How to Find a Job That Suits You

Finding the right job isn’t easy. Many people change careers several times over a lifetime. Focusing on your natural talents and passions will help you find the best job matches. According to Quint Careers, a website that provides career tools, each person may have multiple career matches. It’s also important to “test drive” a career before investing in additional training.

Instructions

1. Evaluate the type of work environment you enjoy. People who dread working indoors won’t thrive in an office. Others might prefer the office to an outdoor job. Determine which environment is right for your personality.

2. Explore your passions. Think about the activities you enjoy most when you aren’t working. Perhaps you like working with animals or experiencing nature. Weaving your passions into a career will ensure a good match.

3. Inventory your expertise. According to Quint Careers, it’s important to evaluate natural abilities when selecting a career. For example, if family members come to you with tax questions, perhaps a career in accounting is a good choice. If you were to “go to” person on grammar in your college dorm, a career in writing might be a good fit.

4. Brainstorm potential careers, based on your desired work environment, passions and natural gifts. Research each career with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (see Resources). This resource provides job details, income information and required education for occupations.

5. Use online assessments. Compare the results you brainstormed to online assessment tools (see Resources). Look for similarities. If you brainstormed a career as a high school math teacher and an assessment matched you as an accountant, perhaps careers dealing with numbers are a good choice.

Tips & Warnings

• If you’re attending college, check out the career services department. It may offer free career assessments and other helpful tools.

• Job-shadow a person working in your potential career. This is especially important if the new career requires a hefty investment in additional education.

References

• Quint Careers: The Career Doctor’s Cures and Remedies
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Career Search Information
• Quaint Careers: Self Assessment Tools