How To Identify Your True Career Aspirations
What are you working toward?
It’s never too late to find what you truly want out of life. Whether you need to find ways to evolve your current job into a career or switch gears to carve out a new career path, it’s time to figure out your true career aspirations.
Below, I’ll discuss how to find your aspirations and how to make the most out of them. I’ll also explain how to describe your career aspirations to others.
How to explain your career aspirations
Many interviewers ask about your career aspirations, and it’s not always an easy question to answer. Regardless of what the interviewer wants to hear, it’s important to have a firm idea about those aspirations. But what does that even mean?
By definition, career aspirations are the desires you hold related to what you want to accomplish in the workforce and how that aligns with the life you want to build.
While that sounds simple enough, many people find that their career aspirations change over time. What we wanted as five-year-olds shifted by adolescence and probably evolved several more times through high school and beyond.
Your current career aspirations could change as you undergo this journey of discovery. Understanding that each stage of the process could lead to a shift in your long-term goals can help explain things to yourself and others.
What shapes a person’s career aspirations
Stepping away from our five-year-old selves, we need to assess a realistic view of our lives and how a career fits. We typically consider five main elements when formulating our career aspirations, though some carry more weight than others.
- Unique skills and talents
- Past experiences
- Social circles
- Education
- Financial goals
For example, somebody with strong family ties places a high value on spending time together. Perhaps they have fond memories of their parents being at every school event, holiday, and extracurricular activity. If they hope to continue that trend, their career aspirations might involve plenty of freedom and flexible work hours.
How to develop better career aspirations
Do you feel stuck in your job? It might be time to switch gears or think bigger. You have several options for getting unstuck and pushing forward. Remember, the more you expose yourself to new things, the more likely your career aspirations will grow.
Get a mentor
Is there somebody you look up to who is doing what you aspire to do? Reach out and ask if they would be willing to mentor you. Many professionals appreciate the opportunity to share their passions with others. It’s an excellent way to learn about other career paths and figure out if something is a good fit before investing too much time and energy into it.
Try a part-time job in a new industry
Side gigs aren’t just an opportunity to make ends meet. Taking a part-time job in a new industry is an excellent way to dip your toe in the water. For example, many freelance writers, authors, and artists start part-time as a side hustle. It’s a way to gain experience, build a following, and find out if it’s a viable career path.
Take a class
Continuing education is critical for professional development, but it can also help you refine your career aspirations. Attending a class at the local university can help you develop skills and give you a taste of what a career in the field might look like.
Network
Attend networking events and talk with as many people as you can. General mixers for local professionals allow you to learn about your community and possible exploration opportunities.
For example, if you're interested in opening your own business, you might attend a mixer for local entrepreneurs. That way, you can learn about local issues, success stories, and potential job shadowing opportunities. You might even find partnerships that could make your career goals more attainable.
Good answer to career aspirations
We already mentioned the dreaded interview question, so we’ll leave you with some guidelines and tips to leave a great impression.
Prepare for the question
You know it’s coming, so it helps to practice ahead of time. List your goals and work out the key points. The goal is to be brief but specific to demonstrate clarity about your objectives. If you can, practice presenting your answer to your friends or family and ask them for feedback. If you are more of a writer, you can write down your complete answer to ensure it’s clear and interesting.
Consider the audience
While you can develop a general answer highlighting your best qualities, you need to finesse it for each interview. Think about the who (the people you will work with and for), not just the what (the day-to-day tasks).
Even if your primary objective revolves around the financial aspects, consider a different approach. Shift your focus to work and the impact you could have on the company.
Be honest
It’s always the best policy, even if you desperately need a job at the moment. If a job or industry isn’t a good fit, be clear that you plan to use the position as a stepping stone to other opportunities.
Remember, it’s okay to leave a new job if it doesn’t work for you or your goals. It’s not uncommon to find out a position isn’t what you thought or realize you made the wrong decision. Plus, if you were honest from the beginning, it shouldn’t be as much of a shock to the company.
The right career is out there
When you feel stuck in your current job or career and need to get moving again, it’s time to reevaluate your career aspirations. You don’t have to do it all at once—you can take small steps, like taking a class or working with a mentor. But taking some action is key!
Having a clear career path helps you create goals and figure out how to move forward, but it’s not always easy to do. It's normal for our desires to shift as we experience new things, grow, and change. And as long we as roll with those changes and remember it's never too late, we will eventually find the perfect fit.