Ask HN: How to decide what's the best career to pursue?
Is there any proven methodologies to determine what’s the best career to pursue given my interests?
35 comments
When I was in my early 20s I was struggling to figure out what I wanted to do, signing up for a 40 year career in just one area seemed so limiting and a little depressing.
I ended up making a list of all the jobs/roles that could be interesting and then for each job I made a list of skills and trainings that would be necessary/helpful. For example becoming a software engineer would require learning how to code, but if I wanted to join the foreign service I would be better off learning a new language.
Then I looked for skills that overlapped across careers and tried to find opportunities that would allow me to learn/improve on those skills. By focusing on what I would learn in a role, I didnt feel like I was committing to a life of drudgery and I kept the option to switch between careers open.
I would also second the person who told you to aim for the $$$. If you can earn a lot of money (and not spend it) in your early 20s it gives you a lot more freedom and flexibility later on. Because I saved a large percent of my software engineering salary, I was able to start a PhD program in my early 30s while many of my friends who spent their 20s (happily) earning less money are now starting to freak out about finances and dont have as much freedom when looking for employment.
I ended up making a list of all the jobs/roles that could be interesting and then for each job I made a list of skills and trainings that would be necessary/helpful. For example becoming a software engineer would require learning how to code, but if I wanted to join the foreign service I would be better off learning a new language.
Then I looked for skills that overlapped across careers and tried to find opportunities that would allow me to learn/improve on those skills. By focusing on what I would learn in a role, I didnt feel like I was committing to a life of drudgery and I kept the option to switch between careers open.
I would also second the person who told you to aim for the $$$. If you can earn a lot of money (and not spend it) in your early 20s it gives you a lot more freedom and flexibility later on. Because I saved a large percent of my software engineering salary, I was able to start a PhD program in my early 30s while many of my friends who spent their 20s (happily) earning less money are now starting to freak out about finances and dont have as much freedom when looking for employment.
For me software engineer was an easy answer because it didn't require licenses, certifications, and specifically not a region locked license like law, accounting, medical professions
but paid similarly
I also had the acumen for it, but I could easily see myself doing law or finance. Especially now that I know where I want to live, in comparison to then. It’s just that launching a software practice has just consumed even more industries now, and is a bigger field
but paid similarly
I also had the acumen for it, but I could easily see myself doing law or finance. Especially now that I know where I want to live, in comparison to then. It’s just that launching a software practice has just consumed even more industries now, and is a bigger field
I think there are two countercultural pieces of advice I wish someone had given me. I think both of these are more relevant than any “interests-matching” algorithm that pairs you with the supposed ideal career.
1. Focus more on the day to day life of what working in that career is like. Focus less on what the topic is itself, intellectually. If you’re a curious person, there are probably at least half a dozen subjects you find interesting enough to do as a career. So it is less immediately important that you pick one over another. If you had an obvious sole choice, you wouldn’t be asking this question.
The under-discussed thing is that if you don’t like the daily work routine or environment of a particular profession, that intellectual content almost doesn’t matter. Especially after years and years of being in the industry. For example, if you don’t like working in an office at a desk all day, you probably will struggle with being a software engineer, no matter how interesting your find it. You might be better off looking into civil engineering, or construction management, or another semi-adjacent field that isn’t done entirely from a desk in an office.
2. This may be more of a personality thing, but try to pick a field that involves a fairly narrow set of skills which you are able to master over time. Even though many/most white collar technology jobs pay better and are at the cutting edge of the economy, I feel like (and I imagine many others do too) there is a distinct lack of “progress” in terms of your professional self development. It’s very easy to constantly learn new things, but not have them add up to any coherent whole. This is probably because technologies change so often and the business requirements vary wildly. This sort of scenario is very unlike say, a chef, in which it’s more easy to track your progress and feel like you’ve achieved something over the course of a decade.
1. Focus more on the day to day life of what working in that career is like. Focus less on what the topic is itself, intellectually. If you’re a curious person, there are probably at least half a dozen subjects you find interesting enough to do as a career. So it is less immediately important that you pick one over another. If you had an obvious sole choice, you wouldn’t be asking this question.
