Many work to support the lifestyle they live, but it is easy to fall into the trap of making work your life. Try to always keep in mind too that your career choice impacts your lifestyle and that can go in one of two directions, positively or negatively. Choosing a career you are passionate about is quite different than simply finding a job to pay the bills. Whether you are starting your career or making a mid-life change, there are several ways to determine the right fit for your goals.
Understand Educational Requirements
Every job requires a unique set of skills, and many of the needed skills can be learned in college. If you want to go into engineering or the medical field, you will almost certainly need to go to school. On the other hand, if you want to work in hospitality, having a degree might not be as critical. In addition, as the internet becomes more commonplace in society, the ability to make fake diploma certificates and other qualifications have increased. As a result, employers are increasingly looking for candidates with not only the skills and knowledge for the job but also emotional intelligence. If you are more of a hands-on learner than a classroom learner, you might do well at a trade school.
Paying for college can set you back thousands of dollars, depending on how long you attend school and the area you study. Thinking about going to college? You can look to Earnest student loans to help cover your expenses so you can focus on your education. If you are debating which degree path to take, spend a bit of time volunteering in your industry of choice. Even if you can’t volunteer, you may be able to job shadow to get an idea of a typical day in the life of one of these professionals.
Don’t let the impending responsibility of having taken out a student loan deter you from doing so, however, if that is your chosen path. The ROI on a college degree is significant when you work hard, make good grades and connections, and turn all that into a successful post-graduate career. Not to mention, depending on what you decide to do as a career, you should be able to repay the loans in a realistic manner.
Consider High-Demand Industries
There are many statistics on how likely or unlikely you are to land a job after you graduate, and some fields have more entry-level opportunities than others. You might be more likely to get a position in a medical field than in psychology or creative arts. It can take a while to transition from education to a full-time job in your field. Depending on your major, you might land another job to pay the bills and never end up working in the area you studied in.
It is critical to understand job prospects when choosing what to study. Take a look at the number of entry-level positions in your desired geographic location. If there are not that many, it might be challenging to find something in your field, especially one that fits your other goals. With this type of research under your belt, you also have a glimpse into the different opportunities that exist within the industry so you won’t feel pigeonholed into one ultra-specific job title.
Career Transitions
It’s becoming more common to have multiple jobs and careers throughout your working years. In the past, people often spent much of their working lives at one company, but that is no longer the case. Spend some time thinking about whether your chosen career path will allow you to pivot if you decide you need a change. Getting a more general degree can often open more doors than getting an extremely specialized one. Staying flexible will allow you to develop more skills that you can transfer to a range of paths. On the other hand, some jobs are very linear. If you work as a paramedic, you won’t be able to pivot to nursing or doctoring unless you go back to school for at least a few years. On the other hand, a general business degree can be transferred to many areas of business.
Think About Logistics
The career you most want might require some logistical changes on your part, and that is something to consider. If you know you want to work for a big tech company and you live in a rural part of the country, a move closer to Silicon Valley might open up more opportunities for you. Likewise, if you have your heart and head set on a career in fashion, moving to one of the major cities for that industry like New York, Paris, or Milan can set you up for tons of exposure to that career path. You don’t have to move, however. Especially in today’s world where remote work has become the rule and not the exception, there are many ways to build a career you love from the place you love to live. It is just advisable to do the research necessary to understand the semantics of your plan.
