Choosing the Right Career for the Ideal Job
Many people enter careers and jobs without thinking if this is right for me or 5-10 years later they realize this is not what they expected. Many people go months or even years without being happy with their careers. Some may take any job available, while others may follow in their parents’ footsteps. This may work for some, but many others never discover their true professional abilities and are dissatisfied with their jobs.
Careful career planning is essential to fulfilling the job search that will give you years of enjoyment and job satisfaction. If you go to work, it could also be something you enjoy doing and have the ability to do. Knowing what your skills are and what you are good at is the starting point for choosing the right career. It is unlikely that you will be completely satisfied in your career unless you use skills that you enjoy and are good at.
Ask yourself some questions like: What interests do I have? What kind of people would I like to work with?
Don’t confuse a dream job with a job title. You may enjoy working in one place and hate working in another. They could both have the same job title but be completely different jobs.
Let’s say you were looking for a job as a salesperson or teacher, these would be job titles. The ideal job within the salesperson category could be in retail sales, real estate, manufacturing sales representatives, auto sales, etc. A teacher may teach students in kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, or high school. Or a teacher might teach adults or people with special needs to read and write. So, don’t choose a job just because of its title, but because of the different areas of work under the title that fits your interests and skills. People are more likely to stay in a career and be successful if it suits their interests and skills.
It would be wise to spend more time thinking about what kind of work you want to do. Some key factors to consider when planning a career are your skills, interests, earnings, location, work environment, types of people you like to work with, etc.
You may have to go back to school to get more education, but don’t let that stop you from landing that dream job. Education and income go hand in hand. The more education you have, the more money you will be able to earn. Although profits are important, liking your work is just as important.
Having a college degree is definitely an advantage in career planning, but many trade, technical, and other schools offer similar opportunities to people without a college degree.
A well-trained electrician, plumber, police officer, auto mechanic, computer repair technician, tool and die maker, among many others, can do very well in today’s economy. There are many jobs that only require a year or two of training. Many companies and organizations have on the job training while paying your salary. People in sales, small business, self-employment, and other fields of work do quite well without a college degree, though higher education often requires more education.
Your career will most likely change throughout your life, no matter how much you plan your career. That makes it important for you to recognize what you’re good at and develop those skills throughout your life. As your interests change, you may want to develop new skills.
Good career planning is very important, but it must be done in the context of what you want to do with your life.
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