There is not a simple answer to this question and it is a big decision but its also important to remember what you decide doesn’t have to be your life forever.
Also as we grow & have new experiences, our situations change, we in return change & adapt and part of this may mean changing careers, which many people do throughout their lives.
Your very first job may be the career path you stay in, but it also may not & that’s ok, as long as you are happy and are achieving what you what to within your professional life.
I personally started within the hospitality industry by fluke, meaning it wasn’t my plan and 23 years later I am still in it!
I have seen huge growth in my own journey and after all of these years it is really a big part of who I am.
What is important when deciding on your career path is to ask yourself these questions…
- Is this something that I enjoy doing?
You will be spending a lot of time at work, typically 8 hours per day, 5 days a week, possibly more, so enjoying what you are doing on a daily basis is really important.
- Is it something that I am passionate about?
This is similar to our first point but there is a difference between enjoying something and being truly passionate about it, the passion can help you to stay motivated. If you feel its your purpose, you will really excel in your career.
- Does it align with my values?
Often not considered but so important! You wont be able to stick it out in a career if you are cringing on a regular basis on what you are required to do or what the company stands for.
- What skills/talents do you have?
These can be both interpersonal skills for example do you love people, are you outgoing & talkative, then a job in an industry where you are talking to people daily may be a great fit.
But also creative talents that you have, maybe you end up in a career centred around design or creation of products. Really think about what career would would match your existing skills or talents.
- What technical skills do you have?
Think of the practical abilities that you have and how these match up with specific careers.
- Anything else that is really important to you or even not negotiable?
Think carefully about this… maybe you really want to travel with your job because you want to see as much of the world as possible or maybe you can’t travel for some reason due to personal commitments, so you know that you need to find something where this isn’t a requirement.
Once you have asked yourself these questions get a short list together of jobs that you think fit your criteria.
Research these jobs, & try & find out the following:
- If particular qualifications are needed
- What is a market related salary for someone starting in this industry?
- Would this type of career have many growth opportunities?
Next find people who are already in these roles & see if you can ask them questions (a good tool to try is to connect with people on LinkedIn and send out a direct message to people asking them a couple of questions top help you on your own career journey)
You could also reach out to recruiters who work within the industry that your career is in & ask them for advice.
If you are still unsure consider using the services of a career coach who will help you to really decide what you should be doing with your life.
Having a really good understanding of why you have chosen this career for yourself will also really help you in interviews as you will be able to explain passionately and professionally why you are the right candidate for the job and this will really impress any employer.
What ever path you choose remember you will have ups and downs along the way but it truly is important that we enjoy the work that we do and if you aren’t any more it may be time to ask yourself these questions all over again, what ever stage you are at in your life.
I hope this blog has helped you and feel free to share any questions you have with us on our Wild Dreams social media pages.
Written by Hayley Cooper
There is not a simple answer to this question and it is a big decision but its also important to remember what you decide doesn’t have to be your life forever.
Also as we grow & have new experiences, our situations change, we in return change & adapt and part of this may mean changing careers, which many people do throughout their lives.
Your very first job may be the career path you stay in, but it also may not & that’s ok, as long as you are happy and are achieving what you what to within your professional life.
I personally started within the hospitality industry by fluke, meaning it wasn’t my plan and 23 years later I am still in it!
I have seen huge growth in my own journey and after all of these years it is really a big part of who I am.
What is important when deciding on your career path is to ask yourself these questions…
- Is this something that I enjoy doing?
You will be spending a lot of time at work, typically 8 hours per day, 5 days a week, possibly more, so enjoying what you are doing on a daily basis is really important.
- Is it something that I am passionate about?
This is similar to our first point but there is a difference between enjoying something and being truly passionate about it, the passion can help you to stay motivated. If you feel its your purpose, you will really excel in your career.
- Does it align with my values?
Often not considered but so important! You wont be able to stick it out in a career if you are cringing on a regular basis on what you are required to do or what the company stands for.
- What skills/talents do you have?
These can be both interpersonal skills for example do you love people, are you outgoing & talkative, then a job in an industry where you are talking to people daily may be a great fit.
But also creative talents that you have, maybe you end up in a career centred around design or creation of products. Really think about what career would would match your existing skills or talents.
- What technical skills do you have?
Think of the practical abilities that you have and how these match up with specific careers.
- Anything else that is really important to you or even not negotiable?
Think carefully about this… maybe you really want to travel with your job because you want to see as much of the world as possible or maybe you can’t travel for some reason due to personal commitments, so you know that you need to find something where this isn’t a requirement.
Once you have asked yourself these questions get a short list together of jobs that you think fit your criteria.
Research these jobs, & try & find out the following:
- If particular qualifications are needed
- What is a market related salary for someone starting in this industry?
- Would this type of career have many growth opportunities?
Next find people who are already in these roles & see if you can ask them questions (a good tool to try is to connect with people on LinkedIn and send out a direct message to people asking them a couple of questions top help you on your own career journey)
You could also reach out to recruiters who work within the industry that your career is in & ask them for advice.
If you are still unsure consider using the services of a career coach who will help you to really decide what you should be doing with your life.
Having a really good understanding of why you have chosen this career for yourself will also really help you in interviews as you will be able to explain passionately and professionally why you are the right candidate for the job and this will really impress any employer.
What ever path you choose remember you will have ups and downs along the way but it truly is important that we enjoy the work that we do and if you aren’t any more it may be time to ask yourself these questions all over again, what ever stage you are at in your life.
I hope this blog has helped you and feel free to share any questions you have with us on our Wild Dreams social media pages.
Written by Hayley Cooper