Choosing and planning a career is a significant event in the life of every adult. Some people know what they want to do at a young age, while others may take years to figure out what they want to be “when they grow up.” Whether looking to use a degree after graduation or making a significant change years later, launching a career takes planning. Every job is not for every person. There are some actions you should take to identify career options that make sense for you. Here are some steps to choosing and planning your career that will help you love what you do.
Identify your Passion
Identifying your passion should be the first step in career planning. Anyone can get a job to pay the bills, most working adults have done that, and many have gotten stuck there. However, to plan a career, you must search yourself for what you want to contribute to the world through your chosen career. Skills can be learned, but passion is something that gets embedded in your DNA.
Prioritize Interests and Skills
The next step in choosing and planning your career is to prioritize interests and skills. Making a list of interests may seem like a waste of time, but it is one of the keys to your career choices. Choosing a career based solely on skills may lead to dissatisfaction if it is not something that interests you. It will also improve your dedication to your chosen field if you don’t get bored.
Prioritizing your skills will serve many purposes. First, it will help you identify what skills you have that matches your interests. It also helps identify what training or education you need. Even if you have attended college, you may find there is a need for other training opportunities.
Assess Your Current Job
As mentioned before, many working people are in jobs they took to make ends meet. Others may be in their chosen career but want to take it further. It is essential to take an inventory of what you are currently doing to earn a living. Make a list of pros and cons and ask yourself if you love what you do. If you are starting a new career or furthering your current one, assessing what you are doing for a living is vital to the career planning process.
Research
Research is the most critical step in choosing and planning for your career. When we daydream about our perfect job and how it will be, those lofty scenarios often don’t include a lot of reality. Learn everything you can about what the career you’re considering entails. There could be aspects that are not for you; it is better to know this before investing time and education in a career you won’t stick with or are miserable in once you obtain it.
For example, many people who love animals say they want to grow up to be a veterinarian. They just see the interaction with animals and not the other aspects it involves such as surgery, dealing with sick animals, and other tasks that will be extremely difficult to deal with for an animal lover.
Putting It All Together
Planning your career is an important process. Your job is often where you spend most of your waking hours, so if you love what you do because of careful planning, that time will be well spent. So identifying your passion, prioritizing your interests and skills, assessing your current job, and researching the career or careers you are considering are part of the planning process. Make planning for your career a priority using these steps, and you will never work another day in your life because you will love what you do.
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