Top Factors Affecting Career Choice And What To Do About Them

Deciding what to do when you grow up seems simple enough when you’re barely in that stage of your life. If not following what your parents tell you, you’d typically resort to what you see in textbooks, or your favorite movie. And, these factors affecting career choice more or less tell you the same thing: the right career path is key to a successful life.

While this can certainly be true for some, there are other factors influencing the choice of career pathways that are worth taking into account too.

Importance of Making Career Choices

First, why do we need to make career choices? We know that having a job is important for survival, as they are our primary source of income. But for that to happen, they must also be stable enough for you. Consequently, that will only be possible if:

You like the job

You might apply for a job for the compensation it offers. But sooner or later, you might not get enough satisfaction from what you’re doing. But if you can make the right career choice from the get-go, the more you’ll end up enjoying your job.

You build your value

Sure, our careers and jobs shouldn’t be what defines us. But admit it, they do contribute a lot to how we ultimately see ourselves. When you know your value, you’ll have a better chance of getting job security and avoiding untimely unemployment.

You get more freedom

Once you’ve made sufficient momentum in a career that you like, you’ll have more flexibility in deciding how you want to live your professional life. Do you want to explore a career as a virtual assistant? Want to be a local doctor? In today's age, the possibilities are endless!

Also read: Why You Shouldn’t Just Follow Your Passion When It Comes To Your Career

Top Factors Affecting Career Choice

Making a career choice isn’t the same as applying for a job. If you don’t like the career you’ve chosen, then that might mean starting from scratch, getting a new degree, or taking additional workshops to build your new portfolio. To avoid these hassles, consider these factors influencing the choice of career pathways.

Having the proper mindset

Knowing what motivates you to pursue your career helps you stay on track. Dan Pontefract, author and leadership strategist, says there are three types of mindset people adhere to:

• Job Mindset: You do your job to get a financial reward. That includes salary, bonuses, and other benefits.
• Career Mindset: Ambition and the desire to move up the corporate ladder are the fuel that keeps you going. Nabbing that promotion keeps you motivated.
• Purpose Mindset: Your job is not just a job. It is your way to express yourself. It defines your sense of identity and self-worth. And, it allows you to fulfill a bigger purpose that also benefits others.

Knowing what you value

Identify the values that are most important to you in your career regardless of where you are working. Do you take pride in honesty? Are you someone who feels accountable in everything you do? Is gender equality important to you?

Whatever your values are, see if they are aligned with those of the company you work for or plan to work for. If you and the management are on the same page, you can expect to thrive in your workplace despite the challenges.

Discovering your purpose

Finding purpose leads to better professional development. When you have a mindset focused on a sense of purpose and meaning, you become highly motivated and passionate. You do your job for stakes much more valuable than money or ambition. You see the value of your work not just for you. But also for the company, your customers, and other people who benefit from what you do, one way or the other.

You also endeavor to learn new skills that will help you do your job more effectively and efficiently. When your employer sees your desire to continue learning, it tells them that you are someone who is willing to improve and is not afraid to take on new challenges.

How do my peers influence my choice of career?

It goes without saying that people can have a huge impact on our thoughts and actions. The same is true when choosing a career.

You may be inspired by what your parents did or do for a living. Or how one of your teachers seemed so knowledgeable about a certain subject in school that it drove you to know more about that topic. A friend may have told you how fun it is to work in the travel industry. Hence, you also begin to consider a job as a pilot or flight attendant. The more you’re surrounded by people who encourage you, you can increase your chances of getting a career path that you’ll take pleasure in.

Popular Career Choices Today

With plenty of careers and industries to choose from, where should you start? Gone are the days when you’re only limited to picking traditional job options. And in today’s ever-evolving world, you can explore as many opportunities as you want. To help you begin, here are some in-demand jobs in the Philippines that you should consider.

1. Information Technology

IT and Tech jobs continue to become popular due to more industries making their businesses more modern. IT and Tech professionals not only generally receive competitive compensation across companies. They’re also likely to have more longevity and stability in their career for these reasons.

2. Finance

Whether it’s an accountant or a financial advisor, a career in finance is usually a good idea, especially for those with good analytical skills. The reason? Almost everybody needs help in terms of handling money these days. You’ll also have the option to work remotely or in a typical office environment, depending on your company.

3. Sales Professional

Businesses emerge all the time, and they nearly always require someone to help them sell their products and services to their target customers. Sales Professionals also tend to have extensive knowledge of the industry. So, employers rely on them to come up with strategies to make their brand stand out.

4. Nurse

A nurse’s job, like that of other healthcare workers, doesn’t start and stop at administering medications to patients. Depending on where you’re working, from public hospitals to private clinics, you’ll also be expected to perform medical exams. Not to mention, conduct counseling and even diagnose and treat conditions as may be required.

5. Customer Service

Customer Service representatives serve as the face and voice of a brand. They often have excellent communication skills and substantial knowledge of products or services to provide assistance to clients. In the Philippines, you can find these jobs from call centers to start-up businesses.

6. Teacher

Education is a need, which makes teachers some of the most sought-after careers anywhere in the world. Locally, teaching jobs come aplenty with thousands of public schools and other educational institutions needing new staff now and then to keep up with the growing number of learners.

7. Human Resources

There is no denying that Human Resources play a pivotal role in any organization. They hire and onboard new employees, as well as assist existing ones in their employment-related needs. But more importantly, they are critical in developing and managing the culture and performance of the staff based on the company’s goals.

How To Make a Career Choice

We make career choices no matter our age, sometimes without realizing it. But there are stages in our life when we have to make the decision more seriously as the consequences become more tangible. When that time comes, you must follow these tips.

1. Look at your interests

Making that all-important career choice often starts with evaluating the things you're already doing. Do you enjoy passing time by making art? In serving other people? In building objects from scratch? These should give you an idea of what career you should actually be doing.

2. Research the best careers

Once you clearly know what you like doing and want to continue doing, look up the best careers for it. There are countless ways you can do this. From opening career guide tools online to simply asking around people.

3. Get the proper training

After finding out the right career for you, you can inch closer to it by studying relevant programs specializing in that industry. After getting a degree, you can even take additional courses to build your credibility further.

4. Start applying for jobs

Have enough knowledge of the career you're aiming for? Then it's finally time to look for a company that will hire you based on your innate and learned skills. Check out JobStreet to discover all the opportunities that await you.

5. Maintain a career path, or two

Once you get the hang of your chosen industry or career, keep the momentum by following the career path of your chosen field. If at the first attempt it doesn't work, you can still take more training or even diversify your portfolio by trying additional careers.

Also read: 8 People Who Changed Careers and Achieved Great Success

Land Your Dream Career Now

By applying these tips, you're more likely to make the most of whatever career you have. With the right mindset, priorities, purpose, and peer influence you can avoid the pitfalls of feeling stuck at work. Because you always find something to work hard for, you will never get bored. Even more, you will also find ways to do things better.

Ultimately, passion and purpose will lead you to a fulfilling career, one that is aligned with what you value in life. But alongside these, you must also equip yourself with other factors affecting career choice to make sure that you are getting the most out of it.

Make the right career choice and download the JobStreet app on Google Play or App Store, and create or update your JobStreet profile now.

Finally, visit Career Advice to expand your efforts to#SEEKBetter, if not the best, career opportunities for you.