How to Choose a Career: 7 Tips for Those Who Can’t Decide

Choosing a career is a tough step. Sure, some people are incredibly lucky in this life: there are rare kids who, at around six years old, already know they’ll become surgeons, politicians, or ballerinas when they grow up. But for the vast majority of applicants, the period before college is full of uncertainty and the painful question: “What do I actually want to become?”

These 7 tips are for you.

Contents:

1. Get to know yourself
2. Explore your options
3. Try yourself in different fields
4. Look for inspiration
5. Remember there’s no such thing as a “perfect career”
6. Don’t rush
7. Ask for advice

1. Get to Know Yourself

The first thing you need to do is get to know yourself as well as possible. And not the ideal version you show to others or on social media, but your real self.

To do this, don’t be lazy — ask yourself these questions (and answer them honestly!):

What are your interests?

• What truly “lights you up”?
• What can you talk about endlessly?
• What books do you usually read?
• What topics do you listen to podcasts about / watch on YouTube?
• What activities make you lose track of time?
• And which ones, on the contrary, make you uncomfortable?
• What did you dream about as a child? What did you enjoy doing back then?

What are your strengths?

• Do you feel more comfortable working alone or in a team?
• Do you prefer working with people or with information/objects?
• Do you enjoy public speaking?
• Do you prefer routine and stability, or creativity, variety, and challenges?
• Are you better with numbers or with texts?
• How organized and disciplined are you?
• Do you like helping people?
• Do you have an analytical mindset?

Tip: Getting an outside perspective can really help here. Ask friends, family, or teachers what they think your strengths are — and what you might need to work on.

What matters to you? What are your values?

• What kind of lifestyle are you aiming for?
• How important is financial stability, travel opportunities, etc. to you?
• How important are flexibility and mobility? (Not all careers allow remote work or flexible schedules.)
• Is work more of a tool for self-realization or mainly a source of income?
• Is it important for you that your work makes the world better?
• Would you like to help people?
• Would you like to create/invent something new?

What are your future goals?

• Where do you want to be in 5, 10, or 15 years?
• In which country and city would you like to live?
• What position do you want to hold?
• Do you want to manage people or focus on research?
• Are you planning to choose a field that brings high income?

A small philosophical note: understanding yourself well is important not only for choosing a career. It’s also essential if you want to live a meaningful and fulfilling life.

2. Explore Your Options

The next step is to look at what real opportunities exist in the world of education and careers. This is especially important for international students planning to study abroad: in this case, your career choice is closely tied to the country where you study and its education system.

Assess the job market

Of course, you shouldn’t make a decision based only on prestige. However, it’s important to understand which professions are currently in demand and have strong future potential — you don’t want to graduate and end up without job opportunities.

For example, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest-growing fields in the country are technology, healthcare, and data analysis.

You should also take into account:

• level of competition in the profession
• average salary
• job opportunities after graduation

Understand what careers are behind majors

One degree program can lead to very different career paths. For example:

• Business → marketing, finance, entrepreneurship
• Economics → finance, analytics, public sector, consulting
• Computer Science → development, analytics, AI
• Biology → medicine, research, ecology, pharmaceuticals
• Psychology → HR, marketing, consulting, psychotherapy

Compare education systems across countries

The structure of education can vary significantly from country to country.

For example, in the U.S. and Canada, the system is more flexible — many students choose their major only in their second or third year. In the UK and many European countries, students usually have to choose a specialization right at the time of application.

In some countries, universities offer preparatory programs that allow students to explore different subjects before deciding on a major.

It’s also worth checking in advance:

• whether internships are included in your chosen universities
• whether you can stay and work in the country after graduation
• whether the profession is in demand internationally, etc.

For example, many countries offer special post-study work visas (Graduate Route in the UK, Post-Graduation Work Permit in Canada, and others).

3. Try Yourself in Different Fields

To truly understand whether a direction suits you, it’s important to try it in practice — even in a “simplified” format. Here are a few ways to do that.

