Your Career Sweet Spot: Interests, Strengths, Money and Time

Whether you will be graduating from high school soon, or you are mid-career and need a change, take some time to evaluate your interests and strengths, and the employment outlook and educational requirements for your potential careers. When you’ve completed any needed education, it’s time to find a job. Analyze potential employers, use what you’ve learned about yourself, and research how to write a resume to let employers know why they should interview you.

Write down hobbies or other activities that you enjoy doing or learning about. Do you happily spend hours building your own personal computers? Or do you love to go shopping with your friends and helping them pull together the perfect outfit for any occasions? Any of these interests could be incorporated into careers. You might also want to take a career test or two, or use job search engines to help you consider interests you may have overlooked. Develop a list of careers and note which ones appeal the most to you. You’ll spend much of your life working, and enjoying your job will help you enjoy your life.

Think about things you are good at. In school, what subjects did you get the best grades in? Did you excel in science and math, or did you do better at English or history? Do your friends contact you when they need advice on car repairs, or relationship advice? The areas of your strengths can give you important clues to potential careers where you may have natural talent.

Your career sweet spots occur when your interests, potential career list, and strengths overlap. You more likely to work at a career that you are interested in, and when you have natural talent, you’ll be able to achieve much more and more easily.

If your interests and strengths don’t overlap, don’t give up hope for a career you’ll love. You may still be able to combine your interests and strengths. For example, if you love playing piano, but honestly can’t tell an E flat from a A sharp, a career as a concert pianist might be a stretch. However, if you have good sales skills, you might enjoy working at a company that sells pianos, while you continue playing piano as a hobby.

Unfortunately, the employment outlook is not equally bright for all careers. Research potential careers to evaluate opportunities for employment. You’ll have an easier time getting hired in a field where employment is growing, rather than shrinking. If your heart is set on a job in a shrinking field, consider strategies that will help you stand out and improve your chances of being hired.

Many careers require education, and education costs money and takes time.

You can search for scholarships and low-cost student loans to help you afford your education. Remember though, you’ll need to pay back loans, and that can be challenging if you're at an entry-level job. Try to borrow as little as possible

Review the amount of time you can spend on your education. Consider not only how many hours a week you’ll have for classes and study, but also how many more years you’ll be in the workforce.

Someone who has just graduated from high school may have few other obligations, and many working years left. It can make sense for this person to attend undergraduate school full time, and then to continue to graduate school. However, someone who is in his 50’s may have job and family obligations, and may have only 10 or 15 years left in the workforce. This person may prefer taking classes part-time and taking classes that can help him achieve his career goals quickly.

After you’ve decided on your new career, and have gotten your education, it’s time to find a job. An important question for many job seekers is just how to write a resume. Of course, you’ll think about your experience and education, yet remember that the goal of the resume isn’t just to describe what you’ve done, but to help potential employers see what you can do for them. Many job seekers prefer to work with professional resume services that can leverage the job seekers' investment in their education to obtain the best job offer possible.