Interests are important considerations when choosing a career. But what if you have too many interests? What if your interests are constantly changing? Choosing a career would be easy if everyone had one or two consistent interests. But most of us have several interests that change throughout our lives.
Focus on Personality and Values
When choosing a career, your values and personality matter just as much as interests. Choose a career by first identifying your career values and personality, and then and determine which careers best align with them. Then you can choose the careers that also match your interests. For example, if your interests include health and music but you highly value security, a job in healthcare would be a better choice than a job in the music industry.
Appreciate Interests as Hobbies
Once a favorite activity becomes work, it may not be so fun anymore. Every career has tedious or stressful aspects and it may not be easy to separate what you love from the negative parts of your work. Earning extra money from your hobby might work better than relying on it for a full-time income.
Find Your Career Interest Areas
Instead of choosing a career based on specific interests, consider the broader interest areas. An interest area offers more options and relieves the pressure to choose one right career. Do you like working with people, things, facts, or ideas? Maybe you need a career that combines two or three interest areas.
Interests are just one factor to consider when choosing a career. Instead of finding the most interesting career, find a career that aligns with your personality, values, skills, and interests. Read Career Match: Connecting Who You Are with What You’ll Love to Do