insightful experience through internship, volunteering and job shadowing.
6. Career Goals:
Set goals and aspirations; both short and long term goals. Make a feasible and detailed plan and ensure they are SMART, i.e.
Specific: Clear and defined goals.
Measurable: Goals must be of significant importance
Attainable: Achievable and possible goals
Reliable: Goals must be suitable, dependent and trustworthy.
Time bound: Has a time frame for completion or attainment.
7. Implementation:
Here is the showcase of the substance and taking actions by working to achieve written goals. It involves seeking visibility, networking with related personnel’s, establishing a ground, giving the best and continual knowledge upgrade to stay above peers.
Conclusion:
Choosing a career path is an area of life that can never be undermined because of its importance in dream attainment, fulfilling purpose and contributing to the economic factor of oneself and the nation at large. It is of importance to know and put into consideration your interests, values, motivations, and intrinsic drive nevertheless critical thinking, adequate planning and execution must be done in order to keep the course and maintain positivity.
