Making an Informed Career Choice

A post-secondary education entails skills training in an apprenticeship position and a college or university education. It is structured in a way to offer more job opportunities, a better chance for promotion, increased job satisfaction the chance to earn an income throughout your career and the chance to keep studying what interests you. There are numerous post-secondary options such that it is difficult to make a decision on a given career option. It is important to carry out career planning to help you identify your dreams, goals, interests and strengths. This will help you to align dreams, goals, interests and strengths with your career choice making it easier to choose a school and a program.

Deciding What to Study

Keep Academic Options Open

The courses taken as majors in secondary school are important in determining one's career direction. It is important to take majors that will lead to a variety of career options in areas of interest as guided by the goals set. Seek the advice of teachers, parents and counselors to establish the areas of interest that would shape your career. It is important that your career choice is determined by interest, as it is what you may be required to pursue for the rest of the life.

Find the Right Fit

Carry out an assessment of your interests against the abilities and achievement levels. Check the evaluation test results and to determine the ability to pursue a given career field. Talk to student counselors and teachers as well as seek information on school choices on college placement websites. For example, if your child continually struggles with experimentation of issues despite motivation, extra help and hard work, then occupations reliant on experiments, will not be a good fit. A person who likes babysitting kids should consider seeking careers related to pediatric care. 

Have a Realistic Plan

Make a list of realistic potential choices, considering the competition, opportunities and abilities. Choose an area that you are confident and competent in so that you are not overwhelmed by the competition by your peers.  Use online tools like my next move to explore a variety of career options available. For instance, you may have an interest in air transport but may be lacking in the ability to pursue piloting. After much research, you can become an air traffic controller or an in-flight attendant.

Research the Labor Market

Seek information on salaries, job prospects and working conditions on the identified jobs of interest. However, it is risky to choose a career based solely on economic projections and job prospects. This is because unforeseeable events may cause a major impact on the job market, such factors as politics, shifts in the economy, natural disasters or technological advances. Selecting a career based on interests and reasonable job prospects leads to job satisfaction. In addition, this will helps you work in a career that makes you fulfilled and satisfied also enabling you to pursue opportunities of similar interests making you a better employee or employer.