Choosing a career path is an important life decision, but with so many options to choose from, it’s easy to feel confused or overwhelmed. Here are some tips to guide you.   

Assess yourself

Before choosing a career that you think is right for you, it’s important to learn about yourself first. You need to know what your values are, where your interests lie, what soft skills you have and what your personality type is. Getting to know yourself and what you like can help direct you towards your passion.

Take a career aptitude test

Career aptitude tests provide career suggestions based on your personality, skills, interests, and values. If you’re undecided about your career options, these tests can provide useful insights as to what type of job would best suit you. You can do a free career aptitude and career assessment test here.

Make a list

After doing a self-assessment and aptitude test, create a list of career choices or options that are in line with your aptitude test results and interests. You can also search the internet for options or visit your nearest library and look through their career lists and guides.

Create an action plan

Put together a career action plan. This is a written document that lays out all the steps you’ll have to take to reach your end career goal. Write down all the short and long-term goals and you’ll need to achieve. This includes choosing or looking at your current subjects and determining if they’re aligned with your chosen career path. It also involves finding tertiary institutions that offer a course in line with your career path and looking at admission requirements. 

Choosing a career path may not happen overnight and it’s definitely not an easy decision to make. It’s much easier to identify a career path when you know your interests, what you want, as well as your capabilities and subject choices. Taking these steps early can help save you a lot of uncertainty in the long run.

Remember, if you or a friend need advice or help, you can contact me here on Ask Choma, send a Facebook message or a Twitter DM, or a WhatsApp Message (071 172 3657).