{"id":17908,"date":"2020-11-19T16:33:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-19T20:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=17908"},"modified":"2025-09-15T10:37:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T14:37:03","slug":"how-to-choose-a-career-path","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-choose-a-career-path\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Choose a Career Path: The 5 Parachute Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Do you know how to choose a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/career-path-development\/\">career path<\/a>? What are the suggestions from <em>What Color Is Your Parachute?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>What Color Is Your Parachute?<\/em> offers a 5-step process for how to choose a career path. These 5 Parachute steps can help guide you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read on for the 5 Parachute steps for how to choose a career path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p><em>Editor\u2019s note: This article is part of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/professional\/work\/career\/career-development-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shortform&#8217;s guide to career development<\/a>. If you like what you read here, there\u2019s plenty more to check out in the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-choose-a-career-path-the-5-step-process\">How to Choose a Career Path: The 5-Step Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step #1: Determine Possible Career Paths<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a few steps to using your flower to direct you on how to choose a career path:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Write your top three knowledges from Petal #5 on a sheet of paper.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Write your top five skills from Petal #3 on the same sheet of paper. Consider whether your skills point toward working with people, information, or things.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Show the sheet of paper to at least five people you know and ask them what jobs they think of when they look at the items on the list. The skills usually cue a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/job-titles\/\">job title<\/a> and the knowledges usually cue a field. The goal is to combine a few of your knowledges into a specialty.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, if your top three knowledges are music, crafts, and counseling, what jobs involve all three?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find people who are experts in your knowledge fields. Determine which person needed the most training (because this person likely has general knowledge in many fields) and set up an informational interview. Ask them how to combine your three knowledges.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, meet with a counselor. She might tell you about the existence of art and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/music-therapy-for-mental-health\/\">music therapy<\/a>, which combine two of your knowledges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t worry if your three knowledges seem so disparate you\u2019ll never find a job in which you can use them. You may not be able to find something that perfectly matches right away, but you can get close.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After a week of talking to people, evaluate your notes. Circle the most useful suggestions, and if nothing seems useful, go talk to more people.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step #2: Research Possible Careers&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The careers you came up with in step 1 might sound perfect, but you won\u2019t know for sure until you try them. As a result, <strong>the next step is to talk to people who are already doing the job and find out what it\u2019s really like via informational interviews.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In an informational interview, ask the interviewees the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How they got into the field.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What they like about the job.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What they don\u2019t like about the job.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who else you could talk to who does the same job.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What other types of careers use the same knowledge and skills as the type of job you\u2019re discussing, and who else you might talk to about those other careers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How much education or training the job requires. Most of the time, it will be a lot, but there are almost always exceptions, so ask about those too.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that not everyone will see the job or field the same way. You may have a different experience in a job than your interviewee did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you learn that a career requires a lot of training, consider shadow professions. <strong>Shadow professions are jobs that require less training than a professional specialty but are in the same field.<\/strong> For example, a paralegal is a shadow profession of a lawyer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step #3: Figure Out What Kinds of Organizations Hire for the Types of Jobs You Want<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brainstorm the kinds of places that hire for the job <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-are-you-curious-about\/\">you&#8217;re interested in<\/a>. For example, if you want to be a teacher, you\u2019ll think of schools, but also consider things like corporate training, military bases, ESL associations, and so on. Consider places that hire both full-time and temporary employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step #4: Figure Out What Specific Companies Hire for the Types of Jobs You Want&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It doesn\u2019t matter if companies have open positions at this point; you just need to <strong>make a list of organizations that you think look interesting.<\/strong> It&#8217;s important to keep an open mind if you want to know how to choose a career path. You\u2019ll likely want to focus on smaller companies (fewer than 100 employees) and newer companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You might stumble upon this information during your informational interviewing.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep talking to your friends, family, and network and ask them if they know of particular companies you could look into.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Search online using LinkedIn and search engines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you end up with too many companies (more than ten), use your petals to narrow down the options.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, if you want to work for a company that hires receptionists, you\u2019ll find companies that meet this criterion in many industries all over the world. If your location petal indicates that the place you\u2019d most like to live is Maui, and your working conditions petal indicates you want to work for a company with fewer than ten employees, then this will help you narrow down the search.