Choosing your career is a decision that will have an impact for a significant portion of your life. Taking the time to make the right decisions is an important part of choosing the right career. If you are ready to begin college or start a new career, looking at both personal and work related issues can help you determine which industry is the right choice for you.

Your Personality

The single biggest factor in deciding on a career is your personality and preferences. Take the time to decide whether you would feel comfortable in a leadership position where you are self-employed, whether you prefer working alone or in a group and whether you want to interact with clients or customers to narrow down your career choices.

Begin With Core Classes

If you are planning on attending college but aren’t ready to commit to a major, begin by taking core classes that are required in most majors. For example, English composition, Algebra and history courses can be applied toward a wide range of degree programs.

The Work Environment

Try getting a summer job or interning in the fields that you think you may be interested in before committing to the field. Your experience can also be helpful later when you are looking for your first job as a professional in the industry.

Your Job Responsibilities

You probably won’t love all the responsibilities of your career even if you love your job. If there are some aspects of a career that you know you won’t be able to handle well, such as managing angry clients, eliminate careers that would devote a large portion of your time to those activities.

The Career Outlook

You will definitely want to know whether the fields you are interested in offer opportunities to new graduates. Career options with a good general outlook for the future are the best options.

Degree Diversity

When choosing a career path that requires a degree, it may be best to opt for a more general degree program rather than a specialized training program if you aren’t sure you know which career you want after college. For example, a degree in sociology is more general than a social work degree and may offer more career options.

Get Help

A career counselor can assist you in evaluating your personal strengths to find a career. You can find a career counselor at your university.

Research Your Options

Instead of rushing to choose a major, take a few months to research careers and which position you would like in the industries you are interested in. Ask different departments in your university for more information on the careers options available for their students.

Your Hobbies and Interests

Look at the activities that you are already interested in to ensure you love the career that you choose. Your personal interests can also help you narrow down the choices significantly.

Learning about you!

Learn about who you are and more importantly about what drives you at your core. Do you love helping others? Do you prefer owning and operating your own business? As an entrepreneur you can own a company doing what you love. There are companies that do just about everything, from selling bagel pizzas (Bagel Bites) to helping others and creating lasting change in their own lives (SelfHelpWorks). Remember, you are young and your first career choice doesn’t mean it is your last one. Get out there and do what you love.

Be Open

There are hundreds of available careers to choose from. If you have a dream of a career that you feel is simply too outrageous to be a reality, look at your options. You may be surprised to find your dream career is more common than you think.

Choosing a career can seem overwhelming. Taking some time to look at the available choices and evaluating your personal preferences can help you find a career that suits you well.