How to Decide a Career Path

WHAT DOES "CAREER PATH" MEAN?

Most journeys have a path and a destination and a career journey is no different. "Career PATH" means the direction in which you want your career to go in and the destination you would like it to achieve.

Some of the elements of Career Path are - job, industry, and responsibility you want to take, recognition you want, and way you want to work.

Some of us choose just one career PATH in our lifetime; however, many of us may want to revise our career PATH one or more number of times. You may be choosing a career PATH because either you are starting your career OR you want to see new opportunities or fulfill new ambitions or may be changes in your job or industry have forced you to consider new career PATH.

HOW TO DECIDE A CAREER PATH?

In earlier times most of the people were on a career PATH which they have not consciously chosen and which has been given to them by circumstances. We here such stories - "My father was a painter and his dad before him" OR “In our times we did not have college in our town so I have taken this job” OR “My college School didn't offer me those subjects".

And some even say that "It was the first job I had and I've just stayed" OR “There are not many options for girls”

With the changing times people have become more conscious of choosing their career. Even some of the job portals take advantage of this fact that people are not happy in wrong career choice (Must have seen that TV commercial of Monster – “Caught in the wrong job”). In the new age your choice of career PATH is important and should be an Informed; and well thought-out choice

INFORM YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR CHOICES

You will need to keep yourself informed about – You, the influences which may affect your choices and your options.

About You

You will need to consider some of the crucial aspects and ask questions like

(1) what you want from life?

(2) What are your motives for working – some work for money, some for learning and so on?

(3) What rewards you want from work?

(4) What are your key skills

(5) how much you want to change and how much you are prepared to change for job?

Influences on Your Choices

Many factors can influence your choice of career PATH. Understanding what they are and how they might affect your choice will help you put them in right perspective and decide which ones should influence you.

Key factors which may influence your choice of career PATH are :

(1) Changes to types of work and ways of working (e.g. computers have changes many jobs)

(2) Changes to the availability of education and training

(3) Your financial circumstances

(4) Other people in your life (e.g. family).

Your options If you are considering a change in your career PATH, your options will fall into one or following category - Change your skills, Change your job or industry or Change your way of working.

To identify your options you may need to inform yourself about The nature of specific jobs or industries, opportunities in specific jobs or industries, skills needed for specific jobs or industries and training and education opportunities.

MAKING WELL-THOUGHT-OUT DECISION OF CHOICE

You have seen that you may need to be informed about a lot of things before you can start making a choice. Some people feel that they able to make choices on their own, you may prefer or need to discuss your choices with other people.

The person could be someone at your workplace, or someone who does professional career counseling or may be your cousin whom you feel is appropriate.

We recommend you to seek independent advice from a careers guidance adviser who can also give you access to professional resources such as a career matching exercise, which can help you to identify career PATHs which would suit you.

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