How to Choose a Career Path in 7 Steps (With Examples)

Highlights

1. A career path outlines the jobs and roles to follow for growth and professional advancement.
2. Four main career paths include linear, horizontal, dual, and nonlinear options for progression.
3. Seven steps to choosing a career include setting goals, planning, self-assessment, and evaluating skills.
4. Teenagers should focus on self-reflection, hands-on experience, research, and mentor guidance from an early age.
5. Using tools like Yulys helps explore jobs, research fields, and make informed career decisions.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through 7 practical steps to help identify a career that aligns with your skills, interests, and goals. Along the way, we’ll provide real examples to make each step actionable. You can also use Yulys, a trusted job search website, to explore opportunities, research industries, and find roles that match your aspirations, making your career journey more focused and informed.

What Is a Career Path?

A career path is a clear plan that shows the jobs and roles you want to pursue as you grow in your profession. It usually begins with your first job, internship, or degree. As you gain experience and develop new skills, you can advance to higher positions or move sideways into related roles. Following a career path helps you stay focused, improve your skills, and achieve your professional goals. Moreover, exploring the best place to find remote jobs can reveal opportunities that match your interests and support your career growth.

4 Types of Career Path

Before choosing a direction, it is essential to understand the available options. Each career path supports growth differently. Here are the four main types of career paths to consider.

1. Linear Career Path

This path follows a clear, upward direction within a single field. Over time, you move from entry-level roles to senior positions. For example, a junior accountant can advance to become a senior accountant and later progress to a finance manager.

2. Horizontal Career Path

Instead of promotion, this path focuses on learning new skills at the same level. As a result, you gain wider experience. For example, a marketing executive may move into content strategy or social media management.

3. Dual Career Path

This path allows professionals to choose between leadership and technical roles. Therefore, growth does not depend only on managing people. For example, a software developer may become a team lead or continue as a senior technical expert. Early experience through highest paying internships often helps shape this choice.

4. Nonlinear Career Path

This path offers flexibility as interests change over time. As a result, people may move across roles or industries. For example, someone may start in sales, shift to product management, and later move into consulting.

What Are the 7 Steps in Choosing a Career?

Choosing a career becomes easier when you follow a clear process. These seven steps guide you in making informed choices and moving forward with confidence.

1. Set Clear Career Goals

First, take time to define what you want from your career by reflecting on your values, interests, and long-term priorities. This clarity helps you focus on roles that align with your personal and professional growth.

2. Plan for the Future

Next, create a five- and ten-year plan to outline where you want to be in the coming years. By mapping milestones, you can identify the positions, skills, and experiences you need to achieve your goals.

3. Understand Your Personality

Then, explore your personality traits and work style, as understanding your preferences helps you select roles that align with your strengths. For instance, creative thinkers often thrive in design or marketing positions.

4. Review Your Past Experience

After that, analyze your previous jobs, internships, or projects to see which tasks you enjoyed most. This reflection highlights patterns and experiences that can guide your future career decisions.

5. Match Jobs With Your Education

Now, compare your education, certifications, or training with the requirements of the roles you’re interested in. This ensures you focus on positions where you already meet the qualifications or know the following steps to take.

6. Evaluate Your Skills

At this stage, assess both your technical and soft skills to determine where you excel and where improvement is needed. Working with a career coach can help refine these skills and boost your career readiness.

7. Align With Your Interests and Values

Finally, match your personal interests and core values with potential career paths, because alignment increases job satisfaction and long-term success. For example, strong communication skills may guide you to HR or sales roles.

To take the next step, download Yulys now to get your dream career. The Yulys app is available on both Android and iOS, allowing you to explore opportunities at any time.

How to Choose a Career as a Teenager?

Choosing a career as a teenager can feel challenging, but starting early gives you an advantage. Focus on self-reflection, hands-on exploration, and researching potential fields while staying open to change. Following these steps helps you create a clear and adaptable career plan.

1. Self-Reflection & Assessment

Begin by identifying your interests and passions, and ask what subjects or activities excite you most. Next, consider your strengths, whether creative, logical, or people-oriented, and the skills you naturally have. Then, define your values and priorities, such as work-life balance, salary, or helping others. Finally, consider taking personality tests like the Myers-Briggs or Strong Interest Inventory to discover careers that align with your personality profile.

2. Hands-On Exploration

After self-reflection, gain real-world experience through internships, volunteering, part-time jobs, or job shadowing. This practical exposure helps you understand daily responsibilities, confirm your interests, and identify the types of roles that best suit you.

3. Research Potential Fields

Next, explore education requirements, industry trends, and long-term growth opportunities in fields that interest you. By researching, you ensure that your career choices are realistic, achievable, and aligned with future opportunities.

4. Seek Guidance

Finally, consider consulting with mentors, teachers, or career counselors who can offer valuable advice, share their experiences, and help you make informed decisions. Their support can guide you in exploring options and strengthening your Career Path DECIDE.

Summary

Choosing a career can be a confusing process, but having a clear plan makes it easier. This guide explains how to choose a career path through goal setting, skill assessment, personality reflection, hands-on experience, and research. Teenagers and adults can follow these steps, seek guidance, and make informed decisions to build a successful and flexible career for the future.

FAQ

What Are the 4 Types of Career Paths?

The four main types are linear (upward growth), horizontal (learning new skills at the same level), dual (leadership or technical roles), and nonlinear (moving across roles or industries). Each path helps you grow and gain experience uniquely.

What Are 5 Key Steps to Choosing a Career?

Five key steps are setting goals, planning your future, assessing personality, reviewing skills, and matching jobs with education. These steps guide you in choosing a career that aligns with your strengths.

How Do I Find the Right Career for Me?

To find the right career, reflect on your interests, explore experiences, research options, and seek mentor guidance. Testing roles helps you select a job that aligns with your skills and career goals.