7 answers
7 answers
Updated
Dakota’s Answer
Hi there!
I think many people wonder about this question throughout their lives. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but some basic ideas can guide you.
A popular concept I've noticed is Ikigai. It combines what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. This helps you find something fulfilling and rewarding.
In my own experience at Amazon, I focus on what I'm good at and what the world needs, which I get paid for. The love part comes from extra activities like volunteering and mentoring. This helps me find my Ikigai at Amazon.
For advice, try to identify what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. This will guide you to the right job. Then, find something you love within that role.
Here are some exercises to help:
1. What you're good at
- Think about your strengths. Talk to coworkers, mentors, and friends for their input. Also, consider what you'd like to improve.
2. What the world needs
- This can be anything from products to services. Consider what you're good at now and what you want to learn to meet these needs.
3. What you can be paid for
- While considering the world's needs, think about what you can earn money doing.
Use these to find a company that aligns with your values and offers something you truly love.
Hope this helps!
I think many people wonder about this question throughout their lives. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but some basic ideas can guide you.
A popular concept I've noticed is Ikigai. It combines what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. This helps you find something fulfilling and rewarding.
In my own experience at Amazon, I focus on what I'm good at and what the world needs, which I get paid for. The love part comes from extra activities like volunteering and mentoring. This helps me find my Ikigai at Amazon.
For advice, try to identify what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. This will guide you to the right job. Then, find something you love within that role.
Here are some exercises to help:
1. What you're good at
- Think about your strengths. Talk to coworkers, mentors, and friends for their input. Also, consider what you'd like to improve.
2. What the world needs
- This can be anything from products to services. Consider what you're good at now and what you want to learn to meet these needs.
3. What you can be paid for
- While considering the world's needs, think about what you can earn money doing.
Use these to find a company that aligns with your values and offers something you truly love.
Hope this helps!
Updated
Juliette’s Answer
There are a lot of great suggestions on here already, but I wanted to add a resource that can help you understand what jobs are in demand, what their salaries are, skills you need, etc. It also helps you narrow it down to the state that you live in, so it is truly relevant. https://www.onetonline.org/
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. Firstly, you need to find out what you have interest. If the job you have interest, you can perform well and earn good money.
Below are my suggestions :
1. Think about what you have interest first, eg your hobbies, favorite subjects, etc and identify the related careers
Eg if you like music, do you have interest to be musician, musical artist, singer, music producer, music composer, etc
If you have interest in maths, would you like to become an accountant, engineer, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc
2. Find out more on tgese careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school careers counselor, your parents, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in colleges
Hope thus helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Below are my suggestions :
1. Think about what you have interest first, eg your hobbies, favorite subjects, etc and identify the related careers
Eg if you like music, do you have interest to be musician, musical artist, singer, music producer, music composer, etc
If you have interest in maths, would you like to become an accountant, engineer, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc
2. Find out more on tgese careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school careers counselor, your parents, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in colleges
Hope thus helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Hi! This is an important question, and you do not necessarily have to choose between happiness and financial stability. The key is to research both before committing to a career path.
Start by asking yourself what you enjoy about the jobs you are considering. Is it helping people, creating things, solving problems, working independently, or having variety? Once you identify those elements, you can look for higher-paying careers that offer similar experiences. For example, someone who enjoys teaching may also enjoy corporate training, instructional design, or education technology, which may offer different salary opportunities.
Then, take these practical steps:
1. Determine what “financially stable” means for you. Estimate the cost of housing, transportation, food, healthcare, savings, and other expenses in the city where you want to live. This will help you identify the salary range you actually need.
2. Research careers and salaries by location. Use resources such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, O*NET, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and actual job postings. The same job may pay differently across cities, but a higher salary does not always mean you will have more money left after paying local living expenses.
3. Study future demand. Look for careers and skills expected to grow over the next five years. Pay attention to technology, healthcare, finance, data, skilled trades, cybersecurity, sustainability, and other expanding areas. Consider where your interests and abilities connect with market demand.
4. Explore related careers. Do not search by job title alone. Look for better-paying roles that use the same skills or serve the same purpose as the jobs you already enjoy.
5. Test careers before committing. Conduct informational interviews, shadow professionals, volunteer, take an introductory course, or pursue an internship. A career can sound exciting but feel very different in daily practice.
6. Build a valuable combination of skills. Sometimes one interest does not pay well by itself, but combining it with another skill can increase your options. Examples include creativity plus technology, psychology plus business, or communication plus data analysis.
While I appreciate the idea, a Strengths assessment can give you useful language for describing yourself, but it cannot select a career for you. It’s not designed for that.
Also, passion alone does not guarantee a strong income. A more reliable goal is to find the intersection of work you enjoy, skills you can develop, needs employers will pay to address, and the lifestyle you want.
You also do not need to identify one perfect job for the rest of your life. Choose a promising direction, test it through real experiences, and adjust as you learn more about yourself and the job market.
Best wishes!
Start by asking yourself what you enjoy about the jobs you are considering. Is it helping people, creating things, solving problems, working independently, or having variety? Once you identify those elements, you can look for higher-paying careers that offer similar experiences. For example, someone who enjoys teaching may also enjoy corporate training, instructional design, or education technology, which may offer different salary opportunities.