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you end up with too few companies (fewer than ten):\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Look at Indeed.com, local business directories, or newsletters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to your local library and ask the librarian to help you find resources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step #5: Research Specific Companies&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Researching companies is very important. You do this for two reasons: 1) to learn about an organization\u2019s culture, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/your-work-style\/\">working style<\/a>, mission, and how you can be an asset to them, and 2) to determine if you would like working for that company. (Most people don\u2019t find out if they like a workplace until after they\u2019ve already started working there when it\u2019s too late to turn back.) Here\u2019s how to conduct your research:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Interview people who work at the organizations you\u2019re interested in. <\/strong>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/bridge-people\/\">bridge-person<\/a> is the best way to find people to talk to, but you can also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use LinkedIn to find people who work at the organization and email them directly. This only sometimes works; people are busy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to the organization and ask questions. This works best for small organizations (fewer than 50 employees) who don\u2019t have security guards. Don\u2019t ask any questions you could have figured out on your own, for example, information you could have read on their website. Talk to the gateway people, such as the receptionist, before approaching others who are higher in the organization, talk to subordinates rather than the boss, and <strong>don\u2019t try to get yourself hired.<\/strong> You\u2019re simply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-gather-information-2\/\">gathering information<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Research online.<\/strong> Some companies will put information about their culture on their company website. Additionally, you can explore sites such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.ca\/index.htm?countryRedirect=true\">Glassdoor<\/a>, on which employees review companies they currently work for or have worked for in the past.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Read company materials.<\/strong> The CEO of a company might have given talks you can get a copy of, and many companies put out brochures and annual reports. You might even find a company file at a public library.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Test-run companies by signing up with a temp agency.<\/strong> Temp agencies send you to different employers that need your specific skills and knowledges. Even if you don\u2019t get sent to the company you wanted, sometimes you can develop contacts temping for a different company that works in the same industry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Test-run organizations and causes by volunteering.<\/strong> Volunteering allows you to learn about an organization and gives you an opportunity to feel helpful (which is important, if you haven\u2019t been working in a while).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-if-i-m-offered-a-job-during-the-five-step-process\"><strong>What If I\u2019m Offered a Job During the Five-Step Process?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s unlikely that you\u2019ll be offered a job while you\u2019re working through the five-step process, but it\u2019s good to be prepared in case it does happen.<strong> If you\u2019re desperate for a job, take the job. If you\u2019re not desperate, it\u2019s best to wait until you\u2019ve completed the whole process. <\/strong>Remember that the goal of the flower exercise and parachute approach isn\u2019t just to get yourself any job, it\u2019s to find your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/your-dream-job\/\">dream job<\/a>. It&#8217;s about how to choose a career path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell whoever\u2019s offered you the job that you\u2019re still in the researching phase and want to finish the whole process before making a decision. Explain that you want to be sure you\u2019ve found a place where you can be the most helpful, which any potential employer should appreciate. Say that your initial impression of their company is that you\u2019d like to work there and promise to get back to the employer once you\u2019ve finished your research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-choose-a-career-path-5-step-process-post-assessment\">How to Choose a Career Path: 5-Step Process <strong>Post-Assessment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ideally, after going through the five-step process you\u2019ll have discovered the existence of a job that meets the criteria of multiple petals. <\/strong>If your job matches only one of your petals, at best, you\u2019ll be bored. If it matches all seven petals, it\u2019s a dream job. When choosing which petals to prioritize, consider survival (in which case you\u2019d choose the money petal) and your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-stages-of-life\/\">stage of life<\/a> (if you\u2019re older, you might prioritize the purpose petal).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-two-stepping\"><strong>Two-Stepping<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Jobs are two-headed entities; they represent both what you do and what field you do it in. <strong>If your flower leads you to a dream job that\u2019s different from both what you do and the field you do it in, it will be hard to get that job because you don\u2019t have any experience.<\/strong> You might be able to network yourself into moving directly, but it\u2019s easier to change <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/focus-on-one-thing\/\">one thing at a time<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you\u2019re an architect and you want to become a music teacher, you\u2019ll have trouble going directly to the music teacher role because if an interviewer asks you if you have any experience working as a teacher, or in the field of music, you\u2019ll have to say no to both. If, however, you find a stepping stone job such as designing soundproof practice rooms, then you\u2019ll be able to acquire some experience in the field.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you know how to choose a career path? What are the suggestions from What Color Is Your Parachute? What Color Is Your Parachute? offers a 5-step process for how to choose a career path. These 5 Parachute steps can help guide you. Read on for the 5 Parachute steps for how to choose a career path.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":18219,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,30],"tags":[150],"class_list":["post-17908","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career","category-work","tag-what-color-is-your-parachute","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Choose a Career Path: The 5 Parachute Steps - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you struggling with how to choose a career path? What Color Is Your Parachute can help. Here&#039;s the 5-step process of the Parachute book.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-choose-a-career-path\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Choose a Career Path: The 5 Parachute Steps\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Are you struggling with how to choose a career path? What Color Is Your Parachute can help. 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