Career Information
Your career is one of the most important aspects of your life. Besides providing a living, the right kind of work provides intellectual stimulation, inspiration, and helps motivate you to become a better person. When looking at a career move, be sure to consider every aspect of the position, including the full long term potentiality of the role.
A career is most commonly considered to be the collection of related jobs an individual holds throughout his or her life, typically requiring similar skill sets, work and educational backgrounds, and personal attributes. Deciding upon a livelihood is one of the most important undertakings a person will ever take and begins with deciding which profession the person will focus on most when choosing an educational path or training for a trade. Though historically, a person chose one profession and stuck with it throughout his or her working life, it has now become common to have multiple careers, either sequentially or held at the same time.
Psychological tools, called career assessment tests, exist to aid individuals as they embark to identify and express their interests in an attempt to focus their career search to suit a particular personality and skills profile. In addition to these assessments, career counselors advise individuals on potential career options based on their psychological profiles, interests, skills, and goals. These counselors aid in the exploration of various career paths and can assist in job placement, professional development, and planning.
Career and livelihood assessments are so valuable because setting goals is one of the most vital steps in formulating a career path. A person's career dictates the path of a large portion of his or her life. To set solid and positive career goals, it is crucial for there to be an articulation of precisely what is to be gotten out of a particular career. For some, these goals may be to make a lot of money and advance quickly into a management position. Others may find that working from home is a primary goal. The critical steps are to research careers that meet the specific requirements of the individual, obtain the education and skills with which to pursue the career, and then apply for jobs within the career field.