How to Know Which Career is Right For You: Your 2022 Tyche Career Research Guide

Remember when you were a kid and everyone asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up?

For the longest time, I wanted to be the President of the United States.

I also wanted to be Claire Huxtable, the fierce attorney, wife, and mom on The Cosby Show.

(I STILL want to be Clair Huxtable…. I am an attorney, wife, and twin mom so I think that counts as progress, right?)

What did you want to be when you grew up? Are you doing it?

If not, you’re in luck because you have another chance to decide what you want to be when you grow up!

Open your mind and let your imagination run wild because you’re about to go on a Career Discovery Journey.

Start with the research

Career research is something all of us do at least once in our lifetime. It is an exciting process that involves contemplating different career choices and imagining a future for ourselves.

 Whether you’re an undergraduate, graduate, or professional, career research is something you will have to do. Most of us will change careers more than once in our lifetimes and have to thoroughly research our career options.

But career research can also feel overwhelming.

With new industries constantly being created and existing industries continually evolving, it is sometimes hard to figure out what to choose that will not get outdated.

So, here’s how to get started in that crucial, research process.

Make a list

Make a list of every option that you can think of for yourself. Include everything that interests you. Don’t hold back. Interested in being a librarian at Hogwarts? Put it on the list! Just make sure that when it comes to narrowing down your options, focus on the “librarian” part rather than the Hogwarts part. Weigh the pros and cons of each and prioritize on the basis of how appealing each particular career looks to you.

After you have a solid list of all your possible career choices, pick 3-4 careers or jobs that you are most interested in.

With the list narrowed down, you can move on to the next step which is the actual research.

Do the research

Start off by researching what each particular job or career path would require of you.

Does the career path require certain qualifications? Do you need more education? What does the job market look like? What is the average salary? What kind of experience do you need, if any?

Answering these questions will help you get a better picture of what needs to be done to make the transition.

After you know what each career path requires, start writing down the skills that you already have. This includes qualifications, experiences, education, and hard and soft skills.

Assess your current position and what you would need so you can make an informed decision.

Read, talk, meet

There is so much online content available related to any career you could think of! Find reputable content that speaks to you and try to understand the widely abundant advice out there.

Join online groups, social networks, and seminars where there are people doing what you want to do who are willing to talk about their experiences. Connect with people in your desired field on LinkedIn.

You can also attend virtual network events and meet people to get insight into what career choices they had to make when they were in your shoes. Meeting with fellow alums Krystal - Link to alum networking blog post] can really help you get insight into what a career after graduation entails.

Follow the leaders

Following people on popular social media platforms who have had career success in the career of your choice will give you insight into what they do and how they got to where they are, so you can follow the same recipe for success in the future.

 Schedule informational interviews of people that have made it, learn to ask good questions, listen thoughtfully, and learn from them. 

Narrow it down to two careers

Most of us only have a couple of actual choices when it comes to a real, viable career. Among those choices, only one or two of them will really resonate with you.  

Having a career you enjoy can make a huge difference and directly affects how happy your life can become in the long run.  

After you complete your research and listen to what people with similar career choices have to say, revise the list you made earlier, and narrow it down to just two careers.

Having two careers to focus on in the research will help you make a clearer decision in the short term.

Match your skills with career requirements

Now that you have your path narrowed down, take a look at the list you made earlier and start matching your skills with the requirements your two careers demand.

Analyze where you currently stand and how far you have to go to reach certain goals in the careers of your choice.

Some careers such as law, medicine, and IT require specialized training and education. Most careers need communication and interpersonal skills that cannot be quantified in the form of degrees or diplomas.

It is necessary to understand what your career of choice will demand from you before you start to pursue it.

Give yourself an upgrade

If your career of choice requires a higher degree of education, skill, or experience than what you currently have, then it is time for an upgrade.

Figure out what qualifications the job requires. Find the classes you need. Start working on technical experience.

Do whatever it takes to get yourself to the next step.

Make the most of what you have

Good things take time and a successful and effective career change will take a considerable amount of your time and effort as well. Trust in the process and use your existing skills, experiences, and qualifications to get a forward-reach head start.

For example, if you can’t land a full-time job yet, find a way to work on it part-time, whether it’s working for someone else or as a side hustle.

Do something in your field of choice, engage with people in that field, learn and gain experiences as you can, and eventually, something will turn up.

Take the time to upgrade yourself, your education, and your experience.

Tyche Takeaways

•  Career research is an integral part of changing careers, and is something most of us have to do at least once in our lifetimes (and most of us have to do it a few times!)
•  Career research doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It helps us understand our field of choice by helping us understand how those careers work and how we can play the role we want.
•  Career research can be simplified by writing down every career you can picture yourself enjoying, and then narrowing it down to just two careers based on your interest, skills, experience, education, and personal reference.
•  Putting in solid research for your future can pave the way to a better understanding of your current situation and assist you in making an informed decision about the future, ensuring your well-being and peace of mind.

If you would like to know more about making a career transition or developing your career discovery roadmap, sign up for a free Career Transition Roadmap at TycheCoaching.com.