November 3, 2022 |
There’s no greater fear than being in a career you hate. It’s a soul-sucking, passion-killing experience that can make even the most ambitious person feel stuck in a rut. Unfortunately, it’s a reality for far too many people.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Just because you don’t have a specific career, doesn’t mean that you should settle for just anything. There are ways to figure out what job is right for you, starting with taking a closer look at yourself.
Trying to figure out the answer to the question “What job should I have?” can be daunting – but it doesn’t have to be. The following six steps will help you narrow down your options and help you eventually find the right career:
The first step to identifying a job you love is to start with what you are passionate about. What makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning? What tasks can you not wait to tackle each day? Identifying your areas of passion is a great place to start because it will help you narrow down your options.
Many people are passionate about certain things but have never considered turning that passion into a career. Some people may not even know they can find a career that is both a job and a passion.
For example, if your hobby is playing video games, there are actually plenty of jobs that involve gaming. Even if you don’t have the skills for game design, you could find work at gaming websites, software companies, and gaming stores. You could also work in various gaming-related jobs, from sales to advertising and management.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to stop at what you are passionate about. Whatever your passions are, you can use these as a starting point for finding a job or career that suits you.
Consider what motivates you to stay in your current job. Whether it’s the people you work with, the company culture, or the opportunity to learn and grow, there are usually some essential factors that keep you motivated at work. Be cognisant of these motivators as you look for a new job because they can help guide you towards the job that is right for you.
Once you’ve identified the things you are passionate about and what motivates you in your current job, it’s time to create your “dream job” list. Your dream job list should contain all the jobs you can think of that would suit you based on your interests and motivators.
Don’t worry about whether the jobs you list are realistic or not. Once you begin researching the jobs you’ve outlined on your list, you might find other related positions that are more realistic and relevant to your passions, but that still meet your motivators.
After creating your list of dream jobs, begin thoroughly researching each position. Specifically, look at the requirements of each job and how much they pay. When considering the salary range of a job, ask yourself how important money is. Is it necessary to make a lot of money? Or are there other things that are more important to you?
For some, money might be more important than any other element of a job because of the freedom it provides to do what you want in your personal life. For others, it’s more important to be fulfilled by the job they do. However, for most, the sweet spot is somewhere in the middle.
The goal should be to find a potential career that is related to one of your passions and also pays well. You can use the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to find salary information about various jobs. If you do, be sure to use your existing salary (or the salary at your last job) as a baseline for your search.
Finding a job related to your passions that also meets your motivators and pays well is the absolute dream. However, there are many other factors to consider as well.
For instance, you’ll want to find out how much training you’ll need for the position, and you’ll also want to look at the expected growth rate. Even if the job meets all your requirements, it might not be much of a dream job if you can’t secure a position because the demand is low.
Therefore, make sure that there are either plenty of jobs available for that position – or that the growth rate in that industry is increasing.
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of dream jobs, try to imagine if you would be satisfied with taking one of those jobs. If you think you will be, then start doing additional research by looking for information about the job online.
For instance, search for informational interviews with people who hold those jobs and see what they say about the position and whether they are satisfied with their careers.
You can also post questions on online forums, such as Reddit, and engage with people who are already in the career you’re thinking about pursuing. By gathering information in this way, you can better understand whether you would be happy in that job in the future.
Even after following the previously listed steps to identify a potential career, there are additional factors to consider. Suppose you’re currently employed and are considering pursuing a new career or another job. In that case, the following are a few other factors that you’ll want to consider before deciding to switch jobs:
If you’re looking for a change in your career, it’s important to consider all of the factors involved. However, choosing a career that resonates with you is the most important thing. After all, you’ll be spending a large portion of your life working, so you should aim to choose a career that you’re both passionate about and that will motivate you.
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