Follow these five tips to find a fulfilling career
Ever feel nervous or anxious trying to plan for your career? It’s a big decision! When you plan your career with intention and move forward with faith, you can feel peace and confidence as you take your next steps. Here are five ways you can plan your career with purpose.
1. Research career paths you're passionate about
When making plans for your career, consider what types of jobs will be most meaningful to you.
Yuanxing Lai, a BYU-Pathway student from Cambodia, explained his reason to pursue a career in the health field: “I feel it is a call from God for me to serve people and improve their health.” Many people find purpose in their career by focusing on developing their talents to serve others. Get started by thinking about these questions:
- Which of my skills and talents could I monetize?
- What are my interests?
- What matters most to me: helping others, higher wages, doing something I love, etc.?
2. Seek revelation and direction
Your career is important to Heavenly Father because it's important to you — involve Him in your plans! Pray about your future; receive a patriarchal blessing, and study it often; and seek counsel from family, mentors, and leaders who know you well. Personal revelation can provide clarity and peace. Some people are guided to a specific job all in one moment, while others don't receive a concrete answer and take small steps forward in faith. Either way, the Lord will guide you.
BYU-Pathway student Edgard Portocarrero completed three certificates, one in teaching English as a foreign language and two in digital marketing. Looking back on his journey, he said, “There were moments of exhaustion and doubt, but each step forward reaffirmed my conviction that I was on the right path.” As Edgard continued forward, the Lord confirmed he was headed in a good direction.
3. Use BYU-Pathway’s resources
BYU-Pathway offers a variety of resources to help students with career planning. Career Services provides tools for finding jobs, building résumés, and improving interview skills.
If you want to explore even further, free online tools like the "O*NET Interest Profiler" can help. However, BYU-Pathway’s resources are already tailored to your program and purpose and are a great place to start.
4. Set simple, flexible goals
Your goals may change over time, and that's okay — normal even! What matters most is that you’re taking steps forward. Oluwaseyi Sina Erejimi, a BYU-Pathway student from Nigeria, shared, “One of my greatest successes has been discovering that I can keep progressing even when life is hard. Each completed course strengthens my confidence and my testimony that the Lord opens doors when we seek learning.”
Focus on each step forward by setting small, realistic goals like:
- Register for a course you are interested in or that will teach you a new job skill.
- Update your résumé .
- Create or update your LinkedIn profile .
- Complete a jobs profile for BYU-Pathway.
5. Take the next step in faith
Planning for your career doesn’t mean having all the answers or already having a job lined up. Trust that Heavenly Father is preparing you: Keep doing your part, and He will open the right doors at the right times. By making decisions with intention, using available tools, and trusting in God, you can find purpose now and in your career.
Looking to improve your career? Take the first step by enrolling in