Making Career Choices

Life choices can create an exciting and meaningful time in a person’s life. Making these choices can also be confusing, complicated and frustrating. This article is written for those who are looking to take their first step into a new career or for those who are in the midst of their career but are feeling dissatisfied and want to change the working path they are on.

Regardless of where you are in your life, you can begin to move toward a meaningful and fulfilling career.

• taking your first steps toward choosing a course at university which will lead to a career path.
• uncertain about your choices or feel coerced by family members to head in a particular direction.
• excited about several possibilities and are having difficulty choosing which will be best for you.
• completing or have completed your education/training and are uncertain about which opportunities to take up.
• Already working in a particular field/career, where you are not fulfilled.
• Feeling like you are just going through the motions and are ‘living to work’ and pay the bills.
• Feeling controlled by your obligations and have begun to question how you may find a more satisfying career.

Finding your Ideal Career Path

The first step to having a meaningful career is to consider your “true path” or life purpose. This is different for everyone and there is no one or ‘right’ path to follow. Taking the time to understand your true path or life purpose is an essential aspect of your quest for a meaningful career. There are two important concepts that will help you to develop your understanding of what is meaningful to you and Career Counselling can help you find some clarity and direction.

Your Essential Self

Your essential self is the core of who you are. It is your personality, your genes, and your character traits. It is the part of you that remains constant despite the country and culture you grow up in and the social advantage or disadvantage that you experience.

Questions to consider while tapping into your Essential Self:

• Who am I?
• What is my vision for my life?
• How can I become what I imagine?
• What matters to me?
• Where am I going?
• What brings me joy?
• How do my fears affect me?
• Am I aware of my true hopes?

Take some time to reflect on these questions. Remember to Be curious and interested in yourself and in discovering more about who you are.

Read more about making carreer – choices.