How to Choose the Best Career

The question that haunts all of us at least at some point in our lives, “How to Choose the Best Career ”. Choosing a career or changing your career, is one of the most important steps in the life of an average working human being. This question is usually born in the form of, “Which stream should I choose?”, and it grows and develops into the question, “What is the best career for me?”

Many students are often confused about their ideal career choice, and their friends and relatives don’t make it easier for them either. Sometimes the pressure of society is so much, that students gulp down their personal ambitions and do what others want them to do. The same happens years later, when they are stuck in a 9 to 5 job they don’t like, in an environment that doesn’t suit them and pay that doesn’t satisfy them.

We will Start by Analyzing the 4 P’s:

The four P’s is a technique of self-assessment, namely:

Preference
Personality
Passion
Principles.

Preference:

Different job profiles have different requirements and your ideal job is the job that matches your personal skill set and preference. Asking yourself questions will definitely bring you one step closer to finding your ideal job career.

The questions you should be asking yourself to figure out your preferred type is:

What kind of work do I prefer to do?
The nature of my job should be…?
What type of organization do I want to work for?
Do I thrive in a place that tests my limits?
Do I prefer a fixed routine or variety?
Do I want to work in a slow-paced environment or a thrilling/ uncertain environment?
What kind of skills do I want to develop?

These questions will answer your ideal preference for the job type. Your preference for the nature of a job will help you narrow down your choices.

Personality:

The personality section focuses on the kind of nature you have, the kind of person you are, etc. This will help you focus on the jobs that suit your specific personality traits. Your specific gifts and acquired skills will help you in figuring out the job best suitable for you.

Here the questions we must ask ourself:

Am I creative or analytical?
Do I prefer numbers or art?
Am I an independent worker or a team worker?
Do I long for independence or do I prefer to be directed?
Am I a leader or a team worker?

These questions will help you understand the kind of personality you have and the jobs that require employees with your personality types. For instance, some jobs prefer creativity over an analytical bend like freelancing, musician, teaching humanity subjects, videographer, graphic designer, etc. Students belonging to this category should opt for Arts or Commerce fields as a starting point on their career journey.

While some jobs require people with the opposite personality type, people that are strong in numbers, have an analytical way of approaching things. Jobs such as Accounting, Engineering, Pharmaceutical fields, etc. Students belonging to this field should opt for the Science or Commerce streams.

Passion:

We all have “superpowers” that we can monetize. Finding a job that suits your personal passions, dreams and ambitions aren’t as hard as it seems. Working in a field, or a job you personally care about is the best career option you can choose since it means working in a field that doesn’t feel like work.

There are certain ways you can find out your passions, some of them are:

Look at the flipside of your weaknesses:

It’s easier to find out what you hate, rather than what you are passionate about. Once you figure out what you hate, look at the opposite side.

For example: if an organizational ability is your weakness, maybe your strength includes a less structured and artistic environment.

· Subjects you like to read about:

What are the subjects you like reading about? Do you have an interest in contemporary topics or do you like reading about the great philosophers and thinkers of the ancient world?

The subjects you are attracted to read tell a lot about your area of interest. Think about it and list five subjects or topics you like reading about.

· How do you like spending your leisure time:

How you spend your leisure time is a very important indicator of where your level of interest lies. Some people spend their time painting and reading books, pursuing the artistic fields whenever they get the time; some like to sit and solve riddles and puzzles, some volunteer while some watch Netflix all day.

How one spends their leisure time is a big indicator of your passions. Since it tells you what you like to do or what you will do if you are given the freedom to do anything, and generally people like following their passions in scenarios like these.

Principles:

Your principles include your beliefs, ideas and certain boundaries that are dear to you as a person. Your work values or principles are job-related beliefs that you value. Figuring out your set of personal beliefs and ideals is a great way of finding a career choice that satisfies you for your entire working life. The questions you can ask under this section are:

Do I value work where I receive equal recognition?
Is there anything I will do solely for the benefit of inner peace?
Do I wanna change the world or do I prefer to live in a world changed by others?
Do I value leadership abilities or teamwork more?

Once when you’ve arrived at a list of your passions, principles, preferences and personality type; confirm them.