How to Start a Career

Co-authored by Devin Jones

Last Updated: March 17, 2023 References

Starting a career is about making choices as to what you want out of life, well into the future. You could be switching careers, starting fresh, or just looking to see what is out there. Either way, it's important to find out what fits best so that you don't burn out mid-stream after years of trying to fit into something that isn't your strength.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Choosing a Career

1
List your strengths, talents, and passions, even those not related to typical careers. You should find a career that fits your unique skills and loves, not one that you hope you'll enjoy once started. A career is something your work on and build for years, a job is something you just do to pay the bills. If you don't think about yourself first and foremost chances are good you'll be bouncing around careers a lot.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Is there a particular field (entertainment, healthcare, finance, etc.) that you want to zero in on?
- What are your absolute needs in a job? (High salary, helping others, working with kids, etc.)
- What are your absolute "turn offs" in a job? (Work without helping others, work 50+ hours, go back to school, etc.)
- What do you know well or have studied? Even little things make a big difference here -- volunteer work, classes or hobbies, odd jobs, passionate extracurricular, etc.
- Don't feel like there is a "right" answer to picking a career. There is not! This is about finding your wants and needs, then looking for the career that matches them later.^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
2
Dive online into research about careers you're interested in. If you're unsure about which career you want, make a list of 5-10 you might like and then start researching them. Search online for "______ Careers" and start clicking. Don't neglect to add new jobs to your list as they come up, either. You may realize, for example, that becoming an actor has a high burden to entry, with low job security and uncertain hours. But being a Production Assistant, working on film sets, is much more manageable start and can lead to a variety of film careers.
- Keep notes as you do research. Remember, this is supposed to be fun, so look for jobs that get your excited and thinking about the future.
- Have fun with this -- look for jobs that excite you, even if you can't exactly say why.
- Be sure to make notes about needed or recommended qualifications as you search.
Advertisement
3
Take an honest look at your current qualifications. More often than not, the career you want is going to need some training, experience, or prior recommendations to get involved in. Never fear, however, if you feel a little under-qualified at the moment. The point is to see what you would theoretically need to do to get into each career you flagged. Make sure you note everything, even volunteer experience, personal projects, and education, and never cut yourself short -- if you're proud of something, it's likely worth noting.
- Many career qualifications are more of guidelines than strict policies, especially for non-science/tech jobs. Think about how your personal qualifications make you the best fit for the career, not just how closely you hew to posted qualifications.
- Note any careers require hard, black and white qualifications -- doctors must go to medical school, lawyers law school, etc. There is little getting around this, but if you're not bothered by the work up front this is a sign you might care enough about the career to give it a go.
4
Do some volunteer, intern, or trial work periods in fields you enjoy. This can be especially useful if you're not sure, or if you have several choices and you can't make up your mind between them. Working for free or for little pay shouldn't go on indefinitely, but it is useful for a short period to give you a good taste of what the career is like. It is important to set this up through reputable companies and individuals, to avoid being taken advantage of.
- Talk to people in potential careers and ask if you could "shadow," or follow them for a day or two, to learn about the job first-hand.
- Talk to your college's career center about placement, internships, and opportunities early on in school. Maintaining a relationship with the career center will pay dividends later on.
5
Ask other people what they like about their careers. This is a good way to gauge if people are genuinely still fired up and enjoying what they're doing every day. It also lets you ask question to put yourself in their shoes, determining if you see yourself in that job. This can really help you to decide what will work for you. Make sure you take some time to think of good, specific questions that tell you about the career, not just the job.
- "What do you enjoy most about a day of work?"
- "What things did you wish you knew before starting your career?"
- "Where did you start to get to the position you are today?"
- "What does a normal "week-in-the-life" look like?"^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
6
Consider the mixture of work and free time you need to be happy. Remember, a career is about much more than how much you make a year. It might be really important to you to be able to spend a lot of time at home with children. Some careers will enable this, others will obstruct this. You should enjoy your work, and it shouldn't be a burden, but a career shouldn't take over your life if you don't want it to.
- Make this decision before looking for work. It is perhaps the most important aspect of future job happiness, and you should treat it with respect.
7
Consider the career you want if all of the hurdles were crossed, not the "easiest" one. A really helpful set of questions can help you learn what you really, above all, want to do. If you really care, then the effort needed to fill in education gaps or issues will be totally worth it. All they require is some honesty and a bit of courage to put yourself out there:
- "If I had the skills and education, I would love to be a __________"
- "If I had to go back to school, I'd major in __________"
- "When I'm retired, I want to look back on a life spent _____________"^{[4]
  X
  Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Getting The First Job

