10 questions you need to ask yourself before you choose a career

Whatever occupation or profession you take as your career will definitely have a major impact in your life. And this is why you need to be careful before you make a career choice.

Before you choose or decide on the career to pursue, here are 10 questions you need to ask yourself.

1. What are my interests?

Consider your interest before choosing a career. ece-auto-gen

What activities catch your interest? What do you enjoy doing when you're free? Do you prefer to stay indoor or outdoor? Do you love to read books, play with animals and take pictures with them or maybe you like to travel?

Ask yourself these questions. You'll certainly get an insight into what career path you should follow.

2. What are my talents and strength?

Everybody has a talent or strength that differentiates them from the guy next door. You have that gift too, and you can discover and develop it before choosing a career. See, it is easy to discover, just find out what you're good at doing and start building a career around it. Simple!

3. What are my skills?

Think about your skills before you choose a career. ece-auto-gen

Think about it. You can dance. You are a good cook. You can play musical instruments better than some of your friends. What else can you do? Think about it. List them out and start working on how to get better on those skills.

4. What are my values?

When it comes to career, everyone has different values. Your values are those things you consider very important. Do you care about job security more than huge pay? Do you want a 9-5 job in a corporate entity or a part-time job that gives you enough time to rest? You need to be sure about what you want before taking your career decision.

5. What is my personality?

Your personality is the combination of those things that make you who you are. In other words, it is the way you think, feel and behave. You can't take away the impacts of your personality on your career and this is why you have to consider it.

Do you like being a leader or a follower? Do you like to work with a team or individually? Do you prefer to cooperate or compete with others? It is important you check these about yourself before making that decision.

6. What education or training do I need?

Consider the training and education you'll need for the career choice you are making. ece-auto-gen

Having skills and talents that can give you a rise in your career is not enough. You also need education and training to get to the top of the ladder.

For instance, if you genuinely like to take care of people, you may consider a career in the medical field. And to get a training in this, you need both education and training to become a doctor, a surgeon or a pharmacist.

7. Are there jobs in this career?

Don't ever make the mistake of choosing a career with no potential job availability in your country. Before you choose to study a course for such a career in any tertiary institution, make sure the course has a career prospect.

8. Where do I want to live?

Some jobs will require you to relocate to certain locations because they are more readily accessible in those areas.

Do you want to live in the city or in a rural area, because your career can determine where you'll live at the end of the day? For instance, if you wish to be a farmer, you should be ready to live in a rural community.

9. How much do I want to make?

How much do you want to make? Think about it before you choose your career path. ece-auto-gen

Different careers provide different monetary rewards. Some jobs come with a huge paycheck, some give you a peanut. So, if you want to make big money as a young professional, you know the kind of jobs to chase.

10. Why exactly do I want to pursue this career?

At this point, you've got to be very honest with yourself. As you assess which career choice is right for you, you need to always ask yourself why you're pursuing a certain career. Never let the opinions or expectations of others sway your decision. It is your career, it is your choice to make.