Choosing a career is never an easy task for many young individuals on the threshold of adulthood, especially when balancing abilities and interests.
Your abilities enable you to work effectively and succeed, while your interests bring joy and motivation.
So, how can you choose a job that balances these factors and allows you to advance the most in your career path?
Why is it Important to Consider Both Interests and Abilities When Choosing a Career?
Ideally, a job should satisfy both factors for the following reasons:
Enhancing Career Development Opportunities: No matter how optimistic you are, it is hard to stay happy if your lack of expertise prevents you from getting the work done. Indeed, limitations in abilities can put you under pressure at work, especially in fast-paced environments that demand quick adaptation and success from new employees. In the long run, poor professional abilities can slow down your career progression or even cause setbacks.
Promoting Better Work Performance and Work-Life Balance: Selecting a job that matches your abilities allows you to work more efficiently, achieve better results, and progress further in your career. Besides, if the job also aligns with your interests, you will feel motivated and enjoy your work, which can spark creativity and innovation, helping you maintain long-term productivity. A job that fits both your abilities and interests will cause you less stress and fatigue, allowing you to maintain a positive work-life balance.
However, in today’s evolving job market, these two factors alone may not be enough. Ms. Nguyen Thanh Thuy, Recruitment Manager, RPO, ManpowerGroup Vietnam, shared in a career consulting livestream organized byCollege of Technology(CTECH) at the end of August 2024, “From an employer’s perspective, career choices should harmonize three factors: abilities, interests, and market demand. Ask yourself: Are there job opportunities in the market that match my skills and interests?”
How to Identify Your Interests and Abilities?
Compared to the past, young people today have many advantages in accessing knowledge and information of career development. But most importantly, they should explore and gain experience in different work environments. Remember, a person’s interests also evolve with work experience, age, and personal experiences.
According to Thuy, an experienced HR professional at ManpowerGroup Vietnam, there are many online tools available that young talent can use to assess their personality and suitability for different careers. “Regular self-assessment and evaluation of your abilities are essential. Ask yourself questions like: What tasks am I good at? What do others often seek my help with? What areas do I need to improve?” Thuy added.
There is also a popular assessment method known as 360-degree feedback. You can ask your teachers, family members, friends, colleagues, or managers at part-time jobs to provide feedback on your behavior, skills, work performance, strengths, and weaknesses. This will give you a more well-rounded perspective on your abilities.
Should You Choose Jobs Based on Trends?
“Besides traditional professions, many unprecedented jobs have emerged, offering lucrative opportunities. These include roles such as reviewer, streamer, or TikToker, etc. So, can I pursue these jobs as a long-term career? Will these jobs eventually become obsolete?” asked Dao Trung, a student at CTECH.
Addressing this question, Thuy shared: “All jobs are appealing as long as you enjoy going to work, can apply your skills, and can provide for yourself and your family. Ask yourself what skills you will learn from any job you choose. In the face of rapidly changing job trends and employer demands, some positions may not be sustainable in the future, but transferable skills are. Therefore, young people need to develop these skills to quickly adapt to ever-changing job market and apply these skills to other roles.”
The ManpowerGroup Vietnam expert emphasized the importance of “lifelong learning” and continuous upskilling. “Just as you gradually increase your training load in the gym, you should set new challenges for yourself to keep improving, little by little each day.”
Remember that abilities or skills are sharpened through effort and training. The key is to dare to take action and persist in pursuing your goals. Success will come to those who never stop striving.
This activity is part of ManpowerGroup Vietnam’s Career Development Program and underscores our ongoing dedication to the strategic MOU with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, initiated in 2008, as well as ManpowerGroup Global’s sustainability efforts.
