How to Choose a Career Route (And Why That’s Better Than a Career Path)
In high school and college, I remember feeling the pressure to choose a career path. Some of the pressure was admittedly self-induced: I was desperate to drop AP Statistics my junior year, and I got my parents on board by convincing them I had chosen a career path that would not involve advanced math.
That “career path” was journalism. In the years since I made that declaration, I never ended up becoming a journalist, data journalism became a career, and I went on to take lots more statistics courses, voluntarily.
Of course I had no way to know any of that at the time. So the question is, why was there so much emphasis on choosing a career path? Even when teachers, counselors, and my own parents would reference an (unsourced) stat that people would change careers multiple times, the implied message felt different: That there is a single correct path for everyone, and you’re supposed to find it early. If you’re trying to figure out how to choose a career path, you’ve probably felt that same pressure.
It took me many years to realize I could, and should, see it differently.
The “Right Career” Myth
If there were one perfect career path for each person, we’d expect to see people pick it once and stick with it forever.
That’s…not what happens.
Talk to ten people in your life and you’re likely to learn that most of them have worked in different roles, industries, and organizations over time, often with unexpected twists and turns along the way. Sometimes that happened by choice. Sometimes that happened because the world changed.
Sometimes, that happened because they, and their lives, changed. And that’s okay. In fact, I think it can be a really good thing.
The Reframe: From Path to Route
My suggestion is to stop thinking of it as a career path and instead think of it as choosing a career route.
Think about it: a path implies a single prescribed way forward. The only way to choose a different one is to go back and start over.
But careers—and life—are more like routes. There are many different routes you can take to any given destination. Your preferred route might be very different from someone else’s, even if your endpoint is the same. (For example, I will often choose a less busy route even if it’s not the fastest because I have ZERO patience for traffic congestion.) And if a route is not working out as intended, you can detour, turn in a different direction, or backtrack if that feels like the right call. There are always trade-offs, but there are also always options.
Choosing a career isn’t about finding one perfect path—it’s about exploring different routes based on your interests, strengths, and experiences.
So how do you choose your (initial) route?
Start planning by getting to know yourself. Pay attention to things like:
What types of problems you enjoy solving
How you like to spend your time
What kinds of environments you thrive in
What you’re naturally curious about
As you try things and notice what you learn, you’ll see some potential routes take shape. It’s okay to see very different routes to pursue, and it’s okay if it takes some time before any routes start becoming clear.
You’re Not Behind in Choosing a Career, Even if it Feels That Way
One of the hardest parts of this process is the feeling that everyone else has it figured out.
They don’t.
Some people look more certain because they’ve committed to a path earlier—but that doesn’t mean it’s the right long-term fit. It just means they’ve made a decision.
Besides, if my experiences are any indication, it really is about the journey as much as the destination. So don’t be afraid to take the scenic route.
A GPS to Get You Started
If you’re navigating how to choose a career or career route, , join me for a free webinar about navigating the transition from school to work on June 22. This event is primarily for new graduates, but could be helpful for anyone considering different career routes.