Are You on the Right Career Path?

• 2-minute read •
Regardless of what career level you currently find yourself in – seeking a new opportunity, unemployed, leaving school – asking yourself if you are on the right career path is one of the most frequent questions job seekers ask themselves throughout their careers. While the answer to this question may seem insurmountable at times, employing a strategy where you dissect the question. Breaking it down step–by–step may help.

First and foremost, the question you should ask is not "Is this career path right for me?" but rather, "What motivates and drives me?" Are you the type of person that is comfortable being in a leadership role? Are you looking for a job that pays the most, or are you most interested in job security? These answers will drive you closer in your job search.

Next, ask yourself "What am I most passionate and interested in?" While it is an old cliché, "do what you love and the money will follow" is good advice. Focusing on the things you like to do the most can lead you to your dream job.

Look to your hobbies and interests as your guide. This can be as focused as your love of the arts and photography, to your passion for organization. The first can lead you to a job in multiple fields – graphic designer, web designer and photographer – while the latter can take you on to pursue a career in events planning to project manager. The opportunities, when looking at what you love to do, can be endless.

Consider the time needed to invest in your career happiness. Change takes hard work, but can be doubly rewarding. Break down your skills and determine if you will need to invest time, energy – and maybe even money, in acquiring new skills or refining the ones you have. Take the time to assess your skills. This will require spending time researching careers and jobs to determine what steps you need to take to pave the way for achieving your goals. Changing careers is an investment that can produce large payoffs in the long term.

Finally, take another look at your current job and employer. Are there opportunities to remain where you are, whether in an expanded role or transferring to a new team? Are there on–the–job training programs that may lead you into a new role or expand your current job into an area that interests you?

All of these questions can help you better determine what career will make you most happy, and hopefully lead you to your dream job.

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