A very important aspect of an individual’s life is getting a career. After school, the next step to focus on is building a career by choosing a job in relation to the field of expertise or a work where competencies are useful. A well-established career is one that is carefully chosen and dutifully performed. Choosing a job that is in line with your profession can lead to a successful career.
Career decision making is very critical in every individual for the fulfillment of that aspect in one’s life. It is a process of choosing a career choice based on personal skills and experiences. The problem with some people who cannot make up their minds on the kind of career to make is that they end up hopping from job to another, without any clear path or direction. A constant job shift does not reflect a reputable image of being a good working professional. The ultimate goal of a successful career is contentment in the chosen field.
Important Things to Know about Career Decisions
• Where to start
The first step to take in building a career is to know oneself. By learning about your own self, you must be aware of your skills, interests, values and competencies.
• Individual interests
Interests are those things that you enjoy doing. They can be the hobbies that you really like doing. These hobbies may turn out to be a career of your choice. For example, if you love cooking as a hobby, you might consider the career as a chef or cook in a restaurant.
• Individual abilities and skills
Physical and mental activities that you are good at are considered abilities which may be developed through training and education. Skills are also acquired and developed over time. These skills and abilities are your weapons in choosing the best career for you.
• Individual values
Values are the principles governing your personal choice over things that mean a lot to you. If you are an eco-friendly type of person, you might consider a career that is concerned about the environment.
• Career advisors
Talking to trusted people who have built good careers can be helpful for you. Gain insights from their stories and you might just be clearer with your career decision.
• Where to get career information
Career choices can be taken from various sources such as newspaper classified ads, online job sites, job centers, job agencies, and school bulletin.
Career Decision Making Process
Career decisions are not instantly made. Just like any type of decision making, it requires a careful process that involves identifying personal skills, interests and values, gathering useful information, and using an effective method to get that career. The simple steps in making career choices are:
1. Defining the problem. The problem here may not really mean something negative. It can be issues like what company to choose, the kind of job you really want, where to go after college graduation, accepting the offer from another employer, and accepting the promotion or not.
2. Establish clear goals and what you want to happen from the decision.
3. Make a list of choices or alternatives and evaluate each based on their advantages and disadvantages. Gather information for additional inputs.
4. Compare the alternatives with your individual requirements on the kind of career you want.
5. Choose the most feasible choice and implement it. If it is a particular job you have chosen, start sending out resumes to potential employers for that specific kind of job.
Considering Short and Long-Term Goals
Setting short-term and long-term goals being part of the career decision making process makes an effective career plan. Short-term goals are those objectives which are achievable for a short time period. These goals are usually the stepping stones to your long-term goals. Long-term goals are objectives that create a bigger impact in your life as these are the bigger pictures you wish to attain. Long-term goals are usually accomplished through the success of short-term goals, so it takes time to be achieved.
Being successful in one’s career is not a difficult thing to do. Apart from hard work and perseverance, being able to make a good career choice also matters a lot.
