How to choose the right career path?

Choosing the right career path is never easy, especially when your mind is filled with a swamp of fusing options with no escape.

If you are a fresh graduate or just entering college and confused about the right career option for you, do not fret! No one has it all figured out.

Or, if you are someone thinking of a career change, contemplating if you are too late for it, remember, it's better late than never.

So many people are trapped in the rat race of 'booming career path' and are doing things they don't love. Therefore, the sooner you realize your strengths and interests, the better it is.

And we are here to help you do the same.

No matter who you are, irrespective of your age, if you are finding a career suitable for you, then continue reading the blog to learn about the factors you must consider while choosing a career and much more.

Here is a summary of the article:

• Take a career assessment test to identify your strengths and weaknesses and assess yourself.
• List the career options and analyze which career option can prove to be the best for you by identifying the pros and cons of each option.
• Identify what you love doing, what you are really good at, and how you can monetize it.
• Merge your career with your passion for a satisfying career.

In this article, we will discuss the following:

• How do I know what career is right for me?
• What is a career assessment test?
• What are some excellent career options?
• How to find the sweet spot between your passion and job?

How to Find the Best Career Option for yourself?

How do you figure out the right career? Probably, you will never know or be sure about it until you step into it and give it a chance.

Undeniably, you can't give a chance to all the career options you have in your mind and then figure out the right one. Keep reading the article to learn the most rational strategy and figure out the right way to go about it.

If you think you are alone in this journey and everyone else has already figured it out, let us show you some statistics to comfort you.

According to one of the surveys by Indeed, nearly 49% of people have made a dramatic career switch, and approximately 65% of employees are either thinking about it or have considered switching previously.

Follow the steps mentioned below if you are eager to explore a career that is right for you:

Assess Yourself

To choose the right career path, it is crucial to decipher your values, interests, and skill set. Many people don't even bother to figure out their passion and choose a career path based on societal perception of success.

It is pretty obvious that if you are reading this blog, it is more than likely that you are finding a career that is apt for you.

You can take a career assessment test to find where you fit in the job market based on your interests.

Before you take a job test or career aptitude test, ensure the following below mentioned elements are kept in mind:

• It should be reliable, meaning you should get consistent results over multiple trials
• You must know how to make the correct use of it

List Options

You must already have a list of career options in your mind, but you need to logically sort your options to explore the best career.

Taking a career test will provide you with great clarity, but there is much more to it that needs to be done.

Let us have a look at what needs to be done for finding a career that is best for you:

• Write down all the career options you are considering
• Note down the pros and cons for each
• Cut the options that have more cons than pros and narrow down your goals
• Rank the career options left
• Figure out what suits you best

Further, rank the career options left and work towards what works best for you.

Research

Good research is needed to find out the optimal career path. Read the job descriptions to find out the basic requirements or criteria to get the targeted job.

It is also essential to know how relevant you are currently and will be in the future in the job market.

Make it a point to also research the company in case you are shortlisted and are preparing for an interview.

Network

Networking can take you a long way in your career—network with the people who are already working in the industry to get an insight into the work.

A survey reveals that 85% of all jobs are filled via networking. Hence, networking with the right people can help you land your dream job.

Connect With a Mentor

Never underestimate the value of a good mentor. While there are multiple options available online to seek help from, these options will never be able to beat a good mentor.

There are different kind of mentor present in our lives, it is on us to choose the right one when we make a career choice or do a career switch.

Majority of successful professionals attribute their success to having worked with their mentors, you can do the same to get carve the pavement of success for yourself.

What is a Career Assessment Test?

A career test is a type of test designed to find the optimum career for you. A lot of questions are asked to judge your aptitude, skills, values, and interests to determine what careers can be the best fit for you.

The attributes that are typically tested in career assessment test are:

• Interests
• Skills
• Values
• Interests
• Personality

A career quiz can help you identify the best careers for you and which part of your skill needs strengthening to succeed in the job market.

What matters the most is what you decide to do from the results you achieve from a career test. A job quiz will definitely help you figure out areas which may seem doubtful before the test.

A career aptitude test can guide you and help you decide your career trajectory just after graduation or during a career change.

However, there might be a case where you are unwilling to accept the career test results entirely, but most people find the job test accurate enough to give them the general idea of the career field one should pursue.

What are the Top 10 Most In-Demand Jobs in the United States?

A good job matches your skills & interests, increases your chances of getting a good pay, and provides a satisfying work-life balance.

Let us see the top 10 most in-demand jobs, their projected job growth, and average salary:

Sl No.	Job Profile	Median Salary	Projected Jobs
1.	Physician Assistant	$112, 260	39,300
2.	Software Developer	$107,510	316,000
3.	Nurse Practitioner	$109,820	110,700
4.	Medical and Health Service Manager	$100,980	133,200
5.	Physician	$206,500	18,500
6.	Statistician	$91,160	14,800
7.	Speech-Language Pathologist	$79,120	40,500
8.	Data Scientist	$94,280	10,300
9.	Dentist	$155,600	3,700
10	Veterinarian	$95,460	14,200

Source: U.S. News

Though they are top jobs in the US market, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to pursue the same. You are the one who needs to identify which job profile suits you the most and be the best at it.

How to Merge Your Passion With Career?

If you are lucky enough to know your passion, be courageous enough to pursue it. Although it sounds great when we hear the advice to follow our passion, we understand it can be one of the most challenging tasks ever in your life.

Following your passion is one of the most rewarding experiences. Let us see how can you merge your passion and career:

Identify what you are passionate about: Passion is not something you have done once or twice but what you can do consistently without getting bored.

To identify your passion, asking yourself the below-mentioned questions can help you:

• What are you inclined to do the most, and what are you good at?
• How long can you continue doing the same?
• How can you monetize your passion

Following your passion will definitely bring many hurdles. There will be very few or no people who will believe in your passion.

You should be determined to give your best shot and make it work as you embark on this journey. Remember, "Dreams don't work unless you take action. The surest way to make your dreams come true is to live them."
― Roy T. Bennett

Key Takeaways

• Make sure the career test you are opting for is reliable, i.e., it gives you consistent results after multiple trials.
• List down all the career options that you feel suit you and rank them according to your preference to find the best one.
• Find out what are you drawn to doing the most and how can you make money out of it.
• Research the job market to understand the requirements and find networks in the same industry to find a perfect job for yourself.

Go to Hiration career platform which has 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries. You can also write to us at support@hiration.com and we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as possible.