We were all a little confused by that person in high school who already knew that he wanted to be a doctor.
Unfortunately, though, that kind of certainty is a rarity: it often proves more difficult to find a satisfying career that aligns with your passions, desired lifestyle and salary expectations.
Flexibility’s the Norm
Another issue to consider is that switching careers once you have one is quickly becoming the norm.
Young adults just embarking out on a career or college diploma rank job security less highly than their parents and expect to frequently change jobs over their working careers.
Steps to Take
If you’re looking for some shortcuts to find a career that satisfies you in the short term and pays the bills over the long haul then take a look at some of the steps listed below.
1) Take a Career Inventory
Going through a career inventory test to find out your strengths and weaknesses can shine a light on potential career options.
Career inventory tests also take into account your preferences and the personality traits necessary for certain occupations.
In fact, you might even take a personality inventory if you go to a career counsellor to help zero in on your dream job.
2) Engage Your Passions
If you hate talking about your career at parties or if you’re not even remotely excited about waking up in the morning to another day at the office, a reshuffle might be in order.
Think about how you can turn one of your long-time interests into a viable career. If you’ve always been passionate about programming or computers, then consider becoming a website designer or freelance programmer with a web development firm.
Even with job security ranked as a lower priority by many young adults, there are still thousands of opportunities for those just entering the job market to turn their passion into a career.
If arts and crafts has always been a hobby, consider eBay or Etsy for hosting some of your merchandise. Freelancing and online storefronts really open up a world of career possibilities.
3) Go on an Internship!
As long as you keep some salary flexibility and are open to remain on-call, a summer internship could give you exposure to a host of industries and help you narrow down your options.
Internships are also great because they allow you to network and gain exposure to working professionals. An internship could even lead to a full-time job.
Overall, internships are an efficient way to see if a career is right for you and, if it is, an internship gets your foot in the door and might even land you your first job.
4) Study Liberally at University
If you’re already at a liberal arts university and have the chance to take five or more open electives, then make sure that you’re getting exposure to a lot of different areas.
Take some sociology and psychology classes along with a course in economics or religious studies to test the waters.
5) Visit a Career Counsellor
Career counsellors are excellent at peering below the surface and connecting your personality and interests with potential job opportunities. A career counsellor can even steer you in a direction that you didn’t even know existed.
From there you can interview and shadow professionals on your own to get a day-in-the-life experience of what your potential dream job has to offer.
6) Check for Openings
The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the most promising careers every year based on employment outlook.
If becoming a health aide, registered nurse or accountant appeals to you, for instance, then you’re in luck because all of these careers were listed as very promising in the latest Occupational Outlook Handbook put together by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
7) Consider Your Values
If a career doesn’t allow you to live the lifestyle that you’d be happy with on a day-to-day basis, then nix it from your list.
A career should give you financial security without forcing you to sacrifice your ideal lifestyle or morals.
Finding the perfect career should tap into your talents and interests while giving you job security and satisfaction at the end of the day.
