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What career path is right for me

#management #sales #business-management #entrepreneur

management entrepreneur business-management sales
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Amanda’s Answer

It may take several attempts at finding the "right" career. Figure out not only what you're interested in, but also what you're good at. You may not LOVE a career, but if you are good at it, it can still be satisfying!
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Tia’s Answer

Hi Rahul!

First, I agree with Stephen. Strength Finders 2.0 is a great book to help you discover your core strengths.

Second, think about what you are passionate about. What do you want to learn more about? What interests do you have?

Third, as others stated, don't stress too much about it. This is a great time to do internships and discover more about companies that you are interested in to learn about their culture. There are several people who are now in a career that they didn't start off in. You have the tools (Eg: LinkedIn) where you can easily reach out and connect with people. Perhaps even find a mentor.

Also be patient. Even if you don't start off in a position that you love, you can always learn a skill that will likely be applicable in your next career move.

Best of luck!
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Maureen’s Answer

To answer this question, you must first explore your own skills, disposition, geographical situation, and personality preferences. When are you happiest, when are you feeling most at peace? Consider what you are 'doing' when you feel confident and worthy. Consider what profession can be tethered to these actions. I am a practical person, so also consider your geographical location and the opportunities that exist today, and will exist tomrrow. Read, ask this question to those that know you well, and experiment. Internships and hobbies may give you insight into the right career for you.
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Simeon’s Answer

Unlike with other career options, I'd say that business is a great degree type to be in since you'll usually have much more flexibility. If you're wanting to cover your risk level a little bit, I'd say try to get a degree in marketing. It's the one specialty that is harder to get a job in without the specific degree while someone with a marketing degree can still access jobs open to people with general business degrees. Plus, if you are looking to strike out on your own as an entrepreneur, you'll need a thorough knowledge of marketing to turn a small venture into a successful business.
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Noorayaz’s Answer

Everyone else here is providing great advice. Find a mentor or counselor to help determine what paths would fit you. But then go and meet people in those businesses. Spend a day in the life and see if it is something you would enjoy. Learn the good and bad. So that you can make an educated decision. After all this, look at the programs to see if you could complete those courses. Would you be excited, focused and motivated. Or, would you be bored. After all this, find your passion and align it with your interests - that is the best path
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Sara’s Answer

There are numerous tests you can take to help determine this, like Myers Briggs assessment, however ultimately if will be up to you to get exposure in different areas to determine this. Think about what you are and are not passionate about. Talk to others in various roles and with various skills. The more exposure in different areas the easier it will be to determine.
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Amanda’s Answer

Most say figure out what you're passionate about, and turn that into your career. Sometimes that's not a possibility, and then what are you left with? I say, figure out what pays the bills, with the least amount of struggles, and do what your passionate about on your off work time.
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Raquel’s Answer

Hi Rahul!

That is a question only you can answer. However there are tools accessible to you that can assist you in making a decision. See below a few ones I have used or recommended before.

Raquel recommends the following next steps:

Read the articles and take the quiz. It may not tell you a specific career but you can have an idea of the path that best matches your personality.
Thank you comment icon Hi, I'll be graduating from James Madison University with a BBA in Management and a minor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Plethora of sales & start-up experience, really like freedom & autonomy but looking for post-graduation jobs when you really don't know what you want to do yet is kinda tough. I took the quiz and checked out the articles but I was wondering if you had any additional insight. Rahul
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Jordan’s Answer

Hi Rahul!

In my opinion, this question is something that you need to answer yourself! What interests you? What do you enjoy doing? What are you passionate about?

While answering those questions, it's important to think about what your strong character traits are. When it came time for me to start exploring jobs, I knew that I wanted to work in a role that was client-facing (because I had prior experience working in customer-facing roles). So it starts internally, ask yourself those questions and start reading browsing and reading job descriptions with requirements that you might fit well into!

I hope this helps.

