Creating a Career Path That’s Right For You

The ones who stay in the middle

of the road are the ones who

usually get run over.

Indecisiveness or fence sitting

costs when it comes to timely

decision making. This rings

even more true when we’re

talking about your career.

Usually, people get stuck in a

rut when it comes to jobs or even studies for that matter. I personally had friends that stuck

around in jobs they didn’t like and some that hung around in college for nearly a decade.

Career paths usually are not that straightforward. Sometimes things do not pan out the way

you’d expect. Such scenarios lead to disillusionment, a lack of motivation and in general, a

feeling of going through the motions through the course of a day in the office.

Here are some ways to rejuvenate your career path and ultimately do what you love.

Think about what energizes you

This is a question which needs to be asked if you need a course correction in your career.

Think of what gives you the ultimate kick when it comes to pursuing a career even if you

were doing it for free. Nowadays, that could be perhaps an irresistible urge to travel and blog

about your adventure in the wilderness. Or it can be at an annual shareholder’s meeting,

delivering killer results as the CEO of a major tech company.

These visualizations will help you reconstruct your aspirations and become more driven in

your pursuit of success.

Assess your competence

You may be bogged down by a career in market research and would want to take up a career

in investment banking. Yes, that would be a motivating idea for you, but do you have the

frame of mind and the skill set to script a career in that domain?

To ascertain that, you need to figure out how good you are and how great you can be in that

line of work which means you should take tests and assess your strengths and shortcomings

in the domain you desire to work in.

Also keep in mind the amount of education (and possible debt) that could result in this career

change. You might be able to find an alternative in your current field that utilizes similar

skillsets that ignite your passion without having to go back to school.

Are you good at what you are currently doing?

You might be demotivated in your current role for numerous reasons, but you might be doing

a fine job when it comes to actual performance albeit a little dispassionately. It could just be

the type of projects you have been handed or the firm that you are working at, not the career

path you are on that is the main issue.

Get a mentor

A mentor helps you in addressing your deficiencies by delivering from his experience and

expertise. Whether you are in your current profile or choose to shift to another one, mentors

help you cross the bridge of uncertainty and help you shape up for greater success, provided

they are confident enough. If your existing relations with your boss is excellent, no one can

be a better mentor than him since he would be the most critical person to track your progress

in the organization.

Look before you leap

Before you fall into the undesirable situation of not loving what you are doing, it is best for

you to figure out what drives you most when it comes to a career path. Is it technology that

you want to pursue or is it the fine arts? You need to be extremely sure when it comes to your

vocation. That will put you in the right place when it comes to establishing a fulfilling career.

What personality type are you?

“Know thyself” is an obvious cliche, but it still holds true when it comes to career choices.

Assessing your personality through tests such as MBTI can give you a directional hint at

what career will be best suited for your persona.

Maintain your grades

If you are in college, grades do definitely matter. They set the tone for a high and handsome

career no matter what field you want to be in. Keep yourself open to great ideas and put that

extra yard of effort to understand essential concepts of your subjects. That will differentiate

you from other aspirants when it comes to career progress.

However, keep in mind that grades are not the only thing that matters. If you only focus on

coursework that provides you with the best grades, it may not lead to the career you are the

most ideal for. Look at the type of work you are doing and ensure it best fits your overall life

goals.

There you have it! A set of parameters to select, re-select and progress on a career path.

Always bear in mind that the quality of decisions will make the difference between an

unremarkable career from a great one. Be good a what you do and do what you are really

good at.