Unlocking Your Potential: Steps to Discovering Your Ideal Career
Choosing a career when you’re young can be difficult, and it’s a big decision without enough life experience to gauge what you want to be doing for the rest of your life. There are different things you can think about when considering an ideal career. Think about these steps for discovering the ideal career:
Do your research
Before deciding on a career, it’s important to understand what you’re getting into. Deciding on a specific career can be challenging if you don’t know what will be expected of you. Do some research on the kind of job you’re considering getting, whether that’s a medical assistant program or you want to get into a dental hygienist program.
Understand what may be expected of you in your studies, so you can make an informed decision on whether or not that’s what you want to do.
Ask your family and friends for input
Another way to learn what you may be good at and what could be the ideal career for you is to ask your family and friends. Some people have a natural talent and don’t realize how this could serve them in a long-term career.
Once someone points it out, they may only know how good they are at a specific skill. You may discover that you have a skill or natural talent that could propel you into a career you may have never thought possible. As a bonus, if you do something you truly love and are good at, work will be much more enjoyable for you in the long run.
Get a summer position at your target job
If you’re not really sure what kind of industry you’d want to work in, there’s no harm in exploring a little. A summer job running errands at a local law firm can help you get familiar with the whole environment if you’re considering pursuing a law career. Volunteering at a hospital or looking into various apprenticeships can help you understand any career you might be interested in.
Assisting a local artist at their art gallery could help you get in the know. Don’t be afraid to explore fields before pursuing a degree to work in one of those fields.
"While a diligent search for the “right” career makes all the sense in the world, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re likely to make several career shifts over the course of your working life. Interests and priorities change and evolve, and as you deepen your knowledge of, and experience in, your chosen career you may discover that the path forward involves a change in responsibilities that moves you away from what attracted you to the field in the first place. Plus you’ll learn as you grow, and you’ll find that you’ll discover whole new types of functions and responsibilities, new strengths and “likes,” and new relationships that broaden your horizons, all of which will contribute to fine-tuning that “right” career!"
Think about the ideal work day
If you’re thinking about a future career, take some time to think about the long-term reality of this decision. While pursuing a career as a doctor may seem attractive regarding the salary you’ll be making, the reality means long days and a lot of pressure.
If that’s not the lifestyle you want for your future, pivot to something that could provide you with a great salary but maybe a more relaxed workday if that’s something you prefer. If you are exploring options for your future, think about the day-to-day before making any decision. Life is long, and you want your workday to be something you can endure for years.
Think about your talent
If you are good at art or writing or have great organizational skills, it’s important to consider how you could bring these skills to life in a career. Having natural-born talent can make a job a lot easier for you than it could be for others who have to train hard to become remotely good at that skill.
Many of us have skills from childhood that we don’t think much about, but if you take time researching careers, you may find that your talent could lead you to great success with the right planning, programs, and preparation.
In Conclusion
Choosing the ideal career may not be something you can figure out right away, but it could be easier than you imagined to pick a job that will satisfy you. Explore options, consider summer jobs to try something out, and take your time deciding on your future job, so you can be sure you’re making the right choice.
