What factors should you consider when making career decisions? When choosing a career, there are SO MANY variables to consider. And it's a difficult decision to make when you're young. What if you need to correct the right decision? What if you end up despising a job you thought you'd love? We created this guide on seven factors to consider when choosing a career to help calm your nerves and provide clarity. Let's get this party started!
We are constantly confronted with choices throughout our lives. Some of these choices are minor and insignificant, while others have the potential to shape our lives profoundly. Choosing a career path is one of the most important decisions we will ever make.
With that in mind, what factors should I consider when selecting a career? Here are five of the most important:
Your passions and interests
When planning a career, your passions and interests are the first things to consider. In the end, what makes you happy? If you're passionate about helping others, consider a career in social work or education. If the prospect of travel and adventure excites you, consider a career in the travel industry or the military. If you enjoy the challenge of problem-solving, engineering or another STEM field might be for you.
Whatever your objectives are, there is a career out there for you. By taking the time to consider what you want out of life, you can find the path that leads to the happiness and success you seek.
Your desired salary
What are the salary-related factors to consider when choosing a career? While choosing a job you enjoy is critical, you must also ensure that you can support yourself financially. However, various resources can help you compare salaries for multiple careers.
Glassdoor and PayScale are two excellent places to begin. These websites also have online salary calculators that can help you determine how much you can expect to earn based on your education, location, and experience level. For example, if you're interested in teaching, compare average teacher salaries across states.
It would be best if you also looked into teachers' salaries at various levels (elementary, middle, and high school) and with varying experience levels. All these factors will ensure that you select a career that meets your financial needs and interests.
Eligibility Criteria
What are the educational requirements to consider when choosing a career? While some jobs only require on-the-job training, others may require investing years (and tens of thousands of dollars) in your education. With the average student loan debt hovering around $40,000, ensuring that the salary you can expect to earn is worth the potential debt you may have to incur is critical. The average law student, for example, graduates with $160,000 in student loan debt, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they can earn around $127,990 annually.
Meanwhile, many real estate agents only need to pass a real estate exam to get started and can earn $60,000 or more per year, depending on where they live. To summarise, ensure you know of any upfront costs associated with pursuing a career.
Balance between Work and Life
So, what other factors should you consider when deciding on a career? Work/life balance is one you may have yet to consider.
It's too easy today to get caught up in the rat race and sacrifice your personal life for professional success. This, however, can lead to burnout, health issues, and unhappiness. Some professions are notorious for having little to no work/life balance. For example, construction managers, lawyers, financial analysts, and doctors work more than 40 hours per week.
That's fantastic if these hours work for you. However, if you want a job that allows you to have a life outside of work, you should look for one that offers flexible hours, the ability to work remotely, or ample time off. There are even great jobs for stay-at-home moms if they have children.
Remember that your career should enrich your life rather than consume it. You can have a successful career and a rich personal life by finding a good work/life balance that works for you.
Travel necessities
Travel requirements are among the most important factors to consider when choosing a career. Some jobs require extensive travel, while others require little to no travel. Consider what position would best suit your personal lifestyle goals and preferences.
If you want to travel the world, a job requiring frequent travel might be a good fit. Working in fashion, sales, event planning, or even the airline industry is an example of this. A stationary career in a field such as accounting, engineering, or education (among countless others) may be a better choice if you prefer to stay closer to home.
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