5 Tips to Help You Make the Right Career Decisions
Feb 11th, 2008 by Loy Okezie
Photo courtesy of Oluseyi
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. - Henry David Thoreau
Over the past week, we’ve received several comments and questions from eager job seekers and professionals who have had a hard time deciding on which careers or jobs to go for considering the factors that affect their career decisions.
Consider this:
You are looking for a job in Intercontinental bank in Lagos but you have now been offered employment at NNPC in Abuja. Will you leave your high-paying bank job which doesn’t give you much time for a lesser paid oil contract work, which will offer you a chance to work overseas?
Yeah, most Nigerian graduates and job seekers are looking for directions in their career path. Are you one of these? Are you at a ‘career crossroad’? Do you expect to change careers three or more times during your working life? Are you undecided about a job or career and need the right directions towards your career path?
In this post, I’ll be discussing 5 tips that should guide you towards making the right decision about your career life in Nigeria.
5 Tips To Help You Make The Right Career Decisions
1. Start by knowing your VALUES
Your personal values are the emotional anchor of whatever you decide to do. Ask yourself: What’s really important to me? Money? Opportunities? Happiness? Family?
Food for Thought: If you’re planning to start a career in a Nigerian bank, where you expect to be highly paid, will that job or career give you other things that you desire in life? If you’ve been writing several job tests and attending interviews, without success, is it time to consider moving to another career? (Read tips about what to do after you have failed job tests and interviews).
2. Identify your SKILLS and TALENTS
A skill is something you’ve learned to do. A talent is something you’ve been born with or you seem naturally inclined to do. You should be able to differentiate between the two, because you may be skilled at something but don’t enjoy doing that thing - because it’s just not your thing.
Food for thought: Thus, if you don’t have a particular skill or better still if you don’t like a certain field of study, how do you think you can get a job or pursue a career in that area? How can a business administration graduate who doesn’t and has never liked mathematics expect to do well in a GMAT test which requires maths? So focus on your talents and hone your skills - I mean 110% - then you’ll be making better career choices. (Read more tips on identifying your skills).
3. Identify your PASSION
Passions are what you really enjoy doing or what gets you excited. Think about what you love to do or that you’ve always wanted to do but never attempted.
So, if you make a career choice in any field, ask yourself, why do I want to pursue this career or that job? Your answer should help you determine what your passion is.
4. Get EXPERIENCE
People say: “Experience is the BEST teacher”. Do you believe that? I do, especially when it comes to career matters. If you’re new to the job market or if you are considering a career change, get out and talk to people who are actually doing it - those who have experience. Consider volunteering in a field related to the kind of job or career you’re looking for, in order to gain work experience. That way, you’ll be able to test out whether it fits your values and passion. But there’s a problem: If you aren’t getting paid to do that volunteer job, you’ll likely not stay at the job, because your passion for that job is in conflict with your value system, which is money-driven.
5. Be a GENERALIST, but specialize
In today’s highly technological world, every information is important in order to become broadly literate, especially in your choice of career or job interests. For instance, in order to pass a job test or an interview you need to know as much as possible to be able to impress interviewer or employers. They want to know if you are adequately qualified (not necessarily your grade - 2.1 or 2.2) for the job - and if you have read wide enough about the industry, company, etc you will have the advantage of laying your answers before them and let them worry about how much they’ll pay you for your skill, knowledge and experience.
So learn as much as you can about what interests you, but focus more on the jobs and careers you’re considering - and particularly where the industry or profession you are considering is heading. These are the likely areas that the employer wants you to prove to show that you understand the industry enough for you to work with the company.
So here is a recap:
- Start by knowing your values
- Identify your skills and talents
- Identify your passion
- Get experience
- Be a generalist, but specialized
In a future article, I’ll be discussing 5 more successful tips to help you make the right career decisions. In the meantime, feel free to make comments and ask questions.
To your career success!
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I visited this site today and was really impressed with the constuctive way you mapped out the tips. After reading through the 5 tips, and have applied them to my situation, I find out that i meet all, but haven’t gotten a career of my choice. I Studied Computer Engineering, have experience in Networking; as i am presently working with IT Company par se (private coy). Am working in their Cyber cafe section as one of the Engineers for a year plus. I have also undergone a course in IT/ICT. But with all these i have a limitation which is my grade of “3rd class”. I have the desire to further which i know is possible from PG and then to Masters, but my present job cannot give me that opportunity as am paid a token of 20K. Have applied for many jobs but cannot be called. So what do you advice in this case. A candid advice will be appreciated.
My email is given above.
Thanks
Ada.
@Adaeze - Thanks for your compliments. Well, perhaps you need to use some magic together with the tips to find a career of your choice…just kidding! Have you read the five more tips I discussed recently? Please read more here
However, you have an exciting future career waiting for you as you have a background in engineering and networking. I’ll suggest that you read the other posts in this blog that interests you and then you can decide your next career move.
I really appreciate a forum like this. I dont know if its just me but i realise that the system in the country does not really give room for such things as “following ones heart”… at least not as a fresh grad who didnt study a “professional course” in the university. I mean a bank will always take you as you are so to say as long as you are able to pass their test. Havn said that, my problem is that i want a professsion with the international organizations e.g unicef, usaid,etc basically NGOs. Problem is i want to choose a flexible career path, i dont want to be limited in scope due to the kind of course i choose for my post grad. and sadly for me , i dont quite know the route to ply. plssssssssssssssssssssss can i ve some insights?
i studied psychology
@chichi - You are right about the system in the country. But, we can’t fold our hands and wait for a miracle. Your backround and passion should help you start a career with NGOs. However, you need a qualification in international relations to build that career further. Also, knowledge of other foreign languages such as French can be an added advantage. Hope this helps:-)
I WANT TO BE EMPLOYED I AM A GRAGUATE BUT NO JOB YET PLS HELP
Fantastic answers….I am based Uk Msc holder and i am not sure how to go about job huntin’ in Nigeria without having to go NYSC?
@Ebere - Don’t give up. You’ll get one someday:-)
@Oluwaseun - Thanks, man! Yeah, you need an NYSC certificate to get jobs in public corporations, banks and oil corporations in Nigeria. However, you can find employment in private companies that don’t require candidates to have NYSC certificates.