Jordan
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Rowan’s Answer

Hey Rahul,

As human beings, this question will be a constant in your personal & professional life. Start with Finding Your Purpose: Listen to Feedback/Surround Yourself with Positive People/Explore Your Interests/Discover What You Love to DO.


Thank you comment icon Hi Rowan! Do you have any additional advice that addresses the careers the student tagged in this question? Thanks for your response! Alexandra, Admin
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Maria’s Answer

Hello there!

What are your interests, strengths etc.?

Start with that. There are many resources on line to help you perform a self assessment to better understand your strengths and interests and match you with possible career paths.

Good luck!
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Lynn’s Answer

  1. Keep in mind that whatever career you start with probably won't be the one you end with, so don't stress out trying to decide now. I went from government regulator to consultant to sales.
  2. Sales is a good way to get the independence you want. If you can, get something that is business to business and is based on developing relationships, not based on a one-call close (a one-call close is where you must pressure the prospect into buying what you're selling in the very first meeting, something like selling copiers).
  3. Management and business management are not likely to give you the autonomy you want, especially in the early years.

Lynn recommends the following next steps:

Write up a resume for each type of position even if that means just putting "I am interested in a career in sales" or "I am interested in a career in management" for each resume
Interview with 2 or 3 companies in each area if you can. Choose the one that you feel most comfortable with.
Don't stress. Right now you may be thinking "I've got to choose the rest of my life in the next month or two" and that is definitely not true. Best of luck.
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Steve’s Answer

I would encourage you to take the Myers Briggs assessment, and check with your school counselor about that. The assessment will give you an idea of your strengths, weaknesses as well as likes and dislikes which should help guide you down the career path you may desire to start. It's a journey of course and you may change paths several times as you dig-in deeper into certain industries and roles. Enjoy the route and do learn from the valuable lessons you will receive along this path.

Also I would encourage you to secure a mentor and speak to this person about different roles and industries once you have an assessment. Further, consider shadowing a person who's actually working in the interested role and see if you would find yourself in a "fit". This goes along way in helping you to hone-in on your first career.

Enjoy the journey!
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Erin’s Answer

Follow what you are interested in. You have to spend way too much of your life working to hate what you do. Now, you might not LOVE it, but find something that you don't hate. Your taste will change over time and you can make changes through your career. Take quizzes online that are based on career paths. Apply for a variety of jobs and see what might be a good fit!
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Joe’s Answer

So many things go into this. You have to find your passion and then map out the path to your end goal. Knowing the path to get there maybe long, however if you have the end goal in mind, it will provide context to everything you do to get there.
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Andrew’s Answer

Take an iterative approach. Take a step, evaluate, set your course and take another step. Repeat.

In some professions like law there is a clear path. You start as an associate, then senior associate, then partner. For business professionals the options are endless. It's important to network and solicit input from others about your decision making process.

Keep an eye out for the moments when you get goosebumps while at work. What are you doing in that moment? For me it happens when I make a sincere connection with a customer. Then, try to find a position (or create one) where you're doing that activity as much as you can.

Ask yourself the question, "does this work energize me?"

There are so many possibilities out there, try not to get overwhelmed. Take it one step at a time.
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Stephen’s Answer

I think this is the key question all young people entering the "work force" area asking. Particularly if, like many people in high school, thinking about college, in college---what should I major in? What should I look to do for a career? I have three boys all in the work force or studying to start a career and I had them keep a list of the top 5-10 things that really interest them. Whether that be working outside, or doing research or working with people in an office or studying to become an attorney to practice law, typically we all can come up with these interests. Spend the time to think through your answers. I also recommend highly buying the book Stengthsfinders 2.0 by Tom Rath. (Amazon or eBay for $25 hardcover typically and $15 used/soft cover. This is a really fast and easy read focused on you and what you do well, what strengths do you have. The range from personal communication to more tangible things like Math/Algebra. The concept is if you are not "good" at something (let's take Calculus) then do what you need to for school, but don't focus on that, focus on your core strengths and what you want to do. At the end of the book, you take a test and it gives you a grade on your strengths. Really good quick read and review for you to keep handy and help you focus on core strengths.
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Sydney’s Answer

