How to Choose a Career? (7 Steps)

Learn how to choose a career path in life today. Learning how to choose a career in life too early is a wise decision. As the old saying goes, “your future is today” is absolutely true. In choosing the right career path, you must understand that there are important things to consider.

Let us first understand the word “career”. Career means occupation, it is calling, a course, dodge, employment, field, expertise or specialty. Think about what profession do you want. How do you see yourself when you are at lifework. Career means a game of life, a job and a livelihood. Livelihood means what do you do for a living.

In choosing your career path in life, you need to know some important “number”. The date or deadlines. When should you become a professional. When should you start using your skills to earn a living.

There are many professions you can choose. But focus on “what do you love to do”. Most successful people choose the things they love to do rather than just loving the things they are doing.

Do what you love or love what you do? That’s the question when choosing a career path in life. During your high school days you have been taught about “career planning”. Your teacher ask you what college course you want to take. Fortunately, while you are in high school, there are special career planning quiz you can take to be given by your teacher. In career planning, you will understand “how to choose a career in life”. You can easily find out which college course you should take based on your skills like entrepreneurial skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, etc.

How to Choose a Career? (Step by Step Guide)

Here are the step by step guide on how to choose a career path in life. I will guide you from your high school days, after high school, choosing college courses and how to choose a career path in life after you finished your college degree.

1. Take career planning during your high school days. Tell your teacher or the guidance counselor to give you a career planning examination. In this exam, you will find out your interest, your skills and what course you should take when you enter college.
2. Take good college courses not because your parents choose it. Choose courses according to what you really want. Choose courses according to your goal in life. Things to consider when choosing a college courses; how much money you will spend studying this course? Is this course the right course for me? What job can I get after I took this college course? If I get a job because I finished this course, is my job financially rewarding? Know your desire. Know your interest and skills. Take courses based on your interest and skills. Example, if you are happy in drawing and sketching, you can choose to be an architect or a graphic artist. You can choose to take fine arts. If you are good at cooking and you love to cook, try a course that can make you a good chef.
3. Pass the board examination. Get licensed to get more credibility. Companies and the government will look for your license when you are applying for a job.
4. Apply for a job that aligned to your college courses. If you took bachelor of science in architecture and you are now a licensed architect, make sure your job is about drawing architectural plans or any related tasks of architects.
5. Apply a job to a company that has room for improvement and promotions. If you think you will not grow in the company you are working with, leave the company and look for another company. Start working in a lower levels of employees. Work hard and be productive. Make yourself as the best asset of the company you are working with. That way, your career in that company will become better because of “promotions”. I know many people (employees) who started as a cashier or a janitor, due to hard work, they are now the manager, and sometimes because of setting “big goals”, they dream big and start their own company.
6. Learn financial education for better career. What’s the sense of making more money because you get a good job? Yes, you can easily get a financially rewarding job, but how do you spend your finances? Learn to save and invest money. Don’t just know how to work for  money. Learn how to make your money work hard for you.
7. Get rich by starting your own business. Ask the millionaires or the billionaires how do they get rich? They will simply answer, “I start my own business” or they will simply replied, “I never stop dreaming to become my own boss”.

Image Credit: Darren Draper on Creative Commons 2.0 via Flickr — Some Bosses

Guide Question on How to Choose a Career in Life

As a guide, you will only know that you have chosen the right career path in your life if you have total freedom. Time and financial freedom. So, I am going to leave you an important question today. Which do you think can help you get more time freedom and financial freedom? To become an employee or to become your own boss?

Think of those people who are working from 9 to 5. And think of those people who are making more money sitting in their favorite sofa, making more money while they are on vacation, making more money while they are with their friends, loved ones spending a quality time together in the beach or overseas. See the difference? A simple question that can guide you how to choose a career path in life. Does this make sense?

Image Credit: huppypie on Creative Commons 2.0 via Flickr — Career Board Game

Maybe you asked, I am not after to money. I have the heroism attitude in me. Then, serve your country and its citizen by becoming a part of country’s defense. You can become a marine corp, a navy, a pilot in air force department, an army, a coast guard or even a policeman.

In my opinion, careers in medicine, health and technology will do good compare to other courses. We are in an information age, you can choose to become a software engineer, an computer engineer or even an technology inventor and make a fortune.

People’s lives is very vulnerable. We need health providers. We need health workers. We need a lot of nurses and doctors. Our planet needs effective medicine to cure diseases. Who knows, you’re the one who can discover effective drugs to lengthen the lives of many people.

I will also leave you these quotes from unknown wise man, he said;

“…at the end of the day, the issue is not how much you do, it’s how much you earn”. It’s reality! I strongly agree with that statement! Take that quote and be wise in choosing your career path in life.

I know you got my point. InvestmentTotal.com is always here to guide you. Now you know how to choose a career path in life. Did you find this career guide useful? Share it with your friends. Subscribe to this blog for more career guidance in my future posts.