Which job fits me?

Which job fits me? We will all have asked these questions at some point.  Remember when you were 18 and worried that you didn't have an answer (or even an idea) when people asked you what you would do in your first job, let alone what career you wanted to pursue? This is completely normal - most of us don't decide on a dream job straight out of school or decide on a subject area during our studies and then stick with it for the rest of our lives.

You can't just "find your dream job" or "which career is right for me?" google it and don't get a tailored answer (yet). So how do you find your dream job if you don't know what you want to do?

The short version is to focus on your strengths, think about who you are, talk to people, educate yourself, consider your needs and do what makes you happy at the end of the day. According to a recent Gallup poll, 60% of Millennials alone want to change jobs (opens in a new tab). So it's not that uncommon to think, "I don't know what career I want," or even, "I need a career change but don't know what to do."

Knowing that a career change is possible (and probably even inevitable) is one thing. But how do you know which job or career path is right for you when you're ready for a change? It's so easy to become complacent in a job or career that you're not really happy with and miss out on your dream job without even realizing it.

So how can you avoid getting stuck in a career dead end? And with all the options out there, how do you know which long-term career path is right for you? How can you answer the question “Which career is right for me?” come closer?

In this article (an updated version of the original article by Elana Gross), you'll find six tips for figuring out what job you want, what you want to do, how to find a career you like, and how to overcome the obstacles of indecision and overcome ignorance of your wishes.

1. Lead with your strengths

Those : swayamanalytics.com

Just because you don't know what career you want to pursue doesn't mean you don't know what you're good at. A good way to focus on your skills is to make a list of your strengths. If this isn't easy for you, ask a friend or trusted colleague for their opinion. Or check out a self-analysis like the Myers-Briggs personality test.

Taking an active look at what you are good at and what makes you tick personally is a great way to find a career path that fits and complements these strengths.

Of course, you can be good at anything if you try hard enough and invest enough time. But you can save a lot of time and avoid frustration if you let your strengths guide you instead of pushing yourself into a career that isn't really a good fit for you.

For example, maybe you've convinced yourself (or let others convince you) that you're not a math person, only to find out that you love solving problems with logic.

In this case, you may actually have a passion for something like web development that you had previously written off. It's easy to let preconceived notions hold you back from a successful career in tech, but if you take some time to recognize your strengths, you'll likely be pleasantly surprised by what they tell you.

2. Evaluate your past to avoid a dead end

To clarify your feelings about previous jobs so you can look for similar or different characteristics in the future, answer the following questions about each job you have worked at:

• What did I like most and least about the company?
• What did I like most and least about the industry culture?
• What did I like most and least about my boss?
• What did I like best and least about the people I worked with?
• What was the biggest challenge in my work?
• When was I the happiest or the proudest?
• What was my greatest achievement?
• What did I like most and least about my tasks?

Evaluating your past can also help you remember key moments that you may have missed that would have made it clear that you were unhappy with your work. If, as you look back, you see negative patterns related to a particular type of work or career, it is an indication that it is time to move on.

You may well be missing out on opportunities elsewhere that would be a much better fit for your needs and skills. Analyzing your past is a key component to discovering in which situations you do your best work and are happiest.

3. Talk to people to find out what your dream job is

Those : 365tests.com

During your job search, take some time to schedule informational interviews with people in the fields you are interested in to learn more about their career paths and receive career advice. Ask about their work, career history and goals, and industry.

Be prepared with questions so you can get the most out of these meetings or calls, and do everything you can to return the favor, aside from a simple thank you.

And don't limit yourself to people you know or are connected to. Make connections at conferences and workshops.

Participate in Twitter chats, other social media platforms or Facebook groups. Go on LinkedIn and read other people's job descriptions or read interviews and articles about people in jobs you admire. For example, if you want to know what the day-to-day life of a WordPress developer is like, with a quick Google search you can find lots of information (including some podcasts) and people to talk to.

Before you decide on a particular career - or rule something out completely - you should get an impression of what everyday working life is like.

4. Take classes first and think about your dream job later

Try something new whenever you get the chance. Take online courses, attend workshops, read books, and watch YouTube tutorials. If you pursue these opportunities, you might find that you're really interested in UX design, digital marketing, Python programming - or something else entirely!

The point is that there are so many opportunities to learn new skills these days, and if you take advantage of them, you have a fantastic chance of finding a passion, which will give you more flexibility in choosing a career, help you find a job , or that you can turn into a new career.

And if not, then you'll have a new skill that you can use in your current job (and maybe even get more money!) or a new hobby that you can turn into a side hustle.

5. Think about what work environment you need

Those : stock.adobe.com

Are the people in the workplace you're considering competing with each other or collaborating? Are you friends outside of the office? Do you work in a team or alone? Can employees work remotely or are they expected to work in the office? What is the work-life balance like? What are the salary expectations?

These are all important questions for potential jobs and employers when you're looking for your dream job, exploring different career options, or changing careers entirely.

It's also good (and easy) to do some initial research yourself - both about industries in general and employers in particular - by using some Google searches and job boards to see what a typical job opening in your desired field looks like.

If you know that you work best in a team, you should find a company that values ​​collaboration. If you're more productive on your own or don't feel like working full-time, you may be better served with freelance or contract work where you can manage yourself and set your own terms.

The same applies to questions of scheduling and flexibility. If you are comfortable in a structured environment and prefer to report directly to a manager, then you should look for a traditional 9-5 job in an office environment.

However, if you prefer the freedom of working from home or traveling as a digital nomad, and you feel more comfortable being your own boss or supervisor, then finding a long-distance career will be the key to your professional happiness .

If you're not sure where you stand on these things, you can always try working part-time to find out. For example, if you work in a hierarchical environment, you should try freelance work on the side to see if you notice a difference in your well-being.

The same applies if you typically spend your work days alone. Instead, try connecting with like-minded people or working on a collaborative side project to see if teamwork might be more your thing.

6. Do what makes you happy (even if you don't know what that means for your career yet)

Two important questions to ask yourself when it comes to your career are:

What do you enjoy so much that you would be willing to do it for free?

Think about it: If you love something so much that you would do it without being paid, wouldn't getting paid for it be the definition of a dream job?

Try to imagine what that "job you would do for free" is, and then make the connection to paid opportunities in the same field.

What would make you happiest (i.e. NOT what would make you the most money)? If you googled “finding your dream job,” what answer would you want?

Although we all need to pay our bills and hopefully have money left over to live a comfortable life, you shouldn't necessarily choose the most prestigious job just so you can impress at cocktail parties.

Instead, to achieve long-term happiness, choose a career that makes you happiest and where you can grow and learn.

So think about what really interests you, not what sounds most lucrative or powerful on paper.

Try to identify the things that interest you so much that you are always able to have at least a spark of passion for them, and use those interests to find a suitable career path.

Finding a dream job should never mean that you have to compromise what you stand for or what you want from your work life, and the good news is that this isn't necessary.

By following the tips above, you can develop a clear sense of what makes you tick professionally, so you're able to find job opportunities and a career path that truly meet your wants and needs.

You may think you don't know what you want, but with a little thought and determination, you'll soon realize that it's actually within your reach.