How to Choose a Business Career Path

Almost every time I speak with juniors or college students, I get asked the same question: “I’m not sure what field I want to work in. How do I decide what to do?” It’s a completely normal feeling — and honestly, I’ve been there too. When I first entered college, I had no clue what specialization to take or what career path to pursue. But here’s the truth: You don’t need to have it all figured out right away. What you need is a plan to explore and narrow it down. Here’s what I tell anyone who asks: 📍 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 List a few things you genuinely enjoy or find intriguing — like writing, data analysis, designing, or public speaking. Don’t worry about how they translate into a career just yet Action Step: Write down your interests without worrying about how they translate into a career. The point is to recognize your natural inclinations. 📍 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Try out your interests through short-term activities like joining a club, taking a beginner’s course, or volunteering for a project. Give it 2–4 weeks and see if you enjoy the process Action Step: Try something for 2–4 weeks and assess: Did you enjoy the process? Did it feel meaningful? 📍 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘁 Reach out to people working in fields you’re curious about. Ask about their day-to-day work, the skills they use, and what they enjoy or dislike about their roles Action Step: Message 3 professionals on LinkedIn and politely ask for a 15-minute chat. Most people are willing to help if you’re genuinely curious and respectful of their time. 📍 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 Identify the skills you want to develop rather than getting stuck on job titles. Whether it’s data analysis, storytelling, or management, skills are transferable and will shape your career regardless of the role Action Step: Pick one skill you’re curious about and spend an hour a week learning or practicing it. 📍 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 Your first choice doesn’t have to be your final choice. Reflect every few months to see if you’re still enjoying your current path. It’s okay to change directions as you learn more Action Step: Set a reminder to reflect every 3 months: Are you still enjoying your current path? If not, what’s next? The Bottom Line: You don’t have to know your exact career path at 20. Just focus on exploring, learning, and building foundational skills — the clarity will follow. To everyone feeling overwhelmed — take it one step at a time. And remember, not having it all figured out is okay — it’s part of the journey. What’s one career option you’re currently exploring? Share below — I’d love to hear your thoughts!👇 #CareerAdvice #CollegeTips #FindingYourPath #SkillBuilding #CareerExploration #EarlyCareerInsights

I spent most of my career keeping my options open. Banking for the exit ops. MBA to pivot into anything. Saying yes to every ask so I wouldn't miss out. It took me years to realize that maximizing optionality was just a fancy way of not choosing. Meanwhile, the people who picked a lane were building skills, reputation, and wealth while I was still "exploring." Here's what actually helped me pick a direction: 1️⃣ Name the reason you can't choose Is your inability to commit coming from wanting to try everything and maximize learning? Or from comparing yourself to others who got a promotion, raised startup funding, and seem to be doing better than you? These require different solutions. The first is about giving yourself a necessary period of exploration. The second is about detaching your sense of progress from other people's paths. 2️⃣ Go back to your Ikigai Ikigai is the intersection of what you're good at, what you love doing, and what the world needs. I reorient around this all the time. I'm good at writing, storytelling, and personal brand building. I love doing it, and this skill is more important than ever (see viral WSJ article about storytelling). So that's what I'm focused on in 2026. 3️⃣ Challenge your assumptions about irreversibility Most decisions are reversible. If you quit a job, you could probably go back if you have a strong network and reputation (or to a similar role/company). Many ex-founders find their way back to employee roles. We overestimate how permanent our choices are. 4️⃣ Calculate the cost of waiting Every year you spend keeping your options open is a year you're not compounding in a specific direction. The people who picked a lane 5 years ago are now 5 years ahead - not because they chose perfectly, but because they chose. 5️⃣ Write a manifesto Write an anchoring statement for what you want to accomplish this year in your life, career, or business. It can be a page or even a paragraph. If an opportunity doesn't fit the manifesto, don't pursue it. Bottom line: you can always change your mind. You can't get the time back. I go deeper on the maximizer dilemma in my newsletter this week (link in comments). What's helped you find focus?

