You're planning to pursue a new career, but how can you be sure your choice is a good one? Consider the following five Career Factors .
1. Your Passions
People often overlook their own passions when it comes to making life-defining decisions. Perhaps your dad always said you should be a business major because you'd be guaranteed a high-paying job after graduation. Or your mom nudged you into teaching because you'd be able to find a job anywhere in the country. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with being a teacher or a business person, but if those occupations don't fit your fancy, you'll be miserable a minimum of eight hours a day, five days a week.
2. Your Commitments
Let's say you've pinpointed your dream career, but you'll have to work nights for two years before you can get on a more regular schedule. You need to carefully consider these career factors to determine whether they're something you can and/or want to handle. Do you have a family to support? A job that requires you to travel 35 weeks out of the year might not be in your best interests. Your future needs fall under this umbrella of career factors as well -- is the New Career you're considering conducive to raising children one day?
3. Necessary Skills
Consider this the "Do I have what it takes?" portion of the career factors checklist. If you know you're not a people person, for instance, a psychology career probably won't be a good fit. But there are plenty of practical skills you can learn to prepare you for your dream career. Perhaps you like working with your hands, and you're interested in becoming a welder. You can take welding courses, become an apprentice to receive on-the-job training, or even pursue a complete degree program to be fully equipped for your new career.
4. Employment Opportunities
You may have top-notch skills, but if there's no market for your craft, your dream career will never makes its way into reality. If you want to be an aesthetician, for instance, but you live in a rural community where salons are not sought after, you might have a problem selling your skills. Make use of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook online, which provides information on how fast each occupation's employment is projected to grow, and which locations and industries offer the most jobs.
5. Salary Potential
Let's face it -- the majority of us need to work to make ends meet. So the question you need to ask yourself is, "Can I make a living in my dream career?" Check the Occupational Outlook Handbook for salary statistics, and if you find your captivating new career can't pay the bills, consider supplementing your income with a no-brainer side job. That way, you'll be able to make money and still have the time and creative energy to do what you truly enjoy.
About the author:
Robyn Tellefsen is a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.
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