How Do I Choose a Career Field?
Your career path determines many things about your future -- where you'll live, what type of lifestyle you'll lead and how happy you'll feel. It's worth investing time and effort into making the right choice.
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Skills
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Draw up a list of skills you have acquired, whether through school, work or another context such as hobbies or volunteer experience. If your skills relate to reading, writing and communicating, perhaps teaching or librarianship suits you as a career. If you have a knack for making things and repairing things around the house, a manual trade as an electrician or carpenter may fit you.
Qualifications
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Choose a career that fits your qualifications. An English degree can lead to teaching, journalism or civil service work, for example. If you have few qualifications, consider what kind of education you would enjoy and excel in, whether it's an academic degree or a vocational qualification in a specific career field. You may prefer to learn on the job through an apprenticeship.
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Practical Considerations
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If you have a family to support, you'll need something with a good salary and job security, such as a company position, beginning in an administrative job with opportunity to advance. If you have few financial or family obligations, you may choose to do something more adventurous, such as humanitarian work, which does not generally pay well and may involve travel.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
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The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the Occupational Outlook Handbook (see Resources), which gives job descriptions for most careers, along with up-to-date information on job prospects and salary expectations.
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References
Resources
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