How to make good decisions about your career

Everyone has to make decisions about their career at multiple points throughout their life. From deciding what career path to take as you’re setting out, to choosing between job opportunities when you’re finding a new position, to figuring out when the best time is to make a bid for progression, career decisions affect everyone at every level. For some, the question of whether to undergo a career change at some point in their lives will also feature.

Making a good decision about your next career move is important. While you can adjust if you make the wrong choice, this can be a costly process which can take up a lot of your time, affecting your personal life and wellbeing at the same time.

This step-by-step guide outlines some important points to consider when weighing up a career choice. Taking the time and being thoughtful about your career will make you good at identifying your future path, enabling you to keep moving forward towards your career goals throughout your working life seamlessly.

Think about how you feel and what matters to you

If you’re currently in a role which isn’t giving you the job satisfaction you crave, it might be time to change jobs. Before you make a snap decision, take the time to sit down and think about how you really feel. What aspects of your current job do you enjoy? What don’t you enjoy? It could be that your current role could give you what you’re looking for, but you need to express an interest in working on different projects or taking on new responsibilities to your manager. If you like your company and industry, perhaps taking some training on developing your hard and soft skills will bring a renewed interest to your role. Perhaps you might be seeking a new challenge, and are ready to progress to the next level of your career.

If this exploration ends with you wanting to change jobs, think about how you feel about the industry you’re in and the company you work for. Do these align with your values? Could you find more satisfaction by moving to a similar role in a different industry?

List out what you enjoy doing, both at work and at home, and what you care about. Commit to putting time into the decision-making process, so you have a clear idea of what’s working, what needs to change, and which elements need to change to bring you closer to your dream job.

Think about your responsibilities

Do you have a family relying on you to financially support them? Do you have a minimum amount you have to earn to ensure you can cover your bills? Do you have caring responsibilities which require some of your free time?

Some career development options will require you to undergo training. If you’re planning a career move into a new field, you’lll likely need to retrain. Can you afford to take a study break? Can you find the time to study part-time around your existing role? While making the right career choice is important, you also need to understand the impact a change will have on those around you before taking the leap.

Explore your options

Once your career planning hits a point where you have a rough idea of where you’re aiming for, and you’re sure that it’ll work logistically with training and balancing existing responsibilities, you can begin to explore your options.

Take a look at job boards online to see what career options are available to you. Look through job descriptions that interest you to see what employers look for in employees working in those roles and to see what skills you need to develop to fit the profile. Do some research in the industries that interest you and find companies which align with your values to create a list of places you’d like to aim for. Take a look at their websites to see what working for them is like, what their work-life balance is like, the roles that make up their company structure, and what they look for in candidates.

This is an exercise in research and gathering information, so keep an open mind when exploring. You’re not looking for a perfect job that you’ll stay in for the rest of your life: you’re looking to see what could be a good growth opportunity and a good next step.

Speak to people in your chosen field

If you’re moving into a new career, it’s a good idea to speak to people who are working in your chosen field to see what their day-to-day looks like, and to understand the reality of working in that role before you start moving towards it.

Look for relevant people using LinkedIn, and reach out to ask them a few questions about their job as you’re considering moving into a similar role or industry. Many people will be happy to answer questions or offer career advice.

Assess the distance between your current position and your goal position

If you’re hoping to move into a new role or a completely different career, it’s important to be realistic about where you are, where you want to be, and everything you need to do in between those two points.

Perhaps you could benefit from career coaching, hiring a third party to help you figure out your next moves. If you’re financially able, you may look for internships in the places you’re considering, so you can try them out short-term before committing to a career change.

Identify any areas where you may need to compromise

It’s possible you may need to compromise when working towards your career choice. Will the role you’re aiming for come with a pay cut? Will you need to undergo training? As remote working has boomed in recent years, there are still many businesses who want employees in the office. Are you willing to do this? 

Consider all the ways in which you may need to compromise and decide what you’ll be able to do so you can make an informed decision when you start job hunting.

Create a plan for moving forward

Write a list of all the actions you need to take for your new long-term career goals. You may want to start with finding mentors who can point you in the direction of potential job offers. 

When you’ve made a decision on what your next career move is, it’s important to create a plan and start moving forward as soon as possible. While change can be scary, don’t put off your future.

Take your career forward with the University of Sunderland

If you’re considering a potential career change, you could benefit from an online master’s course. We have a suite of postgraduate courses which are taught entirely part-time and online, making it easy for you to gain a more in-depth skill set and knowledge of your chosen industry. 

Take the next step in your career while continuing to earn and fit your studies around your current commitments. With six start dates a year, your next move isn’t far away.