How To Choose The Right Career Path

‘What do you want to do in the future?’ is a common question you have probably heard multiple times and to all the times you’ve been asked this question, the words ‘I’m not sure’ might have been your answer.
When you’ve only just graduated high school, figuring out your future and your career can be daunting and filled with uncertainty. How do you pick the right field of study and work? How can you decide your future?  If you’re struggling to decide what career path might be the right pick for you, we’ve got you covered.
Here are some questions to help guide you!

1. What are you most passionate about?

Look further into your hobbies and interests. Are there any fields that incorporate your interests or relate to them? You are more likely to study well and enjoy your work if it’s in a field you are passionate about. For example, if you like art and design, maybe you’d enjoy advertising and communications. If you participated in activities like Model United Nations (MUN) and debate, you may be keen to study international relations or law.

2. What aligns with your values and ideologies?

Find a job that aligns with your values and ideologies. What difference can you make individually and with your work? Think about your goals and your visions. Finding a job that aligns with what you believe in can give you a sense of fulfilment.

3. What are the possible prospects for your career?

Where do you plan on studying or working? Research different companies in your area that you would like to work for and learn more about the career prospects in your field of work. What kind of expertise and career growth could you gain where you work?

What else can you do to push your career forward and what else can you do to help boost your journey to finding the right career path? Here are some of our own recommendations!

Job shadowing and internships: Taking part in job shadowing experiences and working internships can help you explore different fields of work. It’s an excellent opportunity to work first-hand with industry experts and get an idea of what your future career might look like. The knowledge you learn and the experience you gain will benefit you in the future, and bonus: it looks amazing on your resume and CV!

Networking: Put yourself out there! In a society where everything and everyone is connected, networking is crucial. In the virtual world, establishing your presence on platforms like LinkedIn is a great way to show off your skills, knowledge, and expertise. You can easily connect and converse with other people in different industries and fields that you may be interested in working in. This allows you to get a better glimpse into their world. Follow companies you want to work for, and people in your field that you look up to. Just the simple action of clicking the ‘Connect’ button, and sending a message can go a long way. 

You can also extend your networking beyond the online world. Attend career fairs near you (psst …they might be closer than you think). Every academic year, Careers and Employability Services hosts not one but two career fairs at Middlesex University Dubai. The first, Gradstock, will be in October, and the second, around February. During career fairs you can get a chance to meet with employers from different industries and apply for jobs. If you’re unsure about what the job market might look like for you or what a day at your job might look like, this is your chance to do some networking and first-hand research into your potential future career. Don’t forget to dress to impress - first impressions matter!

These are only some of the tools that you can use to guide yourself. At the Careers department, we are more than happy to guide you further with our services. Our career consultations appointments offer one-on-one meetings with our career counsellors who can help you on your journey.

Moving from school and university to finding a career is a big step, but with the right resources, research, and planning, you can definitely build the right path to your dream job.