4 Tips on How to Choose a Career
Tip 1: Research to Find Out More About Industries and Companies
For those who are clueless on what to do upon graduating, first, you should conduct research to find out about the many industries which exist.
Research can be done on the Internet through search engines like Google or through social networking websites like LinkedIn. Besides the Internet, a better way to find out more would be by approaching friends or alumni who have worked at the various firms before. They would be able to provide the latest news and updates regarding their industry and company.
All these research should not be done just before you start searching for a job. Instead, I recommend that first-year university students can start finding out more at the start of their university life.
Why Networking is Important
This is one reason why networking is so important, even before you start searching for a job. By networking with current or future employees of a firm, you will be able to learn more about the culture of the firm and have more accurate perceptions of what it is like working in the particular industry.
Tip 2: Using the Elimination Process
Once you have more information on the various industries out there, it is now time to narrow down your choices. List down the industries which you have researched on and eliminate those which you deem unsuitable for yourself.
By doing so, you will have a shorter list of suitable industries. From here onwards, you can conduct more intense and detailed research on the shortlisted industries.
Tip 3: Reflect on Your Likes and Dislikes
After focusing so much on the external, it is now time to focus on yourself. What do you like and dislike? One way to find out is to pay attention to the types of activities which you enjoy most and the assignments which you put the most effort into. Most of us will spend most of our lives working. Thus, it is extremely important to choose a career which you will enjoy and love. The most ideal situation would be to turn your hobby into a career or business.
Tip 4: Gaining Experience through Internships or Contract Jobs
Before graduating, search for internship opportunities at firms which you are interested in. Through the internship, you will be able to experience for yourself the workings of the industry. It will also allow you to experience the firm's culture firsthand.
If you find that you do not enjoy working in the firm, there could be two reasons. Firstly, it could be that you do not fit in well with the firm's culture. Therefore, you are unable to work efficiently with your colleagues.
Secondly, it is possible that the industry is not the right one for you. Therefore, you would need to go back to your shortlisted list of industries again to pick another. With this additional working experience, this will help you make a better choice in future.
Don't Wait! Start Career Planning Early
Career planning takes time and anyone, including final-year students will need ample time to conduct research and reflect on their passions. By doing so, they should be able to determine the companies which they want to work for and the roles which suit them best. Once you know this, is is then time to improve your skills, polish up your resume and submit it to the chosen firm.
