How to choose your next career path

A career is the result of your professional journey, and choosing one can be one of the toughest tasks of your life. Choosing what to study is not an easy process for many people. Due to the diversity of options that currently exist, it is even more difficult for the new generation to find what they are passionate about.

Here we share very important points to take into account when choosing your career path:

1. Take time to plan your career:

When we are up to our necks in different day-to-day tasks, “introspection” and “strategic thinking” are not our top priorities. It’s too easy for us to work for a long period of time without ever seriously asking ourselves the question: “What career path do I choose?”

At some point, we realize that we have landed where we never wanted to go. Instead, we should force ourselves to stop from time to time and consciously take time for career planning to think about the “big picture”, our goals, and the ways to get there. Discussions with like-minded colleagues or regular meetings in your mastermind group are more suitable than quiet contemplative sessions.

2. Be clear about your talents:

Sometimes people are quite certain about what they prefer, but it may be that they are not very clear about their talents, or what they are outstanding at. To find out, you will have to work through some questions to help clarify this.

Ask yourself: What position can I take to become professional and successful? This can be something completely different than what you are currently doing or what you are already good at.

You need to find your strengths and weaknesses to understand what is better for you. Talk to people like you who have walked the path and are ahead of you. What influenced their decision? What makes them successful?

3. Find out what drives you:

What do you think makes a good, satisfying job in the long term? It is usually not the work itself that is decisive for our happiness, but rather the soft factors. Some people need a lot of variety and want to constantly learn new things. For others, it is important to make a difference with the work they do and help the world become a little bit better. And with a nice boss and great colleagues, almost any work can be endured well.

If you enjoy dealing with people, you can become a doctor or a human resources officer. If you want to protect the environment, you can do it as an activist or as a head of IT at a manufacturer of biodegradable plastics.

4. Ask your family:

Talking to your parents, relatives or people you trust about your next career path can be a bit tough but is very important. They might notice things that you have never even thought of. 

If you already know what career you approximately want to pursue, prepare well and have a conversation with them. Show them what you really think about your career goal.

5. Research:

It is very important to carry out research about desired career or university where you want to study. As for the career, it is important to be very clear about the field of work, specialties that exist within the same career, master’s degrees, and entry requirements.

Use Leadar to contact people from different spheres and find out what they think about their work. This website provides over 10 million companies, 120 million contact numbers, 150 million verified emails across all 50 states of the USA so that you can easily reach out to the preferred company/person.

Learning what you are passionate about is one of the tips that you will hear the most from many people. If you do find what you love, your stay in college will be much more enjoyable than you imagine. 

However, we recommend that you investigate the labor field of the career you want to dive into, how high the demand for professionals is, both in the short and long terms.

6. Work on your external reputation:

When you change jobs, there are usually larger jumps in position and salary than if you pursue a career within one company. 

Don’t forget to work on your external reputation alongside any internal successes. Write a blog or a book, give specialist lectures, and work on open-source projects. Build yourself an expert status in your industry. Maintain your profile on social networks such as LinkedIn or XING. If your employer is not completely ignorant, you will be able to achieve high results.

7. Consult universities or educational institutions:

It is not enough just to inform yourself about the careers that you have as an option. The university where you will study is also important and you should not leave it to chance. 

Keep in mind that, nowadays, many academic centers hold such events as vocational orientation fairs where they provide new applicants with all the necessary information on all the careers that the university prepares specialists for.

In addition, at these conferences you can also learn about different university welfare services, financing plans, curriculum, degree options, national and international agreements, scholarship programs, and physical infrastructure. Attending these events is completely free and will be of great use to you.

8. Filter your list:

Make a list of maximum three careers that you consider pursuing. Try to understand what you love doing most in life. This will help you stick to the plan that will direct you towards achieving high career results. If you know that you are no good at numbers, try searching for careers that require studying literature or psychology. You don’t want the world to miss out on great professionals.

9. Define your goal and next steps:

Are you an account manager today and want to take an SVP position in five years? Setting high goals is not difficult at all. But changes require persistence. If you want to change a career, try looking for universities or, if you want to master a certain position in a short period of time, find other options. Another valuable avenue for career advancement is pursuing certifications that demonstrate your commitment to professional growth and can provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in a new role. To prepare for the certification exams, you can rely on reliable study materials and guides, such as the Series 7 study materials and guide by Career Employer, which offer comprehensive resources to help you succeed in your journey. By leveraging certifications and the right study materials, you can expedite your mastery of a specific position, opening up new opportunities for career advancement.

Until then, take small career steps that will lead you to that goal. What positions do you have to go through by then? What new skills to learn? What additional titles or certificates to acquire? 

You will quickly recognize what career path to choose if you stick to the advice that is mentioned above.