Decisions, Decisions

Ever feel stuck making a career decision? You’re not alone. Career decision-making can be one of the most difficult parts of the career planning process. It can range from choosing a major, selecting your next career path, or deciding between two job offers.

Why is it so difficult to make a decision? Because we often don’t know a) why we are stuck and b) how we can move forward. The result? Confusion, frustration, and immobilization. Basically, running ourselves in circles. A former colleague brilliantly termed it “mental gymnastics.”

So, how do we dismount?

Let’s start with the “why.” Although there may be a number of reasons why people feel stuck in their career decision-making, the following three are the most common I see among my clients:

1. Lack of information: Not having enough information about each option to make an informed decision

2. Values conflict: Each option satisfies some of your work values (i.e., the “must haves”), but no option satisfies all of your work values.

3. Fear: The list could be endless here: fear of taking a risk, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of making the “wrong” decision, fear of disappointing others, etc.

Once you determine which of the above you identify with most (and it could be all three), the next question is “How do I move forward?”



1. Lack of information?

If you don’t have enough information about your options, it’s time to do your homework. Determine which questions are unanswered or where your information gap lies, and start your research. You can use the web, talk to others in the majors/careers/organizations you are considering, etc. Your research might lead to more questions, and that’s okay. Just be careful that your information gathering doesn’t become obsessive, i.e., endless search and no action. Again, determining and re-evaluating your search criteria can help prevent this from happening.

2. Values conflict?

Our work values can be used as criteria for measuring our career satisfaction. If your major/job does not satisfy your work values, you may experience a lack of motivation, stress, internal conflict, etc. Not pretty. To move forward, you must first clarify and articulate what your work values are (e.g., high income, flexible work hours, autonomy, creativity, etc.). Then prioritize or rank them in their order of importance. You now have concrete criteria for evaluating your options. There are great career exercises to help assist you with this process (Refer to link below.).

3. Fear?

I sometimes meet clients who have made their next career decision, yet are still not moving forward to pursue their goal. I often ask the question, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” And they can even tell me exactly what they would do. Fear can be immobilizing. The question to then ask yourself is this, “Which is more appealing to you now: a) the risk/opportunity that lies in the unknown OR b) your current situation?” Because until the answer is “a,” then you might not feel ready to act. Sometimes recognizing your fears as “barriers” can be enough to launch forward moving. At other times, your fears may reflect a long-established thought pattern.

Remember: You don’t have to figure this all out alone. Talk to a trusted friend/mentor or seek career coaching. Externally processing your decision can help you determine when it’s appropriate to honor your fears and when you need to challenge yourself and move past them. In other words, are your instincts protecting you or your negative thoughts debilitating you?

There are also great online tools to help you with your decision-making process—Check out The Florida State University’s guide on Choosing A Major or Occupation.