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Anthonia Oviawe-Enigbokan: 5 Reasons Why Choosing the Right Career Path Should Be your Priority

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Making a decision on what career path to take is not so easy, but the consequence of choosing a wrong one hits hard.

Before now, people’s career paths were defined early on, and once a choice was made, they stuck to that profession for their entire lives. Nowadays, there are many options and it is very common to switch professions.

If you are not satisfied with your job, you can decide to do something entirely different without people raising eyebrows. However, this has a higher risk, as it is possible to spend the most part of your life switching from one profession to the other, only to discover years later that you are a jack of all trades and a master of none. People, especially millennials, are now advised to carefully choose one main profession from all their preferred options, and have a second-best option should a need for a switch arises. 

What millennials care about when it comes to choosing a career path differs from prior generations. Studies have shown that millennials are more than three times likely to switch jobs than older generations. According to Gallup, nearly 60 percent of millennials find work-life balance to be crucial, and they believe it’s important to have a job that promotes their wellbeing. 

Choosing the right career path shouldn’t be negotiated as a success-oriented millennial. Bring all your worth to the table, decide on the sector you want to identify with, and define what you want to be known for. Doing this has many advantages:

It Defines Your Identity 

Identity crisis is one of the major problems many millennials are facing today. They grow to realize that they have numerous talents, then make the mistake of trying to establish themselves in everything. That’s probably why some older generations perceive them as a confused set of people. 

There’s no doubt that you’re highly talented. It’s true that you have quite a number of skills that you love, but can you really master and pursue all of them, especially if they are not related? As a millennial, clarity of purpose should be your prime concern. Take some time to carefully highlight your skills, interests, strengths, and weaknesses before making a decision on what to identify with. You should also consider taking a personality test to help you confirm and solidify your choice. When your identity is clear, it is easy to build a personal brand and be grounded in your career.

Helps you Take Steps in the Right Direction

The right career path provides a road map for your future. A successful career doesn’t just happen by chance, you need to know where you’re going, when and how to get there. This, in turn, helps you make informed choices about your current job situation as well as future career moves.

In the right career choice, you can simply identify what you require to move to the next level – like connecting with successful individuals who can serve as mentors in the path you have chosen. You will also be saving yourself from wasting time on activities that are irrelevant to your future goals. 

It Builds Your Confidence

When you are sure of what you’re doing, you become confident. Confidence is the foundation of success. The confidence derived from choosing the right career will help you believe in yourself, find motivation from within, and achieve success in everything you do.

Satisfaction, Fulfillment, and Security are Guaranteed 

Every profession has its challenges but when you make the wrong choice, you will eventually get stuck, bored, and tired regardless of how much you try to push forward. You will be frustrated because all your efforts are from a point of struggle.

Don’t count on your job to satisfy your social needs and fulfill your vocational fantasies because even the most engaging, progressive workplaces can let you down some way. It’s a sense of direction that makes you hold on to your dreams while building the foundation of a satisfying career, irrespective of where you find yourself. 

Successful Career Progression 

Several studies have shown that a clear path to progression is one of the most effective motivators for millennials. In fact, Bridge survey data finds that offering career training and development would keep 86 percent of millennials from leaving their current position. Fifty-six percent of millennials believe that an individual should stay at a single company for more than 20 years. However, if that job lacks growth opportunities and avenues for leadership development, 67 percent of millennials would leave that position.

Organizations gladly invest in any staff they consider to be an asset. When you’re in the right profession and have enough determination, it is easy to become an asset in any position you occupy. This, in turn, will make growth opportunities  – like training and other development programs – gravitate towards you, and also give you a platform for visibility and promotion.

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Photo from Andrea Piacquadio of Pexels

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