The under-discussed thing is that if you don’t like the daily work routine or environment of a particular profession, that intellectual content almost doesn’t matter. Especially after years and years of being in the industry. For example, if you don’t like working in an office at a desk all day, you probably will struggle with being a software engineer, no matter how interesting your find it. You might be better off looking into civil engineering, or construction management, or another semi-adjacent field that isn’t done entirely from a desk in an office.
2. This may be more of a personality thing, but try to pick a field that involves a fairly narrow set of skills which you are able to master over time. Even though many/most white collar technology jobs pay better and are at the cutting edge of the economy, I feel like (and I imagine many others do too) there is a distinct lack of “progress” in terms of your professional self development. It’s very easy to constantly learn new things, but not have them add up to any coherent whole. This is probably because technologies change so often and the business requirements vary wildly. This sort of scenario is very unlike say, a chef, in which it’s more easy to track your progress and feel like you’ve achieved something over the course of a decade.
I'm going to be a downer but this is honestly how I see the situation. Most jobs that can reliably support you nowadays are very boring, but you are more or less stuck with them because it's simply becoming too expensive to live otherwise, especially if you want a family someday.
I remember meeting an old artist at college who had gone to NYC for training in his youth. He explained how such an adventure was impossible nowadays, because it's just not possible to afford living in NYC as a young person without money.
I won't recommend that you don't pursue your passion, but I will say that if you want to do that, you must be excellent at it, meaning at least in the top 1% of people doing it, if you want to survive financially. That's certainly possible if you put the work in, because most people don't. But you have to be prepared for that.
So if you want to do something actually cool, like a college professor or researcher or artist or filmmaker, get ready to work consistently towards excellence, otherwise you won't be happy with the results. Otherwise, go into the most tolerable of the money-making enterprises, like engineering, IT or health care.
I remember meeting an old artist at college who had gone to NYC for training in his youth. He explained how such an adventure was impossible nowadays, because it's just not possible to afford living in NYC as a young person without money.
I won't recommend that you don't pursue your passion, but I will say that if you want to do that, you must be excellent at it, meaning at least in the top 1% of people doing it, if you want to survive financially. That's certainly possible if you put the work in, because most people don't. But you have to be prepared for that.
So if you want to do something actually cool, like a college professor or researcher or artist or filmmaker, get ready to work consistently towards excellence, otherwise you won't be happy with the results. Otherwise, go into the most tolerable of the money-making enterprises, like engineering, IT or health care.
> I remember meeting an old artist at college who had gone to NYC for training in his youth. He explained how such an adventure was impossible nowadays, because it's just not possible to afford living in NYC as a young person without money.
Nowadays, there are plenty other affordable places to train. It's not NYC or nothing.
Nowadays, there are plenty other affordable places to train. It's not NYC or nothing.
For several years around 2010, I lived in the SF Bay Area for ~$1200/month. I had a (now long-lost) friend near Dolores Park, who maintained a rent-controlled 3 bedroom for $1200/month, which he then subletted the other two rooms.
Sometimes, I wonder if he's still there =P
So much happier to not be that impoverished, but I had a great time wheelin' & dealin' the /bayarea.
Sometimes, I wonder if he's still there =P
So much happier to not be that impoverished, but I had a great time wheelin' & dealin' the /bayarea.
Yes that's true, I was moreso trying to make a point about how much the cost of living has changed in general.
My advice: if you can't decide, aim for the $$$. It is always good to have more $$$. The more dough, the more financial freedom you have. Money is more magical than computer architecture as it is one of the most profound drug everyone believes in.
You can decide what you really want to do later.
You can decide what you really want to do later.
No, there aren't and can't be.
It's easy to see with a little bit of reasoning.
Proven implies near 100% effectiveness in maximizing whatever features whoever means by "the best career".
And people are far too complex and unpredictible creatures to bottle them up into any predefined models.
You may find a "methology" that would fit you better and it can feel and look to you like "proven". But this makes the whole question realative to your personal preferences.
