How to choose a career

Would-be solo business owners often know they want to go it alone, but can't figure out how to choose a career. Similarly, established soloists often get the urge to change direction when they outgrow their original business idea.

Last month my friend Emma called to inform me she had decided to quit her job and start a business in the fitness industry.

“I didn’t know you were interested in fitness!” I exclaimed to her.

“Oh, I’m not. But I know someone who has a business in the industry and he is making an absolute fortune” she replied.

It always amazes me how people can contemplate starting a business in an industry that they have little or no interest in.

You must be passionate about your field if you are to have any chance of competing against others who have a genuine passion for what they do.

I mentioned this to Emma, who replied “I’m just so sick of my job. I really want to start something. Got any ideas?”

My website receives numerous enquiries from people who are in Emma’s situation.

If you find yourself wondering how to choose a career and what type of business you should start, I recommend you begin by answering these questions:

1. What do you enjoy doing the most?

2. How could you do it so that other people will get value out of it and will invest in it?

3. How can you reach a lot of people?

4. How can you make it profitable?

Many soloists started a business that they were passionate about five or ten years ago, but have now reached a point where their work no longer interests them.

Considering that most of us will have around five to seven career changes throughout our lifetime, this is to be expected.

So how do you know if it’s time to make a change? Consider these questions:

Do you love what you do?
Does your business challenge you mentally?
Do you look forward to the working week?
Is there something else you would rather be doing?

Still unsure? Here are a couple of activities which may help.

Take a blank sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle to form two columns. In one column write down all the aspects of your business that you enjoy and in the other column, write down all the aspects of your business that you don’t enjoy.

How do the two columns compare?

Or you can try creating a picture of your ideal job. Feel free to get creative: use stick figures, cut outs from magazines and photos.

How closely does this picture resemble your current work?

Katie Roberts is a Career Consultant who specialises in helping people identify their ideal career. This year she launched her first web based career assessment for people looking for a career change.

5 comments | Add your own

I applaud your article. Interestingly, I've read in some books/articles on business that to "purchase a business" - it's all about the money, not the passion. In other words, what's the best financial outcome at the end?
We soloists are a special lot - we love what we do (or should).
Passion, interest and good business sense are great attributes for a solo operator. What we lack in business skills we should seek help with, and/or be prepared to delegate or outsource.
Most often, success for soloists is not counted in monetary terms. Yes, the financial rewards are important; but also satisfaction in what one does and enjoyment of it with a balanced life, is what most soloists aspire to. Karen from Springwood NSW
Great stuff, Katie - each day comes but once, so enjoy it ! Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
Thanks especially Katie and Karen / Grant for saying this very basic fundamental of business.
For 16 years I have built my business, today it trains and guides about 300 AU and NZ distributors of our car services business (it is like a franchise). Our business continues to grow larger so we continue to add more distributors. We select carefully these distributors because the wrong people have previously cost us. The right distributors make our trainer’s life easier and less stressful. Plus, our pride says we only want successful distributors to be strong links in our distribution chain.
At great cost we have spent years of researching /analysing our more successful distributors. We found they all had a “REAL PASSION for their business" – from 100’s of personalities ‘passion’ was the one linking factor for success. Successful soloists consider their business as a "baby" and they love and protect it just like a baby.
If I can offer any guidance to anyone ‘work only in the areas that you love’, SO if you don’t like part of your solo business but love most others then get others to do that work for you. To quote Robert Gerrish, whom I have known for years - “love your work”.
Warwick Lindsay from Brisbane
Thanks for a great article; it’s so easy to get caught up in the bottom-line in a world obsessed with money. I'm still searching for the right move for me, but getting closer. I find it useful to ask my head to switch off - as often it makes the worst decisions! Simon Miskin from Fremantle, WA
This, and the previous articles along with the comments on them, sum up all that I have ever felt or thought about my passion to do or find something that fulfills me! They have helped me to feel like I have direction and somewhere where to turn-what a relief! I have been inspired to re-arrange my thoughts and to realise where my passion lies with relation to fulfilling ME as a person and how important that is to me.
As Karen from Springwood says "success for soloists is not counted in monetary terms. Yes, the financial rewards are important; but also satisfaction in what one does and enjoyment of it with a balanced life, is what most soloists aspire to." Thank you Karen! You too have turned on a light bulb for me!!!
From the age of about 22 I have struggled with my desire of leading a fulfilling life in a career/venture that I have passion and feeling for, versus getting a 'job', making money and getting by day to day with no goal or passion in it. Living and growing up in a small country town, I was told by those around me that a 'job' with a respectable wage was all that I could hope for to lead a happy and fulfilled life. Up until now, at the age of 27, I have struggled and put up with my BORING 'job' with my secret soloist desires screaming to have their light turned on! As well as feeling generally in a rut! It really is a huge relief to know that there is such a thing as a "soloist" (I love the tiltle!) and that my ambitions are validated. It sums up everything I have searched for. I have always felt there was more somewhere deep down inside me, but have finally found the inspiration and permission to go out there and find it! Laura from Bendigo

5 comments | Add your own

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