Career Success and Career Choice: You Need Both to Grow!

Career Success and career choice go hand in hand. Without the ability to choose your career path, you end up resentful of your employer. As a result, Career Success remains out of reach. In fact, a lack of career choice is a big reason people feel unhappy in their jobs. 

As Mark Twain once said, The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” It’s the why” that drives career choice and happiness in your career.

If you feel trapped in the wrong career, know that it's never too late to change your career path and find Career Success. It all begins with embracing Career Success and career choice — and making the choice to change.

What is Career Success?

By Uvaro’s definition, Career Success means experiencing financial health and work you enjoy, while feeling fulfilled in your peer community and life choices. It's a broad definition that can vary from person to person depending on their goals.

It's important to consider both Career Success and career choice when making decisions about your career. Career Success comes from having the right skills to make you valuable at work. It also involves having the right network of relationships to help you advance.

Meanwhile, career choice is about the type of work that you want to do and how much money you want to make. It includes the interactions you have with other people that bring you joy.

You don't have complete control over either Career Success or career choice. However, understanding both factors can help you make better decisions about which jobs to take. It’ll also help you grasp how much money to ask for in a salary negotiation.

To learn more about Career Success and career choice, see our Career Success Guide.

What Is Career Choice?

Career choice is the process of choosing a career path. It can be a long-term decision about what you want to do for the rest of your life. However, career choice can also come later in your career when you’re thinking about making a change. 

Part of career choice is identifying your interests, personality traits, and skills. It also includes consideration of your income potential and job security, as well as cultural fit within an organization. The stakes are high when making such important decisions. 

Money alone won’t make you happy; study after study confirms this. At times, you might face a choice between upward mobility and horizontal growth. You may also decide at some point that changing careers is the only way to find Career Success. Note the differences:

• Upward mobility is about moving up the ladder. It's about seeking out a new job that offers more responsibility and better pay. It's about becoming more senior in your chosen field.
• Horizontal growth is about making yourself valuable to your current employer and taking on more responsibility within your company. It involves setting yourself apart by developing new skills or gaining additional experience.

Both upward mobility and horizontal growth have their challenges. With upward mobility, you might have stiff competition among your peers. With horizontal growth, you may take on greater responsibilities without getting more compensation.

If upward mobility and horizontal growth aren’t working for you, it could mean you lack flexibility in your career. This is when a career change might be in order. Gaining new skills can give you a new career that meets all your goals.

PRO TIP: Download our career change guide to learn more!

How Do Career Success and Career Choice Intermingle?

Career Success is the ability to achieve your goals and find happiness along your career path. Career choice refers to the job or industry you choose. The goal is to intertwine Career Success and career choice and achieve the following goals.

Finding financial health

It's never too early or too late to start thinking about your financial health. Your career should allow you to make money for living expenses, savings, retirement, and fun.

It should go beyond short-term goals like paying off student loans or buying a house. If your career only lets you live paycheck to paycheck, it might be time to uplevel your skills into a new career.

Finding work you enjoy

Finding work you enjoy is a key component of Career Success. But how do you go about doing that? The first step is to figure out what types of work interest you.

If your current job isn't fulfilling, there are many ways to find one that will be more rewarding — whether in the same field or another industry altogether. The following steps will help:

• Ask yourself why your current position isn't satisfying. Are there tasks or responsibilities that seem unnecessary? Are there aspects of the role that aren't challenging enough for your skillset?
• Consider the culture. Does the company culture feel unappealing or disconnected from who you are as a person?
• Talk with friends who share your interests or work somewhere that intrigues you. Ask them what they like most about their work. Inquire about what kinds of challenges come up regularly.

Finding a fulfilling peer community

Part of Career Success involves finding a fulfilling peer community which means your Career Choice should align with this goal. The goal is to surround yourself with people who share your values and support your goals. I'm not talking about just finding a peer group, though. You also need to find a community that is actually helping you grow in your chosen field.

For example, if you're trying to find a new job and feeling stuck, ask yourself these questions:

• Do I feel supported by my peers or mentors? Do they give me feedback or advice when I ask for it?
• Am I learning from this group? Are they helping me grow in my field?
• Are they only focused on their own goals?
• What people or groups can help me meet some of these peers?

Once you know what motivates you and makes you happy, seek out jobs that fit those interests and passions. A good place to start is by looking at job descriptions online. Get a sense of whether the position aligns with your goals and interests.

Join LinkedIn groups in the field to ask if there’s room for growth within the organization or industry. Put yourself out there to begin aligning your Career Success with your vision for the future.

Choose success with Uvaro

Uvaro is your solution to any challenges you may face while navigating Career Success and career choice. We can help match your personality with jobs that fit your skill set, interests, and values.

We also offer tools that help you make the most of your career once it's started. With Courses, Workshops, Career Coaching, and networking opportunities, Uvaro sees you through your entire career.

From the moment you get your first job to the day you retire, we are here to support you and help you grow through every stage.To learn more on your path to Career Success, see our Career Success Catalog.