How-To Series: Choosing the Right Career for You
Contributed By Kate Ferguson, Church News contributor
What you do for work has a big impact on your life. Your Heavenly Father loves you and wants to help you with these decisions.
Article Highlights
- The Church’s How-To channel now offers practical advice to help you choose the right career.
- Do your research, talk to someone you trust, shadow professionals, pray, and be patient.
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The recently launched How-To channel means you don’t have to be an expert in anything to find some practical help when you need it. With everything from handling personal challenges to managing your finances, everyone can find resources that are relevant to him or her.
The newest videos on the channel provide helps for those looking for a career. If you find yourself in a period of transition, or are struggling to start or switch jobs, the how-to tips can help get you started.
1. Do your research.
Figure out your interests and priorities and make a list of potential careers that look appealing to you. Look online for information about job possibilities in each career, and see how those line up with your requirements. Narrow down your list and focus on a few options to guide your research.
You may need some training or education to qualify for the job you want. But keep in mind that there are many ways to get you to any destination. Keep your options open and don’t feel like you must do what everyone else is doing.
In “How To Find the Right Career Path outside of College,” one man says that college didn’t feel like the right option for him, but he wanted to get a better job. So he looked into different trade fields and got an apprenticeship for something he loves. While it took some work, he didn’t stop searching until he found something that was right for him. “The path was right there all along; it just took an act of faith to find it,” he said.
2. Talk to someone who knows you.
Getting feedback from someone you trust and who knows you well can help guide your decision. This person can be a spouse, parent, family member, or trusted friend who wants the best for you.
Things rarely turn out as we expect, so sometimes you just have to make a decision and move forward.
Make sure not to lean too much on their opinions, though, because you will be the one in the job for the next 30 to 40 years potentially, not them.
3. Talk to someone who knows the profession you’re interested in.
One of the best ways to learn about a job you’re interested in is to talk with someone already doing that job. You may be surprised by how willing people are to help if you just ask.
Shadow or follow someone in the field to become more familiar with the work they do. Appreciating the day-to-day aspects of the job can tell you a lot about whether you’ll enjoy the career in the long run.
Make sure to take notes of your thoughts and ask questions throughout the day. This person has a wealth of knowledge and can give you a lot of insight into the profession.
One man shares his experience choosing a career in “How to Choose a Career You’ll Love,” where he found the advice and knowledge from someone in the career invaluable. That discussion he had with the professional in his field of interest ultimately helped him make a decision.
4. Pray for help and inspiration.
What you do for work has a big impact on your life. Your Heavenly Father loves you and wants to help you with these decisions. You don’t have to wait until the big decision to seek help from Heavenly Father; you can keep Him informed of your progress as you go.
And once you make a tentative decision, make sure to bring it in prayer to the Lord. Pray about what you think is best, and He will guide you to know if that truly is what is best for you. Be sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit so you can hear when He speaks to you.
One woman in “How to Move Forward with Choosing a Career” says people told her she couldn’t be successful in the career she wanted to pursue, but praying gave her the confidence to do what was best for her. While her path may not have turned out exactly as she anticipated, she feels like she was guided in her decision and has since moved forward with faith.
5. Have patience.
The newest videos on Church’s How-To channel help those looking for a career.
Things rarely turn out as we expect, so sometimes you just have to make a decision and move forward. No two paths are the same, and it might take some time for you to settle in and feel out what’s right for you.
Move forward with faith and things will work out for the best, whatever that looks like. The Lord is looking out for you and wants you to be happy, so trust in Him. In “How to Choose a Career,” Brandon shares how important it is not to rush things. “It’s okay to take a little time to really settle in and decide what you want to do.”
Looking for a job? Learn more about finding the right career and flourishing at work on the How-To channel.
