How to choose the right career
Choosing the right career can be a daunting task, especially when you are just starting out or looking for a change. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know where to begin. It is important to remember that choosing the right career is not just about finding a job that pays well, it’s about finding something that aligns with your values, interests, and skills.
By taking the time to assess your strengths, skills, and goals, you can make an informed decision about your career path and increase your chances of success.
Making good career decisions starts with understanding your personality and motivation, but it doesn’t stop there. A key part of a successful job search is having a well-written and effective resume.
This document is often the first point of contact between a job seeker and a potential employer, and it’s crucial that it makes a good impression.
Unfortunately, bias can often affect our career decisions, even in the way we present ourselves in a resume. Research shows that early career preferences are largely influenced by external factors like status, media, parental influence, and peer pressure.
However, when you start to think critically about your career goals and work with professional resume writers, these preferences can be lost, and you can have a resume that truly represents your skills, experience and abilities.
Which tech career is right for you?
Are you ready to make a career change and be part of the next generation of workers? Thinkful has a variety of tech programs that will equip you with the skills you need. In addition, you’ll need a top-notch resume.
It is more difficult to make a career change once you have started on a particular career path. In addition, it will be harder to change as you feel pressure to stay on the same career path.
There is no better time than the present, and everyone in the job market should be proactive in making career choices.
You can learn more about your strengths by researching options and ultimately finding the right path.
Below are some considerations that will help you make the right career decision.
1. Explore Your Interests
You don’t get to choose your interests. They are either born or acquired over time. The Holland codes identify six types of interest.
- Realistic (Doers).
- Investigative (Thinkers).
- Artistic (Creators).
- Social (Helpers).
- Entrepreneurship (Persuaders).
- Conventional (Organizers).
You may be more suited for certain jobs depending on your interests. Therefore, exploring your interests and looking into Holland Occupational Themes is a good idea.
2. Understanding your personality type
It is easier to narrow down your career options once you clearly understand your personality type.
Extroverts are people who enjoy social interaction and group gatherings. People who deal with you, such as sales, project management, and social media management, will appeal to you.
Introverts don’t care about socializing with others. Instead, they focus on one task and take pride in their actions. This personality type is ideal for software engineering, data analysis, and accounting roles.
Understanding your personality is more than just looking at the introverted and extroverted aspects. Popular tools for assessing personality include the Myers-Briggs Indicator. There are 16 personality types in total. Although this may seem like a large scale, experts argue that the indicator is too simplistic and doesn’t have enough categories.
We recommend background research to learn more about personality types and how they can help your career search.
3. Make the most of your skills
Your education and work history will shape your skillset. There are two types of hard technical skills and transferable soft skills.
These soft skills are highly valued:
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Organization
- Time Management
- Negotiation
Soft skills can be transferred and used in any job, regardless of what type.
Hard skills are specific to a particular industry and only apply to certain roles. Therefore, these skills can only be learned and practiced with focused training.
It is smart to choose a career that requires you to have some of the same skills or similar skills that you already have. If you have a skill gap, an online bootcamp might help fill it. These courses are focused and provide the latest tools and techniques. Experts designed them to get you up to speed quickly. For more information about the programs, contact our admissions team
4. Find the Ideal Work Environment
It includes things like working hours, work relationships, and management structure. This could include things like travel opportunities and the location of the office. A perfect career is one you are passionate about. If you don’t like the work environment, it can lead to frustration.
5. Register for an Internship
Consider applying for internship positions after you have done your inner research and chosen a career path.
Internships are a great way to gain valuable experience and learn. Internships can improve your resume and help land you a job with a high-paying company. Some internships lead to full-time employment after the term is over.
An internship allows you to test your field before you commit. It is possible that you don’t get the job you wanted. In this case, you can keep what you have learned and continue your search.
6. Take into consideration your limitations
Many factors, such as geographical and financial constraints, family responsibilities, or skills or qualifications, can limit your career choices. However, you can create a plan of action if you already have a career path in mind but feel that something is holding you back. This could involve moving or upgrading your professional skills through online training courses.
7. Make an informed decision
Online research can be a great way to learn about specific career options. You can find detailed job descriptions, required skills, average salaries, and projected growth. Our blog provides insight into many popular careers in tech. Online research can give much information, but it’s better to get direct answers. Ask professionals in the field to learn as much information as possible. Find contact information on company websites. You may also attend industry conferences. You will get a true insight into the work done by the professionals you already know. You can then decide if the real-life accounts align with your expectations.
8. Continue Learning
It is important to assess your strengths and weaknesses constantly. You can improve your skills and learn new techniques to help you find the parts of your job you love.
You can fill in any skills gaps by completing additional training. Volunteer work, internships, community development programs, and small freelance projects are all options. You’ll be able to gain new experiences and improve your skills by doing this.
Online bootcamps are offered in Software Engineering, Data Science, Project Management, and other technical fields. The industry’s top experts have created our intensive courses to help you acquire the required skills. We aim to give practical, hands-on training to help you get a job in your chosen field.
9. Start a business
It can be tempting to create your own business if you are bored or dissatisfied with your current job. But first, you must understand the realities of starting a new business. Knowing your areas of interest, your business plan, and your commitment to the idea is important. Also, you will need to conduct extensive market research, create a business plan and identify potential investors. Finally, accept that you will have very little income in the beginning.
Find your ideal career and make a change
Hopefully, you have a solid foundation to help you choose your next career. It can be difficult to learn the right career for you. It’s common for many people to fail at this task, but that’s okay.
You always have the opportunity to change your career path and reskill in an industry that interests you.