It's easy to see with a little bit of reasoning.
Proven implies near 100% effectiveness in maximizing whatever features whoever means by "the best career".
And people are far too complex and unpredictible creatures to bottle them up into any predefined models.
You may find a "methology" that would fit you better and it can feel and look to you like "proven". But this makes the whole question realative to your personal preferences.
Think of it more like a constraint satisfaction problem, rather than an optimization problem. There's no such thing as "the best" carrer, but there are lots of carrers which would be successful.
Also, its rare for a career to last more than 10-15 years these days, so think about how one career can set you up for another (e.g. 5-10 years programming, then move into management, or go back and get master's degree and teach, etc)
Also, its rare for a career to last more than 10-15 years these days, so think about how one career can set you up for another (e.g. 5-10 years programming, then move into management, or go back and get master's degree and teach, etc)
Success in any particular activity is for the most part dependent on the amount of time you are willing to dedicate to doing said thing, which in turn is dependent on the "moral justification" part of your ego.
For example, you could intrinsically feel very good and justified as a person that is able to to work with his hands to build or fix stuff because of whatever reason. In this case you will likely become a very good tradesman, or mechanic or CNC technician, or something dealing with manufacture or repair or construction. In the same way, you fundamentally believe that math contains the answers to everything, you pretty much live and breathe it, and can likely become a professor or researcher at some university or institute.
If you don't have any strong conviction about anything, it becomes much harder to determine the kind of stuff you will be good at because of external factors. For example, you could find yourself among peers that stimulate you emotionally in other ways, and then you end up developing a set of values that cause you to pursue a career that you never have thought of before.
For example, you could intrinsically feel very good and justified as a person that is able to to work with his hands to build or fix stuff because of whatever reason. In this case you will likely become a very good tradesman, or mechanic or CNC technician, or something dealing with manufacture or repair or construction. In the same way, you fundamentally believe that math contains the answers to everything, you pretty much live and breathe it, and can likely become a professor or researcher at some university or institute.
If you don't have any strong conviction about anything, it becomes much harder to determine the kind of stuff you will be good at because of external factors. For example, you could find yourself among peers that stimulate you emotionally in other ways, and then you end up developing a set of values that cause you to pursue a career that you never have thought of before.
It sounds like you’re young and overthinking.
Whether you like it or not, you don’t know which of your interests will withstand the test of time, especially if you indulge in them for 40+ hours a week. You also don’t know how good be, and how much you’d enjoy, careers that relate to them.
There’s no way for you to do this better than the way that everyone does it.
Whether you like it or not, you don’t know which of your interests will withstand the test of time, especially if you indulge in them for 40+ hours a week. You also don’t know how good be, and how much you’d enjoy, careers that relate to them.
There’s no way for you to do this better than the way that everyone does it.
Many things look boring until you actually sit down and do them.
I also changed sub-fields every 5-7 years. One has to change jobs that often to get any decent raises — consistent rockstar performance + teamwork doesn’t cut it!!!
And on each job change, I chose to expand my technical background too (instead of competitor hopping).
For me, it has been a huge advantage and highly enjoyable.
I also changed sub-fields every 5-7 years. One has to change jobs that often to get any decent raises — consistent rockstar performance + teamwork doesn’t cut it!!!
And on each job change, I chose to expand my technical background too (instead of competitor hopping).
For me, it has been a huge advantage and highly enjoyable.
> Many things look boring until you actually sit down and do them.
But the inverse is true as well. Many things seem a lot more interesting until you actually have to do them.
But the inverse is true as well. Many things seem a lot more interesting until you actually have to do them.
Can you give a few examples? I don't think I'll ever switch to do anything not security relevant.
Think in terms of phases of your life, because chances are you will have more than one career.
Take my brother-in-law. Started as a commercial plumber, realized that his body would be destroyed by 40 if he kept carrying those 100 pound pipes up four stories. Found different ways to move his skills around - moved from new building construction to commercial appliance repair and other areas where he could use his plumbing skills. Now that he's a little older and his kids need him home more, he's got a city job as a building inspector. Plus, he and my sister have started a completely different business together. Another buddy was an electrician, did some general contracting, now he's in home inspections.