Then, take these practical steps:
1. Determine what “financially stable” means for you. Estimate the cost of housing, transportation, food, healthcare, savings, and other expenses in the city where you want to live. This will help you identify the salary range you actually need.
2. Research careers and salaries by location. Use resources such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, O*NET, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and actual job postings. The same job may pay differently across cities, but a higher salary does not always mean you will have more money left after paying local living expenses.
3. Study future demand. Look for careers and skills expected to grow over the next five years. Pay attention to technology, healthcare, finance, data, skilled trades, cybersecurity, sustainability, and other expanding areas. Consider where your interests and abilities connect with market demand.
4. Explore related careers. Do not search by job title alone. Look for better-paying roles that use the same skills or serve the same purpose as the jobs you already enjoy.
5. Test careers before committing. Conduct informational interviews, shadow professionals, volunteer, take an introductory course, or pursue an internship. A career can sound exciting but feel very different in daily practice.
6. Build a valuable combination of skills. Sometimes one interest does not pay well by itself, but combining it with another skill can increase your options. Examples include creativity plus technology, psychology plus business, or communication plus data analysis.
While I appreciate the idea, a Strengths assessment can give you useful language for describing yourself, but it cannot select a career for you. It’s not designed for that.
Also, passion alone does not guarantee a strong income. A more reliable goal is to find the intersection of work you enjoy, skills you can develop, needs employers will pay to address, and the lifestyle you want.
You also do not need to identify one perfect job for the rest of your life. Choose a promising direction, test it through real experiences, and adjust as you learn more about yourself and the job market.
Best wishes!
Updated
Carol’s Answer
To find a job that makes you happy and financially stable, consider taking the Gallup StrengthsFinder assessment. This tool helps you discover your natural strengths, which can guide you in choosing a job or career that brings happiness and financial stability. For example, if you're good at strategic thinking and developing ideas, look for a job that lets you use these skills. This approach is likely to be more fulfilling than just focusing on a job with a high salary.
Updated
Evi’s Answer
Hey!!
This is a great question. I would say there's two broader steps that you can take, over time, to help you.
The first is to talk to people. Ask them what they do, if they like it, what their hours are like, etc. Ask them about their life and make sure to get to know them and what they like to do for fun- a person's hobbies can be very telling of free time and finances. Ask them about anything! The more you understand the person and their traits + what they do, the more it will help you understand if you would also enjoy a similar career/lifestyle. Use linkedin and connect with people across different industries or even your professors, family friends, kind strangers, etc.
My second tip would be that after talking to many different people and exploring several different industries (healthcare, education, finance, technology, engineering...) that you just pick a direction. You don't need to know the specifics as that will consistently change throughout your career. All you need to know is a vague idea of where you're headed and then you can start making tangible steps like getting internships, volunteering, certifications, or whatever the industry may need.
Lastly, those jobs that you said you enjoy but don't pay well? I guarantee there's a way to climb the ladder or find a niche placement that will get you a higher pay while keeping you in that industry.
This is every person's struggle so don't get overwhelmed- good luck!!
This is a great question. I would say there's two broader steps that you can take, over time, to help you.
The first is to talk to people. Ask them what they do, if they like it, what their hours are like, etc. Ask them about their life and make sure to get to know them and what they like to do for fun- a person's hobbies can be very telling of free time and finances. Ask them about anything! The more you understand the person and their traits + what they do, the more it will help you understand if you would also enjoy a similar career/lifestyle. Use linkedin and connect with people across different industries or even your professors, family friends, kind strangers, etc.
My second tip would be that after talking to many different people and exploring several different industries (healthcare, education, finance, technology, engineering...) that you just pick a direction. You don't need to know the specifics as that will consistently change throughout your career. All you need to know is a vague idea of where you're headed and then you can start making tangible steps like getting internships, volunteering, certifications, or whatever the industry may need.
Lastly, those jobs that you said you enjoy but don't pay well? I guarantee there's a way to climb the ladder or find a niche placement that will get you a higher pay while keeping you in that industry.
This is every person's struggle so don't get overwhelmed- good luck!!
Updated
Wong’s Answer
It helps to stop thinking of it as "a job I love vs a job that pays well." Try to find the overlap between what you enjoy, what you're good at, and what the job market actually pays for. You can make a list of the careers you're interested in and compare them based on income, job growth, education required, daily responsibilities, and work-life balance. You may find that a career you like has better-paying specialties or related jobs that you hadn't considered.
For example, if you enjoy helping people but the jobs you're considering don't pay enough, you could look at areas such as healthcare, management, human resources, technology, or specialized counseling/therapy roles. You don't necessarily have to give up something meaningful just because the first version of that career doesn't pay well.
Before committing to a career, try to talk to people who actually work in it. Ask what they do every day, how much education they needed, what they earn in their area, what they like and dislike, and what they wish they had known before entering the field.
For example, if you enjoy helping people but the jobs you're considering don't pay enough, you could look at areas such as healthcare, management, human resources, technology, or specialized counseling/therapy roles. You don't necessarily have to give up something meaningful just because the first version of that career doesn't pay well.
Before committing to a career, try to talk to people who actually work in it. Ask what they do every day, how much education they needed, what they earn in their area, what they like and dislike, and what they wish they had known before entering the field.