11 Things You Should Look for in a Career
The 11 Things You Should Look for in a Career Are:
Interest
Median Pay
Growth
Niche
Transferrable Skills
Artificial Intelligence Impact
Education Required
Autonomy
Meetings
Average Hours Worked
Boss
Before We Start, Which Job Would I Look Into Right Now?
If I was going into University right now I think I would look into artificial intelligence, genetic engineering or robotics. The past few decades have been transformed by personal computing, the internet and cell phones. The next few decades I think will be equally transformed by AI, genetics and robotics. People are already imagining a future where there is a robot in every house making dinner, folding clothes and taking your dog for a walk. Geneticists are imagining the removal of diseases or changing trees to have the firefly gene that will illuminate them at night making light posts redundant on highways. In 30 years the world will be a very different place and I think a career in any of those industries will be a major factor in the change.
A Job You’re Interested In
When looking for a career you may think your interest is the most important factor, but it isn’t. In fact I remember very clearly my uncle telling me about when he went to his guidance counsellor in high school and asked for career advice. The counsellor said “What’s your hobby? What are you interested in?” he replied “I like working on cars.” Then you should become a mechanic. He looked at me “You know what making your hobby your job does Craig? It makes you hate your hobby.” That stuck with me.
Cal Newport in So Good They Can’t Ignore You makes the point that searching for your passion is not productive, the happiest people are actually those who have been in their role the longest. The happiness comes from working in a role and becoming good at it.
So I would focus on what you find easy that others feel is hard. That’s a great place to discover something that lets you get into a flow state that may be worth more out in the wild as others find it difficult.
A Job With Decent Median Pay
Pay is important. Your job is most likely where you will get the majority of your income from. But you should focus on median pay. Rockstars make millions, but the musician in the middle doesn’t make much. But if you’re a dentist? Or a doctor? Then you’re likely going to make a ton of money. Now this is a touchy subject and there’s a lot of research saying that money after a certain point doesn’t make you happier, but as Andrew Huberman says money has the ability to buffer stress. I’ve also heard the statement if money can solve your problem it’s not really a problem. True for the rich I suppose.
Don’t make it the main driver but realize that money is important. It does make things easier. For example when I started work out of University I was working for an office furniture manufacturing facility. My boss had a newspaper route to make ends meet and was up at 4:30-5am every morning. It didn’t look fun so within six months I was working in the finance/accounting department of a chemical company that was owned by an oil and gas company. Within six months my salary grew to more than my old manager made at the furniture factory. Even if you’re in a career, check out different industries, some pay a lot more than others.
A Job With Growth Potential
If you’re in a high growth occupation then there’s more competition for your talent and that will lead to more options and more money. More importantly don’t go into a career that is shrinking, if it’s in decline now then your 20-30 year career is unlikely to go smooth in that field.
A Job That is a Niche
If not a lot of people can do what you do then you’re likely to be more valuable and harder to get rid of. Specialized skills in artificial intelligence right now can write down their own salary. So keep an eye out for these at the start and as you grow your career.
A Job with Transferrable Skills
Tech was super hot the past few years and all of a sudden thousands of people are out of jobs. I worked for an oil and gas company and when prices fell it was very clear that the geophysicist who was paid a fortune last year would have a very difficult time finding a new role with those skills. So try and find a skill where you can move industries, or location and still be employable.
Be Aware of the Artificial Intelligence Impact
If the job you’re looking at is repetitive then you can be replaced. Look for roles where a lot of judgement is required and the work covers a wide array of tasks. The robots are coming and you want to be one of the ones that benefit, not be replaced.
What Level of Education Is Required?
How much time and money will it take to get there? Can you afford it?
Will You Have Autonomy?
How much control do you have in your day to day life? This is a key factor for happiness and being able to move your schedule around or not having to drop everything for an important client is a great luxury to have in a role.
How Many Meetings Will You Have?
Every person I see who is burnt out has too many meetings. If the job is more than 30-40% meetings then you don’t have enough time to get the actual work done and you’ll be working overtime. Try to avoid roles and careers where meetings take up the majority of your week.
How Many Hours Will You Work Each Week on Average?
If you can compress your work into a few years and then retire go for it. Paul Graham did this and has a great essay on it. Typically though you’ll have to start a business to do this. Otherwise look for a role that has a manageable amount of hours in the week. This also comes down to establishing expectations when you start a new role. I just leave every day at 5pm. There’s always more work to do, but as long as all the major items are done for the day I get up and leave. Most salary jobs don’t pay you for overtime so why would you take an hourly pay cut.
Who’s the Boss?
I once heard that people quit bosses, not jobs and I kind of agree. Avoid working for a boss that’s a micromanager or a tyrant. Try to find those leaders who are on their way up. As they say a rising tide floats all boats. In my experience a good boss makes the day to day work much more manageable and better yet it teaches you how to be a great leader yourself.