1
Remember that, to get the career you want, you might have to start with a job you don't. Everyone wants to be noticed for their incredible talent and passion, but that usually happens after you get hired. "Paying your dues" is not a ton of fun, but it is necessary in most industries. Most importantly, this is where you actually get to learn the job from the bottom up. Look at it less as an "entry-level job" and more of your on-the-job training and it will be much easier to accept.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Ask around for the types of "entry-level" jobs that are recommended in your career.
- If you don't have the qualifications for the job you want just yet, jumping into a related job to get experience while you study up will bolster your resume.
2
Compare your qualifications against those needed for the career you've chosen, then look for ways to fill the gaps. This isn't always fun, but an honest comparison of yourself against your career is necessary to know what you still need to do to get your job. There are a number of good ways to fill in your experience gaps and build a resume, including:
- Volunteer work
- Classes at a local college
- Certification or trade-specific courses (such as the CPA exam for accountants)
- Large or unique personal projects
- Internships^{[6]
  X
  Research source}
3
Network nonstop to meet everyone you can in your industry. Networking has become something of a dirty word to job hunters because it feels so big, broad, and essential, but also unclear and confusing. Is it asking for jobs? How do you meet people? What do you say? Forget about all of these questions -- networking is simply making friends and connections related to your industry. You have all of the skills needed already, you just need to use them wisely.
- Ask everyone you know if they know anyone in your industry. Ask them if they'd introduce you to ask questions about their job.
- Ask general questions about the work, as shown above. Keep it loose and informal to keep making connections, not beg for work.
- Do not ask for a job -- instead, tell them you're looking for advice and guidance starting a new career. If they have an opportunity, they will offer it to you if you're a good fit.
- Always follow up with thank you emails or letters if people sit to talk to you.
- Know that this takes time -- you'll likely meet 10 people for everyone one who is helpful. But this is networking -- get it as big as you can.^{[7]
  X
  Research source}
4
Make sure your job has room for growth. You should be asking your interviewer questions as well, and the most important one is "room for growth." You want a career, not just a job, so knowing how you can move towards the jobs you want is essential. To do that, ask some versions of the following questions of either yourself of the interviewer:
- "What are some examples of internal promotion or growth in this company?"
- "Am I further along in my career for taking this job, in the same place, or behind?"
- "Does this job bolster my qualifications for the types of job I want?"
- "Will I be able to learn and grow in this job, or will I be stagnant?"
- "Does the company seem interested and passionate about its work, or driven by the bottom line?"^{[8]
  X
  Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Building a Career Out of a Job

1
Work above your current position, proving you're ready for the work you want to do. The cream really does rise to the top, and managers will notice if you're always volunteering for the hard work or the odd jobs. This isn't about being a suck up; it is about proving you can handle the bigger jobs already and don't need to be trained. Even if your current boss doesn't notice and promote you, this is a huge resume bonus.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Get involved in work projects that excite you, even if only tangentially. Next time a similar project comes up, you will be one of the first people called.^{[10]
  X
  Research source}
2
Keep seeking courses, certifications, and volunteer opportunities to make yourself the best candidate out there. Job applicants who really succeed all have one thing in common -- they never stop learning.^{[11]
X
Research source} Make yourself the most qualified person for the career you want by never staying idle. At least once every 1-3 months, make an effort to do one thing that will bolster your career chances. They'll add up, and you can bet your competition isn't working as hard as you.
3
Never stop networking, building a reliable web of friends and contacts. Once you're actually in your industry, networking becomes doubly important. Take the time to meet as many people as you can, and use social media accounts, email, and business cards to build a personal "database" that you can use to prop up your career goals.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- You never know when someone is going to help out or find an opportunity. No connection is too small when building a career.^{[13]
  X
  Research source}
4
Re-evaluate your career goals and path every six months or so. Take a step back and ask yourself, "am I closer to my career dreams?" If not, how can you pivot to get closer to your career again. Personal reflection is key to finding a job that is personally fulfilling, but it is a continuous process.
- Getting a perfect career can take time, even years, depending on the job. You need to ask if you're still on the right path, not wondering why you're not there yet.
- If you feel like you're wavering, make a list of three things you can do that month to get back on your career path.^{[14]
  X
  Research source}

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you transition into a new career?

Devin Jones
Career Coach
Devin Jones is the creator of “The Soul Career," an online career incubator for women. She is certified in the CliftonStrengths assessment and works with women to clarify their purpose and create meaningful careers. Devin received her BA from Stanford University in 2013.

Devin Jones

Career Coach

Expert Answer

Create short-term goals for moving forward in your career. Starting a career takes time, so keep in mind the qualifications you'll need later down the line and develop them at your current job. Ask yourself, "What skills can I develop in this next year in order to continue moving in the direction that I want to go?"

Warnings

People switch careers, jobs aren't what they appear, and not everyone has the time or money to follow their passion immediately. It is not the challenges you face that determine your career, but how you go about overcoming them.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0