How to Choose a Profession: Tips for Applicants

High-paying professions have always attracted people. To receive a good, stable income and be respected in society is the dream of many. And it is quite real if you choose the right path and move along it, regardless of any obstacles.

It’s just a matter of deciding on the profession. And here it is necessary to take into account not only the desired level of income but also your psycho-physiological abilities. Fortunately, the high-paying specialties today are not a few, and in a variety of ways. According to Essayassistant.org, here are some ways how to do it.

5 main reasons for the wrong choice of profession

In the Large Encyclopedic Dictionary, a profession is defined as a type of labor activity that requires certain training and competencies and is the main source of income. However, one would like a profession, even a well-paid one, to not only bring in money but also inspire. Then the income will be combined with pleasure.

In reality, few people can do this. In the world, there are a great many specialties for which you can learn at the university or on courses. But some factors make it difficult to choose a profession.

1. Unconscious incompetence: a person simply has no idea what activity he wants to do and does not want to think about the profession in advance. He has absolutely no vision of the future, that is why the business of life is chosen “by the groping method”. Having finished training and found himself at work, the person feels out of place.
2. Obedience to the opinion of others, especially of parents. Of course, all parents want their children to get the best, but often push their children, to choose for them a completely unsuitable profession. Sometimes friends become such an authority: a young man or girl goes where their buddies go to study, to continue to be together. As for trusting the opinion of parents, you have to keep in mind that they lived and studied in a different era and their ideas about reality could be very outdated. And they generally have a different type of character and ability.
3. Forced labor. If you have a part-time job as a cashier, dreaming of a career as a singer, or if you have to work all day as a sales manager, to have something to eat while studying by correspondence for a degree in economics, it is already not a question of realization of dreams, but banal survival. Or, for example, if you did not succeed in your grades at the university of your choice and had to urgently grasp other options.
4. The need to continue a professional dynasty. This is more serious than herd instinct and obedience to parents: here, the sense of duty comes into play. If Kolya comes from a family of hereditary scientists, he is unlikely to have the courage to enroll in an art school. It is difficult to resist the family tradition, even if it forces him to get a profession that is not his favorite and well-paid.
5. Chasing fashion: The choice of profession is influenced by trends. And trends are constantly changing, and in five years of study, the demand for a specialty may disappear. In addition, it is not certain that every graduate of a popular field will have enough space in the labor market.

So, if the first choice of the profession will be unsuccessful, you will have to return to this issue after the first education. To live a life that is not your own, to study in a dull profession, or to work in a job you hate means you are wasting your time.

5 Criteria for Choosing a Profession

When choosing your life’s work, look beyond the list of the highest-paying professions in the world to several other factors.

1. The motivation behind the job. People are focused either on results or on avoiding problems and anguish. Accordingly, the former is quick to make decisions, quickly assess any opening chances, and have developed abstract thinking. This type of character is suitable for professions where you need to reach the top, fight, to make a breakthrough. The latter, on the contrary, work better in calm, clear, orderly conditions with schedules, regulations, plans. They systematically work and can also make serious progress, if they are part of a large friendly team and have a clear role in it.
2. Introversion and extroversion. To determine your type, you can simply take a reliable test by experts (you do not need to personally contact a psychologist).
3. Lifestyle. Most professions require at first hard work without obvious results, often routine and monotonous. Look at those who are already working in the specialty you are interested in and have reached at least an average level: whether they have vacations and days off, what kind of relationship within the team and with the boss, whether there are business trips, a normalized schedule, how much they earn, etc. A high-paying profession is no guarantee that you will enjoy your work.
4. Place of residence. Activities such as nuclear power and natural resource extraction are strictly tied to certain territories. Designers and fashion designers work in metropolitan areas and capitals. Foresters, for example, have to live in isolated, inaccessible areas.
5. Weigh all factors: the size and location of the settlement (city or village), climate, nature, transport accessibility, living conditions, population density. And be sure to take into account your personal preferences and talents.

And finally, the level of income and the demand for the profession. High-paying professions always attract a lot of people, but in addition to the salary, you need to consider your psychological fit for the position, abilities and hobbies, interests, etc.

Of course, it’s not easy to combine all of these factors and find the perfect profession that is both high-paying, comfortable, and inspiring. Fortunately, there are many choices.