Have you ever felt the need to ask yourself, why you were born? Well, even if you did, you’ll probably never know the answer to it, as your parents are the ones who planned it. However, that doesn’t mean that someone else will plan your whole life. As soon as you enter this world, you are basically on your own.
From the day we enter school, we hear that hard work is the key to success. In addition, our parents, teachers and even relatives provide us advice that we should become a doctor, police officer, engineer or even a teacher.
However, which career patch do you really wish to follow? According to a survey, two-thirds of graduates face difficulties in starting their careers. Senior marketing manager of Anping Yadong Hardware Products Co., Ltd, also struggled to find the right job. However, with planning and a little bit of patience, he ended up guiding his company towards success.
Are you one of them? If yes, we have compiled some power tips to help you make up your mind about which career to choose.
How to Plan Your Career?
1. Assess Yourself
How many times do you see yourself in the mirror? Try wearing a formal white shirt, black formal pants, and a decent tie next time you look at yourself. If that’s how you want to dress for the rest of your life while going to work, then a white-collar job in a bank or any other financial institution may be an excellent option for you. If not, then maybe you should look for a more creative type of career.
This clearly signifies that before actually stepping out into the job market, you first need to assess yourself. We can’t deny the fact that career counseling is a great option, but no one knows you better than yourself! Brainstorm your interests, values, and soft skills in comparison to your type of personality.
What do you want? Money, a friendly environment, indoor work, fringe benefits, or simply a place to show your creativity? Cross out certain occupations that you know aren’t ever going to be fit for you. That way, you’ll initiate a more dedicated job search which should help you in reaching a solution faster.
2. Create a List of Jobs You’d Like to Explore
Currently, I’m pretty sure you have thousands of jobs in front of you where you can apply. However, do you think it’s a good idea to explore all of them? Most certainly not! It’s always a better option to make a master list. The list will consist of career paths that you are interested in.
This list of jobs will help you make a better choice. By crossing out all the unwanted places you’d like to work at, the risk of future depression and tension due to your occupation are reduced.
3. Explore the Job Opportunities you’ve listed
It’s finally time to gather some necessary information for each occupation you have recorded. This step will help you further understand if the careers that are currently on the list are actually fit for you or not.
Look for job requirements, job descriptions, licensing requirements, and even educational requirements. Go through the expected salaries for each job and the level of growth that is available. You wouldn’t want to sit in the same position with the same package for the rest of your life.
4. Narrow Down Your List
Once you are done exploring all the jobs you’ve listed, I’m sure you’d want to shorten down the list even more. It could be due to the educational requirement, hours of work, or also due to the fact that you couldn’t find a reasonable package for starters.
Start removing any job you feel will get too hectic for you or with duties you can’t perform. The shortlist you come up with this time should create a better gateway for you to enter the job market.
5. Discuss with Peers
It’s always helpful to talk to a friend or family member before applying for a job. At times, we get so excited that we make silly mistakes. By discussing with someone you trust, you’ll be able to talk out any doubts or complications that you have in your mind.
In addition, these peers also know you and can provide you with useful advice on whether all the jobs listed are right for you or not.
6. Go For It
Success is never guaranteed! It requires years of hard work, dedication and a little bit of luck. Once you are done with all the steps mentioned above, you can apply and start your career in the occupation you’ve finalized.
Remember, you can fail! And there is no shame in that. Many top business leaders in the world have experienced the taste of failure before actually turning out successful. Dtpaperbox.com CEO has also agreed with this point by stating that failure is what encouraged him to stay focused and work harder.
One more thing that I’d like to highlight is that your first career choice doesn’t always have to be fit for you. If you ever feel that your life is turning in to living hell, go back to your list and start working on a career switch. Many people do that so don’t panic if you ever go through such a phase.
Takeaway
Getting the right job is like a dream come true. As soon as we enter college, our minds start thinking about getting a job and making a living. However, it doesn’t always go as we plan. Owner of XG Technologies Co. Ltd never expected that he would end up running a successful business.
Many students every year fall prey to getting lost in the job market and eventually ending up unemployed. Who are we to blame for their loss? Parents, teachers, the government, or themselves?
Whoever you’d like to blame, I advise all students to start taking the responsibility of getting themselves sorted out. Instead of relying on someone else, put yourself in a better position with a proper plan.
If you are still confused about which career path to choose, it’s about time you clear the mess and use our tips to analyze the opportunities. Once you are done with that, we are sure you’ll know which way to go next time you get lost in the middle of nowhere.
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