Exploring different interests may lead you to a career choice you want to pursue.
If you’re an adult who’s still struggling with the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, you aren’t alone. Even those who think they know which career they want to pursue often end up doing something else after their education is complete. Rameez Khizer
In a way, being unsure can actually help you in the end, because you will probably spend more time figuring out what you really want than someone who has grown up thinking they want a particular career. Here are some tips for deciding which career path to take that may help you on your journey.
1. Do a career assessment.
Most colleges have assessment tools available that will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses as well as personality traits that might predispose you to particular career fields. Career counselors may also be available to work you through the process in a more personal way. Alternatively, there are tools online if you live in an area where in-person assessments are not available. Rameez Khizer
2. Explore several options.
Most career assessments will give you several options that seem to dovetail with your skills and traits. Try to identify some career paths that you can explore and research further. Eliminate options you have no interest in doing, even if they come up high on your assessment.
Look up each career field, including the types of jobs you can get, degrees or other education required, and opportunities for advancement. Think about what’s important to you in a job. If pay is important, look at that. Working hours, vacation time, and benefits probably vary by the job, but you may be able to gain some insights on these things during your research. You don’t want to spend months or years preparing for a career that will never pay you enough for you to be happy, or one that requires long hours if you want to have a good work-life balance. Rameez Khizer
Choosing a career in IT may mean taking IT courses to gain the right skills.
3. Go deeper.
Once you have narrowed down your options to two or three, ask around to see if anyone you know has connections to people with the kinds of jobs you are considering, and ask them to introduce you so you can set up a time to meet with them and ask questions about their careers. Online and print research are useful in getting an overview of different career fields, but talking to people who are actually in those fields will help you get a vision for what a job in that field might look like.
4. Make your choice.
After you have spent some time researching and talking to people, you should be able to choose one career field. Pursue the education you need to enter that field with reasonable certainty that you will enjoy your work and find it satisfying. Rameez Khizer
5. Keep your options open.
You may have chosen a particular career field, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you will be in that field for life. Most adults working today will have at least two to three different careers in their lifetime as their interests develop and change. Furthermore, a good opportunity may present itself in a different field even though you may have developed skills in preparation for a certain career.
One career field with plenty of opportunities is information technology. If you have an aptitude for computer skills or have pre-existing skills in technology and computers, taking some IT courses can help you get a whole new career started or qualify you for a promotion in your current job or a job in a different specialty area. Rameez Khizer
PC AGE offers IT courses that lead to certifications employers value and to more advanced jobs in the IT field. Request info on all our programs and begin to discover how our IT courses can give you a career you will enjoy.