10 Questions To Ask Yourself When Choosing A Career

Globally, most people will spend approximately one-third of their life working. Choosing a suitable career, therefore, can have a significant impact on your lifestyle, achievements, and overall happiness.

Most People’s Job Market Access & Job Search Skills Are Insufficient

There is some significant evidence that many people do not (or do not have the ability to) adequately explore their career options before entering the job market; about 49% of working adults feel so unhappy about, under-compensated by, or limited in their career path that they change industries at least once by the time they are 40 years old.

Even so, only about one out of eight people reports feeling passionate about their current job.

This leaves the remaining 85% of the global workforce struggling to feel engaged with their work or connected to their company. This disengagement is so significant that, at any given time, about 81% of employees are considering leaving their job and/or switching careers. Yet, by the time they retire, only one in five people ends up working doing what they always dreamed of doing.

Interesting Job Statistic in BC

Canadians report some of the highest levels of job satisfaction, motivation, and engagement in the world. More specifically, research shows that approximately 83.9% of British Columbians feel either satisfied or very satisfied with their job and career choices.

This dramatic increase in job satisfaction is likely due to employees having greater-than-average access to and compensation within job market sectors that are relevant to their passions. Employers tend to invest in employee engagement and career advancement, employees enjoy greater autonomy at work, and workplace communities are stronger than in many other markets.

Asking The Right Questions For Job Search Success

The most reliable way to find a job that makes you feel fulfilled is to conduct a targeted job search. To do this, you’ll first need to ask yourself (and answer) questions that will help you identify a career path that meets your needs and aligns well with your values.

Examined independently, these questions may not shed sufficient light on your interests and aspirations to indicate an ideal career path. Yet, taken together, this kind of inquiry can help any person at any point in their professional life identify the career field and opportunities for BC jobs best suited for their needs and interests.

10 Questions To Consider When Choosing A Career:

Job search experts recommend exploring the following questions before choosing a career:

1. “What do I really feel passionate about?”
2. “In my everyday life, what role do I want to work in?”
3. “What can I do better, right now, than other people?” or “What unique value can I bring to an organization, team, or situation?” or “What do I want to be really good at doing?”
4. “What problem(s) do I want to solve through my work?”
5. “What do I want to be known for?”
6. “How much do I want to earn?” and  “How much do I really need to earn to support my basic needs?”
7. “Would I be willing to (or prefer to) travel for work?”
8. “How much flexibility do I need/want in my work schedule?” (consider flex-time, overtime, and remote work options)
9. “Do I want to work independently, as part of a team, or remotely or directly with customers?”
10. “What job characteristics would I be willing to make sacrifices for?”

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About BC Jobs

BCjobs.ca is Western Canada’s largest job board, and host of “Innovators” a weekly podcast interviewing top recruiters in BC and across Canada. Check out our recent interview with Best Buy Canada’s CTO Dave Evans (Podcast link) and PayPal’s Recruitment Manager Yvonne Wu (Podcast link).