• Online courses. Short courses are one of the fastest ways to “try on” a profession without major commitments. For example, if you want to see whether programming is for you, you can take a basic Python course.

• Projects and volunteering. Practical experience doesn’t have to be official. For example, you can take part in a school project or help organize a community event in your city.

• Internships. If possible, look for a short-term internship (for example, over the summer) or try job shadowing, where you observe a professional at work, learn, and ask questions.

• Career tests. Career assessments don’t give a final answer, but they help narrow your options and reveal directions you might not have considered before.

4. Look for Inspiration

When you don’t have a clear answer to “what career should I choose?”, it helps to look for examples that resonate with you. This can show possible paths and help you understand what truly attracts you.

• Study the stories of people you admire. Real biographies of successful people help you understand how their journey actually unfolded. They also show that reality is often very different from the polished picture on social media. Stories of people who achieved success despite failures and challenges can be a powerful source of motivation.

• Watch talks and interviews. This helps you understand not only the profession itself, but also the mindset of people who succeeded in that field. One of the best platforms for this type of content is TED.

• Follow stories of talented graduates. Many universities publish real stories of their students on their websites, which can also be inspiring.

• Use social media intentionally. LinkedIn and similar platforms can also become tools for inspiration. Explore profiles of people in fields you’re interested in, and analyze their education, career paths, and skills.

• Find “your people.” Maybe there are already people in your environment who inspire admiration? Motivation often works better when you identify with people from your own surroundings.

5. Remember: There Is No Such Thing as a “Perfect Career”

One of the most common traps is thinking that there is a single “perfect” career somewhere out there — one that will match all your expectations 100% and fit you perfectly. In reality, that’s rarely the case.

First, most people discover their true calling gradually, through trial and error.

A profession is not a fixed destination — it’s more like a trajectory or a path. Once you understand this, you can reduce unnecessary stress and focus on what matters to you right now.

Second, your priorities will likely change over time — and that’s completely normal. What interests you at 17 may lose relevance later. Modern education systems already take this into account: in many countries, students can change majors or combine fields to adjust their studies along the way.

And third, in today’s world, it’s much more important to develop skills, try new things, and stay open to experience than to try to make a “perfect decision” on the first attempt for your entire life.

6. Don’t Rush

It may feel like everyone around you has already figured it out, and you’re under pressure to decide quickly… but rushing your career choice is not a good idea.

You have every right to take time to think: explore programs, compare countries, and try different directions. In many education systems, this is already built in — for example, you can start with a general program or take a foundation year to decide later.

If you’re unsure, it’s better to spend a few extra months exploring than a few years studying something that doesn’t fit you. That time can be used productively: take courses, join projects, or talk to professionals.

Remember: A short pause at the beginning can make your entire path much more thoughtful and effective.

7. Ask for Advice

You don’t have to choose a career on your own. Talking to people who already have similar experience can make the process much easier and help you notice things you might miss on your own.

• Start with your close circle: parents, teachers, older friends. They know you well and can help identify your strengths, tendencies, and areas where you naturally perform best. Sometimes an outside perspective reveals things that are obvious to others but not to you.

• Talk to people working in fields you’re interested in. These could be acquaintances, graduates, or participants in career events. Ask them how they got into the profession, what they like and dislike about their work, and which skills really matter. These conversations often give a much more realistic picture than thousands of online articles.

• Career counselors are another valuable resource you shouldn’t overlook when it comes to your future. Professionals can help analyze your interests and strengths and suggest suitable directions.

If you’re planning to study abroad, it’s especially useful to consult specialists who understand the differences between education systems, university requirements, and career opportunities in different countries. This helps you not just choose a profession, but build a smart application strategy.

For example, a personal consultation with an ED-EX.com expert gives you the opportunity to:

• assess your profile (academic performance, language skills, etc.)
• understand your chances of admission
• review the education systems in the countries you are considering
• get answers to questions about applying, studying, and living abroad
• receive a personalized action plan — which exams to take, which documents are required, and how we will guide you through every step of the process

Learn more and book a consultation here.