Same goes for life outside the trades... I know plenty of people who started life in tech, now they are off doing things like organic farming. You might think you can sit in front of a computer for the next 40 years, but chances are you don't really want to do that, or at a minimum, the kind of work you are doing will change. Over the decades I was in tech, I reinvented myself at least three times and I saw other people doing the same. Maybe you code for a while, then you find yourself in product management. Maybe you end up a consultant. Thinking in terms of different phases of life - where do you want to live? How much control over your compensation or your time do you want? How much time do you need for a spouse or kids (if that's important to you)? Make a plan so you don't find yourself the victim of agism or corporate purges when you start getting grey hair.
Take my brother-in-law. Started as a commercial plumber, realized that his body would be destroyed by 40 if he kept carrying those 100 pound pipes up four stories. Found different ways to move his skills around - moved from new building construction to commercial appliance repair and other areas where he could use his plumbing skills. Now that he's a little older and his kids need him home more, he's got a city job as a building inspector. Plus, he and my sister have started a completely different business together. Another buddy was an electrician, did some general contracting, now he's in home inspections.
Same goes for life outside the trades... I know plenty of people who started life in tech, now they are off doing things like organic farming. You might think you can sit in front of a computer for the next 40 years, but chances are you don't really want to do that, or at a minimum, the kind of work you are doing will change. Over the decades I was in tech, I reinvented myself at least three times and I saw other people doing the same. Maybe you code for a while, then you find yourself in product management. Maybe you end up a consultant. Thinking in terms of different phases of life - where do you want to live? How much control over your compensation or your time do you want? How much time do you need for a spouse or kids (if that's important to you)? Make a plan so you don't find yourself the victim of agism or corporate purges when you start getting grey hair.
Theres no "best career", so think of groupings, not one-true-answer.
It can be helpful to have some life goals to plug in as well. Want a family? Want to move a lot? Want to be on the road a lot? Content with comfortable income? Striving for private jet? Looking for fame? Or anonymity?
This can help eliminate areas. For example I-could- be z doctor, but I don't like sick people. So I'd be a bad doctor.
Look at what you enjoy. Most can't make a living doing things you enjoy, but some of us get lucky.
Do you want to work for a steady paycheck, or the unpredictability (and reward?) Of being self employed.
Overall though, I'd say it isn't as big a deal as you probably expect. You're not deciding for the next 40 years. Life takes twists and turns and people often end up far away from where they started.
It can be helpful to have some life goals to plug in as well. Want a family? Want to move a lot? Want to be on the road a lot? Content with comfortable income? Striving for private jet? Looking for fame? Or anonymity?
This can help eliminate areas. For example I-could- be z doctor, but I don't like sick people. So I'd be a bad doctor.
Look at what you enjoy. Most can't make a living doing things you enjoy, but some of us get lucky.
Do you want to work for a steady paycheck, or the unpredictability (and reward?) Of being self employed.
Overall though, I'd say it isn't as big a deal as you probably expect. You're not deciding for the next 40 years. Life takes twists and turns and people often end up far away from where they started.
You need to do what you like the most. Dedication + luck and you'll have the best career. That was the way I became an owner of https://kittenproperties.com
Don't know about proven methodologies; I'm curious about that, too.
Where you live/want to live, what your interests are, what your living situation is or can be are important factors.
(Depending on where you live,) If you're young and comfortable with manual labor, you can make a decent chunk of change in traffic management, construction, etc. until you figure out what you want to do. If you can save money, you'll have more options. If you work part time and earn enough to still save, you might be able to make time for your hobbies or gaining skills for other career options you'd like to pursue long term.
Where you live/want to live, what your interests are, what your living situation is or can be are important factors.
(Depending on where you live,) If you're young and comfortable with manual labor, you can make a decent chunk of change in traffic management, construction, etc. until you figure out what you want to do. If you can save money, you'll have more options. If you work part time and earn enough to still save, you might be able to make time for your hobbies or gaining skills for other career options you'd like to pursue long term.
