The top ten steps in choosing a career should include:

  1. Understanding: Of your needs and requirements and your ability. This is the most important step since only by a complete and clear understanding of your abilities, you can actually decide on a career.
  2. Career Goals: Long term thinking, though not always possible, is important in choosing a career. One should start a career knowing what one ultimately wishes to achieve in that field.
  3. Planning: Some amount of planning is necessary in figuring out career moves. Though one cannot predict that direction in which a career will be headed, one must be willing to think of the bigger picture whenever possible.
  4. Information: Acquire information about the career you plan to take up, or the new job you plan to commence, as this can only be beneficial in providing you with an idea of what is to be done and how and where.
  5. Analyze: Analyze the perils and perks of the job. If you have certain limitations like the inability or unwillingness to go and work in a different place, or at odd hours, make these clear to yourself and proceed accordingly in a choosing a career.
  6. Prepare: Prepare yourself for excellence in the career you wish to embark upon. Ensure that you can face the challenges head on.
  7. Contacts: It is ideal to build up contacts with those who have knowledge and experience in the career you have chosen; but contacts must also be used sparingly and only at times of need.
  8. Search: Once a career has been chosen, or you have decided what to pursue, go all out to search for a job that suits your requirements and can give you the kind of job satisfaction you want.
  9. Enthuse: Be enthusiastic about your chosen career and willingness should allow things to fall into place easily.
  10. Be Positive: Positivity helps in choosing a career and in facing its pitfalls with determination and sincerity.

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