Many times college students, and individuals with years of
working experience, decide on careers without critically examining their
own impressions and understandings of a particular career. To often
they rely on someone else’s attitude toward a specific career without
finding out what is true and what is not.

Career planning and
their choices to often is made with limited and many times inaccurate
information. Rare is the person who takes the time for self analysis and
gathers information to develop viable career options. If your view is
limited you may be overlooking a hidden but ideal career situation.

Career
myths are everywhere and the key is to test assumptions, and critically
examine the information you know about a job or industry. There is
considerable risk in allowing assumptions to be the basis of a career
choice. The consequences can lead to a career where you have little
interest and lukewarm passion. A recipe for disaster.

Some abandon
work aspirations based on misconceptions about the career. They don’t
look into the career because they were told there was, “no money in it.”
Listening to others without challenging their inaccurate beliefs can
cause you to rule out a possible dream job.

Career choices or
changes should be approached in a critical and unbiased way. Here are
four guidelines to follow to help you make the best informed choice:

1.
Test all your assumptions: You may only have a fraction of the right
information along with comments from family and friends. Examine
everything and do comprehensive research to learn as much as possible
about the career. Also, remain flexible as your research will
undoubtedly uncover other promising leads.

2. Get your career information from a variety of
sources: If currently in school discuss the career with a counselor or
your professors. Look in the internet for relevant information. Find
someone who is currently working in the prospective career and phone
them to schedule a short interview. Attend job fairs and discuss the
career with recruiters.

Follow-up on resources that you uncover in
your basic research. Go back to your sources as you put together
additional questions.

3. Critically analyze all your career
information. Be a critical thinker in analyzing your research. Carefully
put some thought into the sources of information, are there
contradictions? Maybe some more research is in order. Think carefully
about your sources of information on careers. Who can give you a better
sense of what it’s like to be a CPA: a couple of CPA’s working in the
accounting field every day or your uncle who got audited by the IRS 15
years ago due to his CPA’s misjudgment?

4. Try out your career
ideas: If still in school consider applying for internships in your
chosen field. If possible, a part-time job in the industry will give you
a better feel for both the job and industry. If you still have concerns
about a career continue your research. If the proposed career looks
less than exciting, your continued study will point you in the right
direction.

Above all don’t chose a career based only on anecdotal
evidence or hearsay information. When you do make your career choice
based on solid information, you’ll go much farther in the career, enjoy
it more and be happy you spent the time doing proper career research and
analysis.