Don’t worry as much about your interests, but think about why you find those things interesting/enjoyable.
Those reasons why are much more transferable to a wide range of different jobs. It can also help avoid the trap of trying to make your hobby your job (which kind of ruins the hobby for a lot of people).
I also think people can become passionate about almost anything if they spend enough time doing it. I enjoy doing data analysis now, which is something I never would have guessed when I was younger. It scratches the same itch for me that LEGO did as a kid. I can create order out of disorder. That reason why can be found in countless careers.
Those reasons why are much more transferable to a wide range of different jobs. It can also help avoid the trap of trying to make your hobby your job (which kind of ruins the hobby for a lot of people).
I also think people can become passionate about almost anything if they spend enough time doing it. I enjoy doing data analysis now, which is something I never would have guessed when I was younger. It scratches the same itch for me that LEGO did as a kid. I can create order out of disorder. That reason why can be found in countless careers.
Reflect upon what you most enjoyed doing between the ages of about 4 and 8. Ask your folks what they observed about your interests. Schooling and peer pressure tends to blot out our natural inclinations. In the long-term aligning your career direction with your interests, aptitudes and talents is more satisfying.
Choosing a career on the basis of earning potential is the road to burn-out and mid-life crises.
Choosing a career on the basis of earning potential is the road to burn-out and mid-life crises.
I honestly just liked running around aimlessly and play with my friends the entire day at that age.
I've heard people use age 12 as well. Old enough to have had individual development, too young for peer pressure.
Consider looking into https://80000hours.org/.
There are several 'What are your interest' tests. The best will provide situations and ask how much joy would you get from them. I have done one where it was very detailed scenarios.
These test will point you in optimum career path for life enjoyment. They do not focus on how much money you will make.
Realize what brings you joy today can change over time.
These test will point you in optimum career path for life enjoyment. They do not focus on how much money you will make.
Realize what brings you joy today can change over time.
Doesn't matter which one, as long as it's not something trivial or underpaid. Anything that's not flipping burgers or stocking shelves will help you get a position in another field if you find that you want to do something else later.
Try to mix passion and dedication and you’ll be working in what puts you in the flow often.
Consider the cost of the lifestyle you want, and pick something that allows you to afford it.
Consider the lifestyle you want. Some jobs require constant learning, or considerable overtime, and leave little room for life.
Consider topics you find at least a little interesting, they don't have to be the thing you find the most interesting, but it must be good enough to get out of bed in the morning.
Consider interests that you're OK losing. Sometimes a good hobby is better or more fun as a hobby, than as a career choice.
Consider the place or environment you want to work in. Cubicle life, outside, small companies, large corporations, high cost of living places, etc.
Consider subjects you can be above average good at.
All in all, this is hard to do, because typically when people make such choices for the first time, they lack the life experience that allows them to evaluate the importance of the different factors.
It's a good idea to try and visit many companies in the fields you're considering, many companies will be open to that. Watch the people, see what they look like. Are they happy, active, excited, subdued, silent, bored, divorced, .... and consider whether you want to look like them in 20 years.
But maybe the most important, if you don't like your choice many years down the road, it's OK to change you know.
Good luck.
Consider the lifestyle you want. Some jobs require constant learning, or considerable overtime, and leave little room for life.
Consider topics you find at least a little interesting, they don't have to be the thing you find the most interesting, but it must be good enough to get out of bed in the morning.
Consider interests that you're OK losing. Sometimes a good hobby is better or more fun as a hobby, than as a career choice.
Consider the place or environment you want to work in. Cubicle life, outside, small companies, large corporations, high cost of living places, etc.
Consider subjects you can be above average good at.
All in all, this is hard to do, because typically when people make such choices for the first time, they lack the life experience that allows them to evaluate the importance of the different factors.
It's a good idea to try and visit many companies in the fields you're considering, many companies will be open to that. Watch the people, see what they look like. Are they happy, active, excited, subdued, silent, bored, divorced, .... and consider whether you want to look like them in 20 years.