I’ve coached thousands of job seekers who felt lost and overwhelmed. Here are the 10 steps we start with to find the right path: 1. Your #1 Priority Clarity should be the first thing you invest in. It makes career success SO much easier (at every stage). When you have clarity, you can invest 100% of your energy into that goal. So before you start applying to jobs or grad school? Find your path. 2. The Myth Of “Passion” People think passion is a lightning bolt that suddenly hits you. One day you wake up knowing what you're supposed to do. That's BS. Passion stems from action. It's the result of trying new things. If you want to find your path? You need to act. 3. Map Out Your Ideal Lifestyle Career happiness doesn't come from a job title. It stems from the ability to meet your lifestyle needs: – Target salary – Ideal living situation – Surrounded by people you love – Work that fills your cup Start by defining all of these things. 4. Label Your Energy Next, grab a piece of paper. Make two columns: 1. Energy Creators 2. Energy Drainers Now list out every single activity, task, and project you've worked on. Label each as a creator or drainer. Your career path should be filled with energy creators. 5. Clarify Your Strengths Success is easier when your path plays to natural strengths. I recommend the High 5 Test. It's a 15 minute quiz that will define your top strengths. It'll tell you what each means and how to harness it. Talent: A natural way of thinking, feeling, behaving × Investment: Time spent practicing, developing your skills, or building a knowledge base = Strength: The ability to consistently provide near-perfect performance 6. Find People Doing "Cool" Stuff Now you've created clarity around your strengths, energy, and ideal lifestyle. Next, I want you to find people already living that life. Who has a job you admire? What jobs have seemed “cool” to you in the past? Make a list of 30+ contacts. 7. Reach Out & Learn Make a daily habit of reaching out to one person. Be honest about your situation and desire for clarity. Then make sure to build up their achievements and mention why you admire them. Here's the email template I used when I was on this journey: The Winning Template: Subject: Quick Question  Hi [Name], My name is [Your Name] and I came across your information on LinkedIn while I was looking for people who transitioned into [Industry/Field] from a non-traditional background. Your background is really impressive! I saw you do different fields and [Industry/Field] really piqued my interest. If you have a few minutes, I’d love to hear more about your journey and how you landed in your role today. I know that’s a big ask so no worries if it’s too much. I totally understand. Either way, hope you have a great rest of the week!  

One of my clients landed a Business Analyst interview after stopping all BA applications. She was doing what everyone told her to do Polishing her resume with “BA” buzzwords. Even choosing the BA path based on advice from a migration agent. She hadn’t received a single callback in 4 months. When she reached out to me, I asked her, “Why are you focusing only on Business Analyst roles?” Her reasons were all too familiar: 1. After completing her Business Analytics degree, no one had ever suggested any other career path. 2. Her migration agent insisted BA would support her visa. 3. She hadn’t researched how her previous skills might open doors in other high-demand areas. So, we went back to the drawing board. After digging into her experience, I saw something overlooked: A background in digital marketing. -> She had implemented campaigns -> SEO knowledge -> Analysed customer data These weren’t in a traditional BA context, but the skills were transferable. Here’s what we did next: 1. Shifted her strategy to focus on 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁 and 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁 roles. 2. Positioned her profile to showcase her marketing skills and analytical strengths. 3. Found roles that matched her skills and brought out her confidence. The outcome? -> After four months of silence, she started landing interviews ->Recruiters reached out on LinkedIn. The roles were a perfect fit ->They still ticked the boxes for her skilled visa requirements Here's the thing: Following a “safe” path may feel secure, but if it’s not getting results, it’s time to re-evaluate. Don’t chase a title just because everyone else is doing it or someone told you to. You have unique skills that could open unexpected doors. Look at your unique strengths and find where they’re truly valued! Results will come! #jobsearch #businessanalyst #hiring #careeradvice #careercoach ---------------------------------------------------------- P.S. Are you chasing roles because they’re ‘safe,’ or because they’re aligned with your strengths?

Confused about where to take your career next? Here’s a simple decision-making framework I’ve used to discern the right next move. Step 1: Map your options. Create a table with each option as a column. Note: - Company type - Example companies - The specific role you’d pursue (For example: a CXO role at an early-stage company vs. a VP / #2 role at a public-scale company.) Step 2: Pressure-test qualitatively. Write out a clear list of pros and cons for each option. The act of putting this on paper is often clarifying on its own. Step 3: Score the options. I use an adapted version of the Ikigai framework, scoring each option across: - What I love - What I’m good at - What the world needs - What I can be paid for (risk-adjusted) And given my personal context, I added a row about location flexibility. You may have other criteria to include as well. Step 4: Stack-rank. Score each category (e.g., 1–8), total the columns, and see what rises to the top. Of course big life decisions are never purely mathematical, but frameworks like this help you process clearly, revisit your thinking in moments of doubt, and build conviction as you move forward. If you’d like a Google Slides version of this framework, comment below and I’ll DM it to you.

