How to make a career decision, Me pēhea te hanga whakataunga aramahi

Try not to get too stressed about making the best career choice right now. Not many people know exactly where they’re heading when they set off on their career journey – it’s normal to take a winding path with a few twists and turns along the way.

How to find your career path

Once you have some career ideas, ask these questions to make sure you’re heading in the right direction. You can also use our worksheets 'Compare your career ideas' and 'Decide on your career' to help you to research and decide.

Compare your career ideas worksheet
Decide on your career worksheet

Strengths are things you’re naturally good at. If you’re good at something, you’ll find it easier. That means you’ll feel more confident, you’ll enjoy it more and you’ll do better.

Studying or training for a new career takes a lot of energy. Feeling excited about your choice will motivate you to put in the effort you need to achieve your goals.

If you know what mahi you want to do, choose the best study or training to get there. For some careers, you need a particular qualification before you can start.

Your career choice might affect important people like your whānau and those in your community. You might have less time for interests or volunteer work. It might bring other challenges, like moving to a new place or taking out a student loan. Make sure you’re OK with all this.

You’ll feel more confident about your decision by getting advice from people with experience and knowledge, like a career adviser or someone who works in the industry you like. Test out your decision with people who know you, like teachers, friends – and of course, your whānau.