Every day, we are faced with numerous decisions, big and small. When it comes to career moves, it’s usually easy to identify the right choice when the alternative would be detrimental to our professional growth. However, when presented with multiple good options, it becomes challenging to determine the best next step in our job journey. Whether it’s deciding on a college or a job offer, we all feel the pressure of making a career decision that feels monumental. To help navigate this process, we spoke with career experts on how they assess the costs versus benefits and make decisions between two equally appealing options. Here is their advice to help you make the best choice for yourself:
1. Consider the path of least regret: If you find yourself torn between two options, envision yourself in a time machine traveling one year, five years, and ten years into the future. Which decision would bring you the most peace? According to Gorick Ng, a career adviser at Harvard University, factors to consider include:
– Which option would enhance your reputational capital and look best on your resume?
– Which option would help you develop your social and professional network?
– Which option would provide opportunities for personal growth and development?
– Which option aligns with your long-term financial goals and desired lifestyle?
2. Align values with the offered opportunity: Clarify your values and compare them with what each option is offering. Write a mission statement outlining your top priorities and what you hope to achieve in your next career step. Compare these priorities to each option and assess if one option aligns more closely with your mission statement. Additionally, check if the company’s values match your own by researching company reviews on Glassdoor and speaking with current employees.
3. Reflect on your strengths: To make a decision, reflect on what you excel at and what is most important to you in your career. Identify your natural talents and skills. Gallup research shows that employees who utilize their strengths are more engaged and perform better. By choosing an option that allows you to utilize and enhance your existing strengths, you can find lasting fulfillment in your career.
4. Trust your intuition: Sometimes, our bodies sense something is not right before our minds can fully understand it. Trust your gut feeling by asking yourself, “If I didn’t have to consider others’ opinions or the impact on others, what would I choose?” Once you have an initial answer, consider others’ perspectives and analyze solvable problems that may arise.
5. Remember that you can always make another choice: A career decision may shape you, but it does not define you. It’s important to keep perspective and understand that even if you realize later that you made the wrong choice, you can still make another career move. Our career paths are rarely linear, and it is normal to pivot to new opportunities when necessary. As Oprah Winfrey once said, there are no wrong paths, and failures teach us valuable lessons and guide us towards new directions.
Ultimately, be true to yourself and choose the option that aligns with your values, strengths, and long-term goals. Trust your instincts and remember that you have the power to make another choice if needed.
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