Your professional journey is condensed into your career. Many people start a job because they believe it will help them reach their objectives, which may include increasing their knowledge and experience, taking on more responsibility, or earning more money.
Finding the ideal career, though, takes time, and it's expected that it may alter during your working life. Depending on how your needs, motivations, and interests evolve, you might switch jobs or industries. Between the ages of 18 and 54, those born between 1957 and 1964 held an average of 12.4 jobs, according to a US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) survey [1]. People now stay in each employment for about four years, according to data from a different study taken in 2020.
The average person spends about one-third of their life working, so it's no surprise that many people want to find a career that suits them. Choosing a career first means learning as much as you can about yourself, your goals, and the broader context of work. Use the list below to help you start the process.
1. Explore yourself.
What you enjoy and value can be a useful indicator of how you would like to spend your work time. We're not talking about finding and following your passion—that approach tends to be misguided and confusing. But it's common to want to feel energized and even excited about what you're doing. Think about the following questions about your interests, values, and characteristics and consider how you might answer them:
2. Think about your motivations.
Once you've made a list of yourself, move on to your motivations for work. Maybe you want a career that will pay a higher starting salary than comparable occupations, or one that promises more flexibility so you can work from anywhere. Most careers won't have everything you want, so it's important to understand your priorities.
Below is a sample list of priorities. Think about what you would put on your list and how you would prioritize it.
Advantages
*Autonomy
*Work/life balance
* Flexibility
* Career growth
3. Think about your long-term goals.
What does your most perfect life look like? Make a list of your long-term goals, both personal and professional, so you understand what it may take to achieve them. For example: Do you want to advance through management positions and move into the C-suite of a company? Do you want to own a house? Do you want to be able to travel - and how often?
A compiled list can also help you be more specific about your job search. For example, if you want to work in the same industry 10 years from now, research which industries are poised to continue growing over the next decade and which ones you may want to avoid due to increasing automation or other factors.
Read more: What are your career goals? Tips for setting goals
4. Take various self-assessment tests.
There are a number of tests you can take to assess everything from your personality to your strengths – and even what careers might be a good fit. But tests can be too prescriptive, meaning they tend to force categories on you. Rather than relying on them for a definitive answer, use them to learn more about yourself and your underlying motivations. If they represent useful answers, fold that knowledge into the bigger picture you're building.
5. Explore the sectors.
Learning more about each sector and its respective goals can help you determine where you might fit. Think about which goals sound the most interesting to you.
Private: You will be employed through a privately held company or corporation that typically focuses on increasing growth and revenue.
Benefit: Greater growth potential
Public: You will be employed by a local, state, or federal government whose purpose is to maintain the operation of public programs and institutions.
Advantage: Greater potential stability
Non-Profit Organization: You will be employed by an organization that is not affiliated with the private or public sector and is dedicated to solving or meeting public needs. While it doesn't aim to generate revenue the way private businesses do, it must earn enough to fulfill its mission and cover overhead costs.
Advantage: Greater potential for meaning
6. Research industries.
Along with industries, researching different industries can help you identify a few that might be a good fit. Look for established industries and see if any are worth exploring further. (In the US, common industries include energy, consumer goods, and media and entertainment [3].) Make a list of any that sound interesting, and do more research to find out the main roles, career trajectories, and expected growth.
7. Seek professional resources.
In addition to thinking about the above areas on your own, you can also turn to various career resources for more detailed help.
College Career Center: If you're still in college, take advantage of the career resources your college or university has to offer. You may be able to meet with a counselor or advisor trained to help you transition from college to your career.
Career Coach: You can find a career coach trained to help clients learn more about what kinds of jobs would suit them best. Career coaches are an additional cost, so be sure to research their credentials, experience, and background to make sure they'll be a good fit for your needs.
Exploring career options
You've probably already gathered a lot of information. Once you have a bigger picture of yourself, start doing research on different career options. You can use the list you've created of your interests, values, and traits, combined with your core motivations, to start looking for careers or industries that might be a good fit for you.
For example, do you really like to draw? Look for careers or industries that require this talent to some extent. Are you interested in the issue of income inequality? Research organizations that are working to improve this problem and browse their job sites. Is creative problem-solving one of your greatest strengths? Search for occupations and industries that need your skills.
Write down every option that sounds interesting and pay attention to the results that will help you achieve your biggest priorities. For example, if flexibility is important to you, focus on remote roles rather than roles that require you to be in the office.
Explore the career options on your list
Once you've come up with some career ideas that sound interesting, follow the steps below to help you explore each option.
1. Use job search sites. LinkedIn, Indeed and Monster are just some of the sites dedicated to posting job offers. As you browse the roles available in your area, read more about the responsibilities of each. Highlight jobs that sound like a good fit.
Useful questions:
* Does the job meet my needs and many of my preferences?
* Is this career in line with my values?
*Will I achieve one of my short or long-term goals with it?