Choosing a career for yourself is the biggest decision you would make as a teenager. Your career has a big impact on your future, It shapes your identity, your lifestyle, income, family e.t.c.
This decision is something that decides your future and as scary it can be and as impossible it sounds, it isn’t.
It is never too early or too late to choose a career path for yourself as a teenager.
When I was to choose a career path for myself, I had so many possible options in my mind, for each option I had a set of questions,
Will I be able to manage it?
Do I have the right subjects for it?
Do I have the right skills for it?
Will I be able to deal with the challenges it brings with it?
And many more
I pretty much was so confused that I couldn't even think straight.
Checking out different jobs that might interest you will always help you.
Following series of steps is very important:
ASSESS YOURSELF
Before choosing the right career you need to learn and understand yourself.
Now, what I mean here is you need to understand your interests, soft skills, and aptitudes. You need to understand your personality type and list down occupations that are a good fit for you.
But how do I learn and understand myself?
Use self-assessment and career tests. Now I know you wouldn't want to spend money on something so basic so here are a few tests that are free of cost and are available online:
These tests suggest options that are best for you. Note that it is definitely worth exploring, sometimes you might just understand your true calling.
If you can spend money, it is always right to consult career counselors who can help you come to a conclusion professionally.
Here are a few career counselors you can consult:
MAKE LISTS
You probably have many options in your mind now, some generated from assessment tests and career tests you've used and some from your mindset. To be organized and clear, you need to note down all your options together and the skills required for each. Next; leave a few lines under each section, make sure you have enough space to write down 2-3 lines on each career path.
Explore your list
At this point, you need to explore every career option you have written down. You need to gather basic information about every occupation on your list. Research the jobs available in that career path, list down each job's description, education, training, and license requirements, research the advancement opportunities, job outlook, and earnings.
You need to have a clear understanding of every job, you need to research every point mentioned above and note them down on your list.
Start narrowing down your options
Now that you are done with researching and your list is ready, you need to start eliminating the career you don’t want to pursue further. You should narrow your list down to 2-5 options.
If your reasons for finding a career are unacceptable or non-negotiable, cross them off, and remove all occupations that offer duties that don’t appeal to you. Eliminate careers that have weak job outlooks. Get rid of any occupation if you are unable or unwilling to fulfill educational or any other requirements or if you lack any soft skills that are required for the job. Simply if there is any logical reason that you do not want to pursue a certain career, eliminate it.
Talk to people involved in the professions you narrowed down
Once you have narrowed down a few occupations, talk to people involved in that occupation. Know that it is very important to talk to people before making any decisions. What you’d read online might be a little different from what you’d hear from people in real life.
These people are dealing with situations in their day-to-day life, they can tell you how well the job suits a person, what kind of things that job offers to you, and how much growth you would have in that particular field.
Make a choice
Finally, after researching so much you are ready to make a choice. I know you might have this gut feeling inside you that constantly keeps saying, I may not make the right decision. Some part of you always scares you. You need to refresh your mind and think straight.
Sit down and make a choice, choose the career that brings the most satisfaction to you based on all the information you have on your list.
Studying every occupation has given you a clear look at what you can do and what your potential is. Your job is to now make a choice, which career path allows you to reach your full potential.
Always have a Plan A and plan B
Once you have made a choice and you know which career path you feel confident about - that becomes your Plan A. Look for a job available in that field itself, But sometimes you might want to change midway, and that is completely okay which is why always have a plan B!
I hope this article was helpful,
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Sumati Grover
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