There are many factors to consider when choosing a career, whether it is your first job or you are in the middle of changing careers. While this can be a difficult decision, it is certainly not an impossible choice to make when you have the right tools and resources. Fortunately there are many helpful ways of determining if a new career is the right one for you. Factors such as interests, attitudes, skills, training and availability of work are all important to consider when searching for a new career. Read on to learn more about these factors.

What Interests You?

Before selecting a career, it’s advisable to start taking an inventory of the things that interest you in terms of work. Start by taking a look at the things you do well and compare them to work you’ve done in the past to identify key skills that can be used in a new career. If you have trouble deciding what you like to do, be sure to take an interest assessment offered by a career development resource or find one on the Internet. You may be surprised to find that some of the things you enjoy doing daily can actually be components of a future career.

Evaluate Your Skills

Everyone has unique talents that can be used in a career of some type. For many, these talents have been present since childhood; for others they are learned over time. Skills can be broken down by types and matched up with specific career paths. In order to determine what career you should choose, begin by looking at skills that can be used on the job or look at career paths that compliment your current skills and talents.

Work Attitudes

Whether many people realize it or not, how they feel about work can have an affect on the types of careers that they eventually find themselves in. Having a positive attitude about working can result in being able to manage high levels of stress and responsibility in addition to being self-motivated. In addition, attitudes can contribute to the factors that drive people to work in certain careers; such as those attracted to high earnings, wanting to work with specific groups of people or needing independence.

Training and Education

In order to land certain careers, an industry expected level of training and education is a general requirement.That means for each job type, you will need to attain a certain degree or level of experience before you can begin work in that area. Be sure to choose a training program that is within your means to achieve to avoid setting yourself up for failure.

Availability of Jobs

When choosing a career, a big factor is how many jobs will be available at certain levels. If you are a new graduate or are trying to switch careers mid-life, this can be a determining factor as to what type of work you settle on. Local industries can play a large part in what work people do, so if you are looking for something that is outside of available work, you can expect to have to relocate to find a job.