It’s the daunting question we all ask ourselves at some point in our life. And among the questions we need to ask ourselves for personal growth. What career should I choose?
Choosing a career starts with passion
Quite frankly, choosing a career should start with passion. Think of everything you love. It doesn’t matter how big or small. Do you like working with children? Do you enjoy working with technologies? Do you like numbers, or maybe you like working with your hands? You will slowly start to see what you want and dislike by asking yourself what brings you joy. Pull out a piece of paper, make a list and write it down.
“I knew I wanted a career in tech because I grew up with little to no technology around me. The schools back in Guatemala were not equipped to the level of the United States. In Guatemala, you would rarely find a house with a computer or much less internet access. I had to go to cybercafes and pay the internet by the hour if I wanted to do research online. But when I came to the US and saw the power of innovation and how different it made life. I felt I had a calling. I became intrigued and wanted to learn more about it. This curiosity and love for innovation helped me decide what career to choose. But it was only the first part of it.”
Decide what is important to you
To decide what career to choose, you also need to define wealth. And this needs to be in your own words. Wealth doesn’t mean the same to all of us, which is completely fine. Maybe wealth is having a lot of free time; perhaps it’s large amounts of money, maybe it’s owning properties or living in a particular area. For some people being a teacher is the best career in terms of wealth because it allows them to have free time during the holidays and breaks, but in terms of income, it might not be the best as others. This is different from getting a corporate job, where having free time would not come as easy, but maybe the pay rate is higher with benefits. Add the definition of wealth to the piece of paper. If you already decided what wealth is for you, check out these tips for financial advice for young adults.
“I chose a career in the tech field because I knew I could make a decent amount of money right from the start.”
Take into account what environments you thrive in
Another critical thing to consider when answering the questions of what career I should choose is the environment that you are ok with being in for a long time. Are you alright working outside regardless if it rains or shines? Are you alright with sitting down for a prolonged time? Will you be open to being on your feet all of the time? Do you enjoy working with different people all the time ? The environment you choose will influence your mood and your mental health. So consider this and add it to the list.
“Another reason I chose a career in tech was that I wanted flexibility in terms of where I could work. That plus, I don’t react well to cold weather, so I knew it had to be a career where I would spend most of my time inside.”
What is your timeline
Fourth, consider the timeline. Being an attorney could have high rewards, but it takes at least seven years to become one. What are the opportunity costs associated with choosing this as a career? How much experience do you need? Take this into consideration and write down the years of training it will require and the expected outlook. Meaning, would these jobs still be prevalent in the next ten years? Because the last thing that you want is to spend many years in training, and there are few jobs out there. Also, remember that some positions require a few years of training but require you to renew your license every few years.
“I paid attention to what was happening around me and saw how technology was evolving and changing people’s lives. I saw apps being created and how they facilitated day-to-day things. I knew tech was here to stay. I also saw how much training you needed and the timeline for getting a job. Which seemed feasible to me.”
So,
- Write down your passions
- Write down the definition of wealth
- Write down the environments that you thrive in
- Write down the timeline and expected outlook of jobs
Remember, anyone can pick a job, but choosing a career requires a thought process. So it’s ok if it doesn’t come instantly. But recall it has to be your choice. While it can be influenced by parents, family, friends, or celebrities, it needs to be your decision.