Good career decisions weigh several things at once. Here are the main ones.
- Interests: what you enjoy doing, and would keep doing when it gets hard.
- Strengths: what you are good at, or could become good at with practice.
- Skills: what you can actually do today, and can show.
- Values: what matters to you, such as stability, helping others, independence or income.
- Ambitions: what you want work and life to make possible.
- Work preferences: how you like to work: with people, data, tools or ideas; indoors or out; routine or variety.
- Opportunity and context: cost, location, family responsibilities and what is available.
- Evidence and uncertainty: how much you really know, and what you are guessing.
Other people’s expectations
Family, teachers, friends and community often have strong views. Their advice can be valuable, and they often know you well. It helps to separate what they want for you from what you want for yourself, and to talk about both openly.
Try this
Write down a career you are considering. Next to each factor above, note whether it supports the choice, works against it, or you don’t know yet. The “don’t know yet” column is where your research should start.