The 4 Best Ways To Pick A Career
And create a meaningful life
A career is an individual’s metaphorical “journey” through learning, education, and other aspects of living. There are several ways to define a career and the term is used in a variety of ways. No matter what, certain things need to be done to be happy in your career choice.
These are key points I heard a career counselor speak of:
1. Understand your personality:
Not a lot of people pay attention to their personality while choosing a career but then they end up having a job or a career that they hate.
- Hence it is extremely important to pick a career that suits the best to your personality.
- Do you like to talk to a lot of people or do you prefer to be alone?
- Do you like sitting in front of the computer all day or do you like to be in the outdoors?
- There are always some personality traits a person has, some like public speaking, some like spending time alone, and some like to travel a lot.
- Depending on what your personality trait is, you may choose your career.
- Like to travel a lot? You may choose to be a travel agent or set up a travel company.
- Like to stay at home all day and like tech? You can be a freelance developer.
- Like engineering but also like to spend time outside and interact with people? You can be a civil engineer.
2. Don’t copy someone else:
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a real estate developer.
I had an interest in computers but still I wanted to get into real estate because I saw my uncle go from rags to riches and I thought I should follow the same approach so that I could get rich.
However, it was the worst thing I ever thought because not every person has the same traits and the same personality.
Being a real estate developer needs a lot of traits like courage, the ability to raise capital, manage workers and laborers, etc., and a lot more, and all of those traits were missing in me.
Being a real estate developer requires you to be an extroverted person with a personality that has a bit of dominance and my uncle surely had that.
He also dared to face any legal issues in the construction process even when there was a huge amount of money involved.
Comparing that to my personality, it was the opposite. I am an extremely introverted person, so much so that I like to live a private life where I don’t have to talk to anyone else except for my friends and family.
3. Money is never an issue:
I have a friend who works as a developer, and also makes a decent amount of money at his job but yet hates working at a desk job.
I'm sure you will see a lot of people do something which they don’t like just for the sake of money.
However, understand that life is not all about money. If you like your job and if you make money then that is all fine but if you are doing something which you hate and you are doing it just for the money then it's terrible.
There is money in every domain and every career you can think of.
Just because we hear the news that IT companies pay a huge load of money to data scientists does not mean other domains do not pay well.
There are also plenty of careers that are enjoyable and pay a lot more than the IT domain.
For example, top fitness trainers, and travel bloggers make 10 times more money than the highest-paid engineer.
If you are decent at coding, but your passion is fitness you are more likely to be the best in fitness and make more money as a fitness expert than being a mediocre developer.
4. Don’t pay attention to what other people think:
Many people don’t do what they like to do just because they are too afraid to face the criticism that comes from other people.
Most people compromise on their dreams and goals just because they are too afraid to think what others might think of they choose an unconventional career path.
The truth however is people will criticise you no matter what.
If you take up an IT or Data analytics job, people will say he is so desperate for money that he works like a slave.
If you choose to be a writer, people will say that you became a writer just because you were not getting any other job.
If you become a fitness expert, people will say you sell steroids.
The worst thing you can do in your life is to let other strangers influence your career path.
There will always be a group of people who will criticize you even if you become a saint.
According to Saurav Sharma, “Choosing the best career path in IT, AI, or Data Science can feel overwhelming, but with some introspection and research, you can land on a fulfilling and successful journey.”
Here are some steps to guide you:
1. Self-discovery:
• Interests: What excites you in the tech world? Problem-solving, creativity, data analysis, security, building things, or helping people? Identifying your core interests helps narrow down potential fields.
• Strengths and weaknesses: What are you naturally good at? Do you thrive in collaborative environments or prefer solo work? Are you detail-oriented or a big-picture thinker? Knowing your strengths helps you find roles where you can excel.
- Values: What matters most to you in a career? Work-life balance, intellectual challenge, financial stability, making a social impact? Aligning your values with your career path leads to long-term satisfaction.
2. Research and exploration:
• IT subspecialties: Dive deep into different IT fields like cybersecurity, software development, data science, cloud computing, network engineering, etc. Learn about their daily tasks, required skills, and career progression.
• Job market: Research the demand and salary trends for different IT roles. This helps you choose a path with good job security and earning potential.
- Informational interviews: Talk to professionals in your chosen fields. Ask about their typical day, challenges, and what they love about their job. This firsthand experience provides valuable insights.
3. Skill development:
• Identify required skills: Research the essential skills for your chosen path. This could include programming languages, software tools, data analysis techniques, project management, etc.
• Start learning: Take online courses, participate in coding boot camps, or volunteer for projects to gain practical experience and build your portfolio.
- Certifications: Consider earning relevant certifications to validate your skills and boost your resume.
4. Action and experimentation:
• Internships: Apply for internships to gain hands-on experience and test your fit in different IT roles.
• Networking: Attend industry events, connect with professionals online, and build your network. This opens doors to new opportunities and mentorship.
• Start small: Don’t wait for the perfect job. Start with entry-level positions or freelance projects to gain experience and build your career ladder.
The Takeaway
Remember, there’s no “one size fits all” approach. Choosing the best IT career path is a continuous process of exploration, learning, and adaptation. Be open to new possibilities, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to pivot if something doesn’t feel right.
Of course, if entrepreneurship is the way to go we can certainly explore that.
This story is an excerpt from my course “How to Become Really Wealthy”
©Lewis Harrison, all rights reserved.
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