Finding the right career for yourself is a complex and usually challenging endeavor. Very few of us pick a career path early in life and end up sticking with that career throughout our lives. With so many jobs and even Industries being disrupted by new technologies and business models, it complicates things even more. Trying to balance what might work with what you also love to do is certainly one of the most hand-wringing elements of selecting a career today.
The proper approach to take is one that considers all of the factors that should be considered. Here’s a short list of some of the key factors that should be included in your career search.
Skill Set
You have to consider what you are trained at currently when thinking about finding your perfect career. Some careers like a doctor or lawyer require lots of time spent educating yourself. And professionals in finance like Patrick Dwyer Merrill Lynch executive have had to dedicate years to educate themselves on the intricacies of their profession in order to stay successful.
If you do not already have this education, it can complicate things because you will need to find both the time and money to dedicate toward this career. However the payoff can certainly be worth the time spent because both doctors and lawyers are well-compensated and can always find work.
Many other careers require skills and training before you can engage in them. So if you choose a career where you do not currently have the skills, you should understand that you are requiring yourself to take on additional training in order to undertake that career. You should make sure that any career you want to take that requires additional training, has a good chance of providing you a good living. Many people choose careers in the Arts that require lots of training, and find that these jobs often do not provide much work. So do your research and make sure that the amount of work required to gain skills in a career you have an interest in, is justified.
What You Love Vs. What You are Great At
This is the Angel question and trying to determine your perfect career. Do you do what you love, or do you do what you are great at? There’s no doubt that doing what you love can provide great career satisfaction and motivate you to work extremely hard at your career. Too many people today are trapped in careers that compensate them well but that do not provide satisfaction in other important ways.
With this said however your career should also be able to support you financially and provide a lifestyle of the type you would love. There’s also the fact that you might simply not be great at what you love. In this case, pursuing it as a career might never allow you to generate success or money.
If you pursue some something that you are great at, but might not love, the benefits derived from having success in that career might be enough to outweigh the facts that you do not love what you do. It is important to be honest with yourself about these factors and to make sober decisions that will positively affect your future. If you are supporting a family and kids then choosing the route that most guarantees consistent and good income is likely the smartest choice. Again you may not love what you do, but you will be able to financially contribute to your family.
