5 savvy tips for finding the right career path

Most adults work for around 50 years – which can feel like a century if a person isn’t following their passion or embarking on something challenging or fulfilling. Other people are lucky enough to know exactly what they want out of life and are able to follow that dream happily. Others aren’t sure which career is best but that’s OK. If you fall into the latter category, you’re not alone. The following tips can help you figure out which career path is right for you.

Think about what motivates you

What gets you excited? What are you passionate about? If money was no object, what job would you happily do for free? Asking yourself questions like this can help to uncover the type of job or industry that will make you happy, even on the hardest days. Passion isn’t necessarily the be all and end all of professional happiness or success, but it certainly plays a large role in the overall experience.

Consider what you are good at

If you are weighing up a couple of different potential career paths or don’t have anything specific that really drives and motivates you, looking towards your current skills and strengths is a great place to start. Think about what you’re not so good at too. For example if you always did better in English than you did in Maths, accounting might not be the best career choice for you – though it’s always possible to learn new things!

Research study options

Spend a bit of time looking up some of the tertiary and vocational courses that are available to study. Most education institutions like Evocca College have great course descriptions available on their website that not only tell you what you’ll gain from the course, but also where it could potentially take you too.

Take tests and quizzes

There are hundreds of online career assessment quizzes and tests that you can do to help you work out some potential career options and pathways. This is a great way for people who really aren’t sure what they want to do to get some realistic suggestions to research and consider.

Gain experience

Think about doing some volunteer or intern placement positions. Not only does this help you expand your network and build your skills, but the exposure to different industries and job functions can be really helpful. It also looks great on your resume so it is something that can continue to help you well after your last ‘shift’ has been worked.

With five decades of professional life to work with, it’s okay if you still aren’t sure exactly what it is you want to do. Nowadays it is never too late to chase your dreams or change your path if you decide what you’re currently doing isn’t right for you.

How did you decide on your current career path?