Not Sure About Your Career Choice? Here’s How to Make the Best Decision

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In a survey, 16% of Australians admit to having chosen the wrong career, with an additional 25% being unsure about the careers they are in. 

With many people being furloughed or having reduced hours during the Coronavirus (COVID-19), now is the perfect time to reflect on your career and decide if it’s really making you happy.

Truth be told, everyone has a regret or two and wish they had done some things differently. Unfortunately, making the wrong career choice can greatly impact the quality of your life.

If you are still unsure about what you would love to spend the next few decades of your life doing, here are some tips to help you pick the best career decision.

Take a Career Quiz

A career quiz is a set of questions designed to help you identify your best-fitted careers based on your skills, personality, interests and abilities.

This is a test you can take while still in University to help with your course choices, and also at any point during your career if you feel unhappy in your line of work.

At whichever point you take the career quiz, you are sure that it will point you towards a career ideally suited for you.

Get a head start and take the career quiz here

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Assess Your Life Goals

A career you love can quickly become a pain point if it does not agree with other areas of your life. If you would love the opportunity to spend a lot of time with your family, then a field like medicine might place you in a collision course. 

This makes it important to make career choices with your ideal lifestyle in mind. Also, think about other things that are important to you. 

These might include opportunities to travel, work-life balance, working remotely, etc.

Remuneration Vs. Job Satisfaction

Different people derive happiness from different things in life. There are those who prioritise job satisfaction and other perks, such as job security over pay. However, for many others, it is the paycheck that matters most.

Unfortunately, some people shy away from talking about money as a determiner of the career they want to pursue. However, the salary you will ultimately get will determine the kind of lifestyle you can afford. 

This, to some extent, will contribute to your overall satisfaction with life. 

If you have your eyes on a certain pay scale, then you must consider a career that has the potential to reward you according to your expectations.

There are fields known for handsome salary packages, evaluate this vis-à-vis your strengths, personality and aptitudes.

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Speak to a Career Counsellor

Most institutions of higher learning will have a student career counsellor on campus.

There are also career counsellors not attached to specific schools. 

These professionals are trained to help people make sound career choices, whether they are new to the career world or looking to make career changes. 

They will work with you step by step to identify your underlying drive, skills and personality traits. They then use this information to advise on career options they think would be a good fit.

If you are yet to join college, a career counsellor can also help you identify the best training program for you. 

Carry Out Informational Interviews

The best information on any career comes from people already practising in that field.

These can be people you know, people known to your parents or people you meet in career fairs, industry events and professional social communities. 

Approach such individuals and request a sit-down. This will give you a chance to ask questions and to get a deeper understanding of the career you are interested in pursuing.

Start Early

Career choices are not ones to be made in a rush. To get the best out of this process, start thinking through these concepts as early on as possible.


Cover photo: The Daily Edited

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