Hey Rahul, this is a great question.. I think there are many others out there that ask themselves this same thing! What has been successful for myself so far is answer the questions, 1. what are the skills I am good at? 2. what do I enjoy doing? 3. what do I not enjoy? From there, I was able to help kind of "self-evaluate" to find a role that had the skills I enjoyed doing the most! I am currently in that role and have been loving it, which I thought I might since it is all the things my personality enjoys most. Hope this helps!
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Will’s Answer

Hi Rahul,

I agree with Lynn’s Answer.

I've done a couple of different things during my career from being a teacher to now being in Sales selling Sofware.

If you have a chance, get into an internship program to gain hands-on experience in an area that excites you.

Make a list of professions that you'd be interested in, take into considerations the things that matter to you the most like well-being, working hours, family, salary and write down the pro and cons of each one.

Think about what motivates you the most. For some people it's money, for other people it's helping other people and so on. That should give you some guidance.

Best of luck!

Will
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Abbey’s Answer

Hey there! This is a great question and the answers above have provided extremely helpful information/resources. I would agree that the important thing is to figure out your interests, strengths, working style, motivators - all things that are difficult to reflect on and figure out, but give yourself the time, space, and exploration time to do some personal discovery!
In addition to the Strength Finders book (which I found super helpful), I would also recommend the book "Designing your life" by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans. It's by 2 Stanford professors who teach a Design course and use the "Design Frameworks" to approach your Life. It has advice around networking, having exploratory conversations, do's and don't's of the job search, as well as assessing your life holistically. I've found it extremely helpful in paying attention to where you find energy, where you are extremely engaged, what types of "work" (even without compensation) that you do in your daily life. I personally wish I read it earlier in my career to help navigate career paths and opportunities!
Link here: https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Your-Life-Well-Lived-Joyful/dp/1101875321
Hope this helps,
Abbey
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Christopher’s Answer

This is a great question. There are a few key ways in my opinion to figure out what career path is right for you.
1. Do your research! Look online at different jobs and career paths. Read books about any industry or profession you would even consider yourself a little bit interested in. Knowledge will only benefit you moving forward and to be knowledgeable about many different ways to pursue a career would be very helpful.
2. Think about what you like and what you are good at. Talk to your friends and family about what they are interested in and what they think you might be good at. Utilizing the help and guidance of those closest to you can be really beneficial in deciding not only what you are good at, but what you love to do as well.
3. Put yourself out there. Experience is ultimately the best teacher when it comes to pursuing your career. If you aren't working currently then you can also take classes or research subjects that interest you and see how others get started in their careers. Once you feel like you are set upon something then go for it. If you don't like what you do then you can always find something different and the experience will be a great teacher!
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Prentice’s Answer

There are many online options as well for an answer, but here is a quick list you can use to figure out which career path you should take.
1. Assess Yourself
2.Make a List of Occupations to Explore
3.Explore the Occupations on Your List
4.Create a "Short List"
5.Conduct Informational Interviews
6.Make Your Career Choice
7.Identify Your Goal
8.Write a Career Action Plan
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john’s Answer

You have to ask yourself. What is right for me. What is your interests. Do you like cars? Decorating? Reading. Get a job or career in a field you like. You will enjoy going to work everyday! it makes it so worth while doing something you like.
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Raquel’s Answer

Thanks for the additional information Rahul!

I truly believe that if you don't know what you want to do, finding and following your passion will always take you where you're supposed to be. Ask yourself "what do I love the most?" Do you like helping people? Do you like traveling? Are you passionate about new technology?

There may be more than one answer but it will help guide you in the right direction. Happy to continue this conversation :-)
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