How To Be Sure You're On The Right Career Path For You

Whether you've just finished university or you've been in the working world for a few years, it can sometimes be challenging to decide which career path is right for you.

Here are some top tips on how to set you off in the right direction:

1. Consider Your Core Values

When choosing which career path to take, it's important to consider your core values ie. what is important to you?

Is it that you want to make a six figure salary so you can go on luxury holidays and live in a beautiful big house?

Perhaps you would like a job with a high level of flexibility so that you can work it around other important aspects of your life whether that be quality time with friends, exercise or a hobby.

Or maybe you want to do something you LOVE! If you have a strong passion for something, then make it your goal to be able to do this every day.

Whatever your core values are, keep those at the heart of every career decision you make.

2. Try Not To 'Blindly' Follow The Crowd

When I finished university, I decided to accept a job in my family business. This meant that I'd be working in a small town in the South West of England instead of the big smoke which is where all of my friends were heading.

For a while, I struggled with this decision and wondered whether I'd made the right choice as I felt as though I was missing out. However, I know now more than ever that I did make the right choice.

Personally, moving to London would have meant 'blindly' following the crowd, meaning that I'd move to London alongside my friends without taking a second to consider my core values.

However, when I thought about the things I valued most, I realised that easy access to nature and a more relaxed pace of life was important to me, alongside having the opportunity to save money - all of which I would have missed out on if I'd moved to the city.

Now you might want to start your career in a big city, in a small town or even abroad, all of which are great choices. My advice would be to go back to your core values and if those take you away from doing what 90% of other people choose to do, then so be it.

So long as you are happy and continue to make the right choices for you and your career, that's all that matters.

3. Learn & Grow

One of the best ways to develop your confidence in the workplace is to learn. You'd be surprised at how many people treat their job as a chore rather than an opportunity.

As we sit in the early stages of our career, it's more important than ever to learn, develop and grow, both personally and professionally. No matter how big or small the learn is or whether you're learning what not to do, treat every day as a school day.

(But remember, if you don't enjoy what you do, this will make learning a slog which means choosing a career path that you're interested in is vital for fulfillment.)

You're not going to be an expert after day one and that's absolutely fine! After all, you're here to learn, so strive to do just that.

Learn from your superiors, ask for help and guidance and use your free time wisely to develop yourself. Not only will this give you the confidence to shine, it also won't go unnoticed at work and could open up some exciting opportunities for you.

4. Be Patient

We've all heard the phrase "patience is a virtue" and I think this is key for any millennial in the workplace. There's no denying it, as a generation we are dreamers. We strive for perfection and want to make change fast. These are all great traits, but with the absence of patience, they can sometimes present a few challenges.

For example, if you start a new job and expect to get a pay rise and a promotion after six months, although this ambition is admirable, it may also be unrealistic in such a short time frame.

In any work place, you need to earn that promotion or pay rise and this can take time. So don't be discouraged by this. Instead, be patient and keep working hard to deliver your role to the best of your ability. If you do, I'm sure you will reap the rewards you deserve in good time.

On the flip side, if you're working in a role with no realistic future prospects and one of your core values is the ability to progress and develop in your role, then consider how this could impact your future. Perhaps you'll notice this before applying for the job? In that case, is it worth applying? Or perhaps you're only just realising it in your current role.

If this is the case, always speak to your line manager first and explain your aspirations. You may be surprised at what roles and opportunities can be created for you by simply asking the question.

5. The Grass Is Always Greener...Or Is It?

With so many opportunities available to millennials in the workplace, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Shall I work for a corporate or a small company? Shall I work in my home country or abroad? Do I want to work somewhere with a good company culture or great careers prospects?

With limited experience at our age, it's tough to know what we want from a job. Often, how we deal with this is to hop around several different companies whilst trying to figure out which one works for us.

Once we land one job, we may wonder what it would be like to work in another company and whether it would be better than our current situation. It's human nature to wonder, but if we can manage how we act on this, we may start to understand our desires better.

Job hopping may answer some basic questions about the kind of working life you desire,

but it may also hold you back from starting your career. Instead you'll be someone in their late twenties, early thirties that has simply had lots of jobs with no real direction to their career.

My rule of thumb is three years. Although that sounds like a lot, you'll be surprised at how quickly it can fly by. What I mean by this, is any job that you apply for and accept, give it at least three years before changing course.

Why?

In my experience, the effort that goes into getting a job in the first place is enough to warrant staying for longer. But not only that, the first year is all about learning the fundamentals of the job, getting to know the team and understanding the business, and the processes and systems it has in place.

Year two provides you with an opportunity to make your mark. You've built relationships with team members, you've found your feet in your role and people now look to you as the go to person in your field. This in itself feels really rewarding.

And then year three comes along and this is where it gets really exciting. You start to develop out of your role, take on more responsibility and grow as an individual.

If you job hop each year, you risk missing out on the later stages, which can feel incredibly rewarding.

Not to mention, if after at least three years you wish to leave the company, you will likely have been instrumental in driving the business forward and will have demonstrated loyalty to your employers. Not only will this bode well for your references, it will also mean that you can leave the company on great terms.

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These are just a few tips to consider when looking to start your career or make a career change. My advice would be to not let it overwhelm you. Narrow your options down and always refer back to your core values.

Good Luck!