What makes any career decision difficult is that there is more than one dimension involved. We must keep a balance between these factors to ensure that the risk we take on an opportunity will bear the results we desire.
So what are these factors we must consider before choosing which opportunities to pursue? We’ve identified 3 points that will surely come up during the decision-making process.
1. The reason – In other words, why do I want to get this job? What are my motivations for getting employed in the first place?
This helps us discern if the opportunity presented to us has any inherent factors that either support or contradict our reason for getting employed. If our goal is to earn big, a minimum wage position is certainly not the opportunity we want. If we want to become a health care professional, then career paths in hospitals or health organizations are steps in the right direction.
2. Our personal and situational capacities – Am I 100% fit? Do I have the education and training that fits the job description? Do I have the proper mental, social and emotional disposition for the kind of employment I want? Are there circumstances at my place of residence or in the immediate area that will restrict how I report to and perform my work?
We may classify physical disabilities, health conditions, academic background, personality and attitude, principles and beliefs, single parenthood, a working student lifestyle, available modes of transport, neighborhood security at night and other similar factors under this point because they are determined by our personal life and not by our potential employer.
For instance, an engineer without any background or innate talent in financial management would have a needlessly difficult experience applying for work at a lending firm. A quiet and private person auditioning for a variety show may be overlooked in favor of more outspoken and sociable candidates.
This is one of the 3 points on this list that tolerates greater flexibility, since personal circumstances affect us in varying degrees. Even single parents who have to take public transport may effectively work 3 or more municipalities away from home, as long as the adjustments made to accomplish that are still practical and reasonable.
3. The nature of the opportunity – What is the job description? Where will I be reporting for duty? Does it seem like I will be exposed to learning and growth opportunities? How will my output contribute to my potential employer’s goals? What will the compensation package include? Is the opportunity for regularization or not? Will it be full-time or part-time? Are there any licenses or certifications that I have to apply or train for in order to be sufficiently equipped for the job? What are the workplace and environmental conditions?
Addressing these questions will require us to thoroughly inquire with the potential employer or to conduct research into their organization. Only when we are armed with this knowledge can we determine if our 1st and 2nd points on this list are balanced with this 3rd point. If, for example, we want a position where our actions have a direct impact on the goals of an organization we admire, we will know how to avoid positions in that organization that have very little involvement in the accomplishment of those goals.
For the most part, the 3rd point is subordinate to the first 2 points. Experienced career-seekers will often prioritize their motivations and their personal and situational capacities rather than force themselves into a financially and prestigiously rewarding but unreasonably difficult career path. Even if that vacancy on the programming team of a more popular rival company has a bigger paycheck, the IT specialist doesn’t want it because it’s on an entirely different continent. Similarly, the passionately vegetarian chef would much rather work for the lesser-known salad bar in the outskirts of the city because the Michelin 3-star restaurant downtown specializes in meat dishes.
However, as stated under the 2nd point on this list, there are times when it’s all about the degree of adjustment required. We can sometimes compromise our preferred work location, target salary and other considerations, if the opportunity fulfills our other goals like gaining experience or being around like-minded colleagues.
With all this being said, the core purpose of this list is to achieve a balance between the factors involved in our career decisions. This balance is important for maximizing the satisfaction we gain out of the risks we take and the rewards they give. After all, the greatest value in our careers comes from knowing that we have found the right place and time in society that will allow us to grow even as we help others grow, to make our lives better even as we do the same for others, and to give back even as we receive.