Navigating career decisions isn't a walk in the park, especially when you have options and uncertainties. But don't worry, there's a way to bring clarity to the chaos with a structured approach that considers both logic and emotion. Let's dive in. 1. Clarify your decision: Start by pinpointing what decision you need to make. Are you choosing between job offers, or are you contemplating a new career path? Having a clear objective is crucial. 2. Define your priorities and values: List your top 4-7 priorities for your career, such as career growth, impact potential, and personal satisfaction. Also, identify your core values and what truly matters to you. These can guide you to choices that align with your long-term fulfillment. 3. Generate more options (if possible): Don’t limit yourself to a couple of choices. Use your priorities and values to brainstorm additional options, considering both immediate and long-term possibilities. Talk to people you admire, explore job boards, and think outside the box. 4. Rank and test your options: Once you have a list, rank them based on how well they align with your priorities. Then, dive deeper into your top options—talk to people you know, check YouTube, or even test the waters through short-term projects. This helps in reality-checking your assumptions and understanding the true landscape. 7. Assess risks, regrets, and reversibility (a critical step, in my opinion): Evaluate the risks and potential regrets tied to each choice. Consider what could go wrong and whether you're prepared to handle those challenges. Also, think about how easily you could switch paths if necessary and what opportunities you might miss by not choosing a particular option. As my wife wisely suggested, try tossing a coin and pay attention to your immediate reaction to the outcome—it can reveal your true preferences. 6. Incorporate emotional insights (gut feeling): Pay attention to your emotional responses and gut feelings. They can provide important insights into whether a decision aligns with who you are at your core. Balance these with your systematic analysis for a well-rounded decision. 7. Make your best guess and look ahead: At some point, you'll need to make a decision. Trust the process you’ve followed and don't look back. 8. Take action: Once you've decided, focus on execution. Break your plan into actionable steps and set milestones to track your progress. Career decisions are part of an ongoing journey of growth and exploration. They are not linear and don't have to be. Just focus on what is best for you and your life; the rest is just noise.

I created this 4 S's Matrix to help people figure out their career path and direction. Here's how to use it: 1. Understand what you prefer from a job: People or technical focus? 2. Flexible (less stability) or Fixed (more guarantees and STRUCTURE). 3. Which mix of the two do you prefer? 4. Start with one and work your way up. Most of us start off in bottom right quadrant: Services. I.e. Waitress, salon services, bartending, dog walking, cleaning, etc. The work is fixed (you have to be present), the rate is usually fixed (there is a range but more or less it's $x per hour). But it's people-oriented where you're servicing customers. The work is also straight-forward, there isn't a HUGE technical component. Then that's where many people diverge: - Some people choose Technical focus (bottom left quadrant). This usually entails higher education and technical training in a specific field (plumbing, electrician, contractor, coding, accounting, doctor, nurse, dentist, management consultant, manufacturing engineer, etc.) - Some people choose People-based jobs (top right quadrant). The comp is less guaranteed (could be super high or super low, every year could fluctuate), but the FREEDOM granted to this worker is high. Unlike accountants who have a strict schedule and tasks to adhere to, a real estate agent, a medical device salesperson, a headhunter in this quadrant, can make phone calls and meet clients on weekends, or on the go on a beach in Cancun. Ultimately, some people go to the TOP LEFT quadrant which is a specialty business aka entrepreneurship. This is where most owners sit. They own some sort of specialty niche business. I.e. A car parts manufacturing business. It's flexible yet also technical focused where you have to understand that industry and situation. This is a good tool to start exploring your work experiences, see how you like it, and move eventually towards the quadrants you're MOST interested in. What do you think? If you have any Q's lmk! #r2r #rec2rec #recruitment #careers #careercoach #4ss #dandanzhu #dandanzhudg #2025grad #recentgrad #jobsearchtips #careertips

Choosing the right career path is difficult for a lot of people. I know it was for me 20 odd years ago when I wanted out of retail but didn't know where to turn. Some of the things listed below really helped me, and maybe they'll help you as well: 1. Conduct a thorough self-assessment to uncover your strengths and interests. Look into taking career aptitude tests or personality assessments - these can really help you understand yourself. When I discovered my own personal Myers-Briggs code, the lightbulb turned on. (INFP if you're interested.) Then when you consider different career options, you have a framework for what you want. 2. Define your workplace values and career goals. Values are extremely important. Do you want to work alone or as part of a big team? Wear a suit or sweatpants? Work Mon-Fri or whenever you want? Make as much money as possible? Create a better world? Support others? Invent new things? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, or 20 years? 3. Research your options. If job security is important to you, look for research on what jobs offer a promising future. Want to make a million? Which jobs pay the most? Want to work from home? Look into consulting, self-employment, or other home-based options. Got your eye on that corner office? What companies are in your area? See what's out there. Make a list and compare each one to the values and goals you established earlier. Most of all, stay flexible and open to change. Something out of the blue may come your way that you didn't even expect (it happened to me). It’s okay to pivot as you grow and your interests evolve. #careers #careerplanning