But maybe the most important, if you don't like your choice many years down the road, it's OK to change you know.
Good luck.
First, decide whether you want to specialize, or to be more of a generalist.
Read "Refuse to Choose" by Barbara Sher.
I am/was a generalist, bouncing from one field of interest to another, so it was electronics, optics, systems, admin and IT, even part of a sales team. Not for everyone. This is called "serial master" in the book.
There are methodologies to help decide. Here is a classical one:
https://careerservices.fas.harvard.edu/blog/2022/08/28/your-...
But there's no methodology for knowing what field is going to be hot or (importantly) dead in a few years. Things change rapidly. This affects specialists more than generalists.
Depending on how focused your interests are, that focus can propel you through tough spells. I learned Unix systems and utilities when not so many did, and that made me really productive. And over time, opened more doors. Others scoffed but I felt the power, and liked it.
A business/management career will take a lot more leadership skills on top of the math and computing basics.
So will techies as they move "up" the ladder. Understanding some psychology, and especially, persuasion will increase effectiveness over efficiency, so to speak.
Good luck.
Read "Refuse to Choose" by Barbara Sher.
I am/was a generalist, bouncing from one field of interest to another, so it was electronics, optics, systems, admin and IT, even part of a sales team. Not for everyone. This is called "serial master" in the book.
There are methodologies to help decide. Here is a classical one:
https://careerservices.fas.harvard.edu/blog/2022/08/28/your-...
But there's no methodology for knowing what field is going to be hot or (importantly) dead in a few years. Things change rapidly. This affects specialists more than generalists.
Depending on how focused your interests are, that focus can propel you through tough spells. I learned Unix systems and utilities when not so many did, and that made me really productive. And over time, opened more doors. Others scoffed but I felt the power, and liked it.
A business/management career will take a lot more leadership skills on top of the math and computing basics.
So will techies as they move "up" the ladder. Understanding some psychology, and especially, persuasion will increase effectiveness over efficiency, so to speak.
Good luck.
The fact that you’re asking this question in this place, in this way and to this audience, it pretty much says it all to me. Programming computers is the „best career” for you my friend.
constantly iterating until you die
best career advice is still pmarca's guide to career planning: https://pmarchive.com/guide_to_career_planning_part0.html
Try https://www.paulgraham.com/love.html (2006). If that isn't enough, https://paulgraham.com/greatwork.html (2023)
Albeit a nice read, PG is really the outlier, even by HN standard.
But we should all strive to be outliers.
But we should all strive to be outliers.
Pursue something that you can see yourself doing for 8 hours a day
Try to look through See also links and google in scholar. Test on link is more psychology diagnostic, but exists similar for career assessment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Multiphasic_Personal...
But you must consider result with grain of salt, because, first, you could develop your new skills/traits, second, all printed information (mean all research) are reflection of some past, when information gathered, but we are in future, world is already changed and changing every second.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Multiphasic_Personal...
But you must consider result with grain of salt, because, first, you could develop your new skills/traits, second, all printed information (mean all research) are reflection of some past, when information gathered, but we are in future, world is already changed and changing every second.
Uh, yes, whatever your interests are, consider a "career" related to those. Otherwise, chase opportunity like everyone else.
I may get glowering disapproval from others by suggesting "take a personality temperament test and see if you find anything relatable."
I may get glowering disapproval from others by suggesting "take a personality temperament test and see if you find anything relatable."
just continue doing what you do and apply to a company doing that every now and then. worked for me
What’s the market sector?
I am old but the best thing I read when I was young was that it was unlikely I will have one career but several careers and have to reinvent myself a few times.
That was true for me and even more true now. Learn to love to learn and reinvent yourself or become a plumber's apprentice.
That was true for me and even more true now. Learn to love to learn and reinvent yourself or become a plumber's apprentice.
So personality tests have some evidence issues but I found the career assessment from https://keirsey.com to be pretty insightful and useful. If you feel truly lost it might be at least a good point to start a dialogue with yourself.