To find the right career for you, the best approach is to assess your interests, skills, personality traits, and values. Here are some practical steps and resources to help you determine the career path that fits you best:
Steps to Identify the Right Career
- Reflect on your strengths and interests: Consider what activities you enjoy and excel at, what subjects or tasks make you lose track of time, and what values or principles are important to you in a work environment
- Take career assessments: Validated career quizzes and aptitude tests can help clarify your personality traits, work style, and interests, matching you with suitable careers. For example, tests based on the Big Five personality traits and Holland Code model provide scientifically backed recommendations
- Explore career options: Use online platforms that offer career quizzes and detailed career profiles to discover roles you may not have considered. Many tools provide insights into skills required, daily tasks, growth potential, and recommended learning paths
- Consider education and qualifications: Research the educational requirements for careers that interest you, whether they require vocational training, university degrees, or certifications
- Be open to evolving opportunities: Career paths today are often non-linear, with many people changing careers multiple times. Building transferable skills can open doors to various roles over time
Recommended Online Resources
- The Princeton Review Career Quiz: Matches careers to your style and interests
- Truity’s Career Personality Profiler: Measures personality and interests to suggest ideal careers based on validated models
- Coursera Career Quiz: Assesses interests and skills across domains like technology, healthcare, creative fields, and business, offering career recommendations and learning paths
- CareerExplorer: Offers a comprehensive career test compatible with over 800 careers
- National Careers Service Skills Assessment: Helps identify what motivates you and what you are good at
- Job Bank Career Quizzes: Provides multiple quizzes to identify fitting occupations
By combining self-reflection with these assessments and research, you can develop a clearer, actionable plan to pursue a career that aligns with your strengths, interests, and values while remaining adaptable to future changes.