If you were to pose the question of how people chose their career path, you probably would receive numerous answers and some might surprise you. Like the vice president of finance who took a temp job in accounting in order to survive as an artist, and ended up being promoted time again with their employer. Or take the student who quit halfway through medical school to pursue an engineering path instead of following their parents’ wishes to have a physician in the family.
When asked how they chose their career, most people say they didn’t. Their employers and parents did by telling them what direction to take. Truth be told, most people are not that good at choosing their career path and that’s why there is so much angst surrounding career decisions.
A joint survey from PARADE magazine and Yahoo! Finance of 26,000 Americans found that almost 60 percent would choose a different career. It’s not unusual for people to start out their careers in one direction only to end up finding where their true interests lie. No doubt happenstance can play a role in your career. However, when it comes to the cost of an education or happiness there has to be a better way in choosing your career.
First of all, know that every career path will have its good days and bad ones. Just because you are experiencing a tough time at work doesn’t always mean you chose the wrong career. It could be the work culture or the leadership style of your boss.
Instead of relying on others to choose your career path for you stop and consider what the consequences are in letting someone else direct your path. Here are five ways to help you decide on a better career choice.
Get the facts. Spend time conducting informational interviews; gathering real time information helps give you a reality check on the direction you want to pursue. Ask good questions about things that are meaningful to you. Just because a career sounds good on paper doesn’t mean you will like it.
Listen to your voice. If your head and heart are together with your career choice, you are on the right track. When you feel out of sync with what you are pursuing, pay attention; it’s a good clue to keep searching.
Develop a plan. Yogi Berra made a great observation: “If you don’t know where you are going to you’ll end up someplace else.”
Determine the risk factors. If working independently sounds wonderful, start by evaluating the risks involved. Starting your own business is a risk, though a good one if you have the right personality and the financial means. Consider the costs.
You are not successful alone. Make relationship building a part of your career development. Your circle of friends will often influence your career direction and will have a different perspective of your strengths. Through their connections doors can be opened to new opportunities.
In your personal experience, what happens when someone else chooses a career for you?
