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Self improvement

How to make a career choice when you are undecided

By Fi Darby
Fi Darby

Picking a career path can sometimes seem very confusing. You need to find a job that suits your life experience and interests. But your choice of career also needs to allow you to support your lifestyle and family. We have some top tips on how to choose a new career, especially if you haven't made up your mind. 

Why do you need career guidance?

As you search through the career options, don’t allow yourself to get too confused. A good job guide will give you plenty of ideas about potential future professions but it’s important to talk as well. As well as discussing your ideas with friends and colleagues, getting career advice can really help.

A professional careers advisor will be able to explain the benefits and drawbacks as you consider your career change. They will also be able to help you research any options you might not have previously considered, and advise you about training.

What are the top 10 career choices?

digital concept

When you’re thinking about how to pick a career, it can help to understand exactly which jobs are currently hiring. It’s always also useful to look into the future and predict what your career goals might be in ten year’s time. According to LinkedIn data, the following list are ten popular career choices in 2021.

 

  1. Digital Marketing Specialist
  2. Social Media Manager 
  3. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Specialist
  4. Content Coordinator
  5. Blogger
  6. Web Developer
  7. Full Stack Engineer 
  8. Frontend Developer
  9. Game Developer 
  10. User Experience Designer
As you can see, there is a high demand for jobs in digital marketing and IT. The hiring rate for digital marketing professionals grew by almost 33% and IT engineering roles was nearly 25% between 2019 to 2020. 

With COVID-19 coming into play last year, there has been a growth in digital activity as more people work from home. As remote working becomes normalised around the world, it's no surprise that job roles related to tech and marketing have expanded.

Upskilled has courses available in social media marketing and web development, which can help develop the key skills and knowledge needed to pursue the careers mentioned above.

How do I choose a career?

Making the right career choice can be hard work but it’s always easier if you do your research. Below we have ten key steps you can take to help you decide your career.

 

  1. Use career advice surveys and assessment tests to find out more about which careers would suit your skillset.
  2. Create a list or mind map of things you do and do not enjoy doing. This will help you rule out any unsuitable career directions.
  3. Think carefully about your short-term and long-term goals. It can really help to write these down.
  4. Use labour market information to make sure you pick a career with good potential for future job security and earnings.
  5. Consider working with a career advisor to make sure you’ve considered options you might not have previously thought of.
  6. Read more about each possible option. Include websites, careers pages, and personal testimonials in your research.
  7. Find job descriptions online and cross-match any personal requirements with your own skillset.
  8. Consider giving a few interesting companies a follow on social media. This should give you a good idea as to whether or not your interests and values align with theirs.
  9. Use your new social network connections to arrange to meet up with people in careers that really interest you.
  10. Make your career choice but don’t forget to keep a close eye on future employment and training opportunities.

Big careers start with small steps

With so many exciting job opportunities out there, it can be difficult to make a choice. The great thing about online training is that it provides you with the flexibility to upskill while tending to your work and personal commitments.

Upskilled has a range of courses in business, community services and IT available. If you're undecided on a career, it may help to map out the potential choices you've pondered about and see what relevant qualifications we can offer to help expand your career opportunities.

Have a chat with one of our education consultants on 1300 009 924 and enquire on a course today.

Fi Darby
Fi Darby Fi is a professional copywriter based in Devon, England. She specialises in education, careers, travel and outdoor writing and is the co-author of the popular daily outdoor blog 'Two Blondes Walking'. Fi has written three children's books and, when she isn't writing, Fi loves to gather inspiration from long walks, early morning sea swims and winter wild camps.