Knowing how to choose a career can be challenging for many young people. They need to discover what their talents and passions are and also learn about the different career paths available to them.

Choosing the right career is also one of the toughest decisions that we have to make in our lives. The career we choose has a significant impact on our quality of life. 

This decision is even more challenging for young people because they have to decide what they want to do at an early age and with little experience about how the job market works and about what they might be good at

Luckily, there are several criteria and methods that you can use to help you choose the right career. We’ll be discussing this in more detail in this article.

Increase Your Self-awareness

When learning about how to choose a career that’s right for you, it’s a good idea to work on increasing your self-awareness skills. Self-awareness means paying attention to your own behaviour, how you think and how you feel. 

Being more self-aware helps you to understand your strengths and weaknesses better. A strong self-awareness leads to making better decisions because you’ll have a clear sense of self. Only you will be able to determine what you may or may not enjoy.

Even though you’re likely to change and grow as a person, there are definitely certain personality traits that are always going to be stable in your life. Knowing these “building blocks” can help you exclude taking certain paths that you probably won’t enjoy when you’re thinking about how to choose a career.

It’s important to understand what these traits are so that it’s easier to decide the right career path for you. For example, if you’re someone who’s introverted and prefers to spend time on your own, going for a career path that involves a lot of public speaking and relationship-building might not be the right choice for you. 

A great way to increase your self-awareness is through journaling. You can journal about anything like when you’re going through a difficult time, or when you’ve had an argument with someone, or when you’re happy about something and so on. 

Journal and reread your journal from time to time to understand more about yourself. You will notice what has and hasn’t changed in you. All of these will help you to pick the right career for you.

Consider Your Passion

What are you passionate about? And what are your hobbies? We spend most of our time at work, so it’s important that you try to choose a career that represents what you enjoy and what you’re passionate about.

You might be thinking, “I don’t know what my passion is”. Ask yourself these questions: what do you do when you’re not studying or maybe even working? What type of books, Netflix series, YouTube videos, or podcasts do you like listening to? Which activities do you enjoy so much that you would do them for free?

Something else to think about is your energy levels when you do an activity that you like. What is something that excites you, as opposed to something that drains you?

Consider Your Skills

When you are on your way to finding a job, you’ll hear a lot about hard and soft skills. 

A hard skill is a skill that you gain through practice. An example of this is computer programming. A soft skill instead is a skill that is more attached to your individuality. An example of soft skills is teamwork, which is how well you collaborate with other people. 

You can master a hard skill through perseverance and repetition. You can also learn certain soft skills. However, they are more challenging to grasp because these are skills that you learn by exposing yourself to real-world experience. 

At a young age, it’s difficult to assess your hard and soft skills because you still need to develop them. However, you still have some degree of knowledge on which skills you enjoy and are good at when you choose your career. 

Some example questions that can guide you to analyse your hard and soft skills can be:

• Are you good with numbers? 
• Are you able to learn foreign languages pretty quickly? 
• Are you good at writing or designing? 

For soft skills:

• Do you play a type of sport that requires team collaboration?
• Are you good at managing your time?
• How good are you at organising stuff?

Your grades can also help to assess your hard and soft skills. Even though grades are a flawed methodology to examine one’s capability to choose the right career, from your grades, you can gain insight on which career path you should consider. 

Think About Your Desired Lifestyle

Part of learning about how to choose a career that’s right for you is to consider the lifestyle you want for your future. Your lifestyle will depend a lot on the type of career path you choose. 

You’ll need to ask yourself questions like do you want to choose a career that requires you to travel internationally? Or would you prefer to stay closer to your family and friends? Do you like spending your time outdoors?

With the recent Coronavirus pandemic, there is an ongoing debate on whether companies should force employees to return to the office or not. Still, remote working has become popular because it can save companies a lot of money by avoiding renting office spaces.

Some employees prefer to work from home five days a week and not have to commute. They might be more family-oriented and choosing to work from home makes childcare more manageable and flexible for them. 

Others prefer working from the office whereas some employees would like to go to the office only a few days per week. Then, not all jobs are doable from home because some career paths will require you to be present on site. 

It is therefore important to consider what you want your life to be like and pursue career opportunities that allow you to build that life.

You may need to compromise at times

Some jobs are in higher demand than others and some pay better than others. Knowing how to choose a career that’s right for you isn’t always straightforward. There may be something you’ll need to compromise.

Some university degrees, on average, also allow you to make more money than others. These degrees are, for example, medicine, dentistry, computer science, engineering, etc.

If you’d like to know more about the highest paying degrees in the UK, read our blog!

But, what if you’re not interested in any of those? Should you try to get into this field just because of the money? If you’re that type of person who doesn’t enjoy career options that fall on this list of highest-paying jobs, you might want to consider finding a good compromise between what you like and what the job market can offer to you. 

A clear example of this is: are you someone who likes to draw? The job market can offer careers in graphic design and digital design. Another ongoing problem is that some jobs have become (or are on their way to becoming) obsolete due to technological advances. 

For example, pursuing a career in a travel agency can be a risky choice because people can find all possible information with a simple Google search. 

Addressing this issue can feel challenging because it depends on your situation, your background, and what you are looking for in a career. But it is possible, with research and gaining practical experience in the fields you’re interested in! The important thing is knowing what you’re willing to compromise in a career and what you’re not.

Qualifications Needed Vs Willingness To Study

Specific career paths will need you to have either a degree or some sort of certification to prove your competency. How much time do you want to spend studying before getting into your desired career path? Years or months?

Whatever route you decide to take, you’ll need to get some education to improve your chances of getting employed. This can take both time and money.

Depending on your situation, you might not have the finances to afford formal education. You could then consider doing online courses in your area of interest.

Nowadays, there are many pathways that you can take to get more educated: university, boot camps and online classes or in-person workshops. 

Universities also offer distance learning, as well as part-time degrees. For example, the UK Government has a list of free boot camps to address the UK’s skills shortage, and you can attend them at the comfort of your home. 

When you’re thinking of how to choose a career path that’s right for you, you’ll need to assess how much time (and money) you would like to spend educating yourself to get into a particular career or field of work. 

Seek Mentorship

A mentor is someone who can give you valuable insights into a specific field. They serve as a bridge between the mentee and the job market. They can also help you understand what you need to get into a particular career path. They’ll give you practical advice, motivation and reassurance. 

A mentor can fast-track your career by guiding you towards doing things that are relevant to choosing the right career for you. They help you to feel more motivated to make solid decisions. 

You may be wondering: how do you find a mentor? A mentor is often someone you already know and admire within your circle. If you cannot find anyone, maybe it’s a sign that you’ll need to expand your network. Try to attend your local youth community, social club or a volunteering event. Also, leverage your social media.

We’re passionate about providing mentorship to young people, which is why we offer mentoring as part of our 1:1 online programmes! You can get in touch with us if you’d like to know more!

In Conclusion

In this article, we discussed a range of things to think about when it comes to choosing a career that’s right for you. We have seen that the earlier you start considering your skills and passions, and start gaining practical experience, mentorship and expanding your network, the more likely you are to find a career that you enjoy! 

If you’d like the opportunity to explore careers in various industries including Technology, Medicine, Finance, Engineering and many more! And if you’d like to meet professionals from a range of universities and corporate organisations such as PWC, University of Oxford, BT, JP Morgan, EY, BRIT Insurance and Blackrock bank, you can attend our online Careers Summit by registering here!

It’s always a great idea to research what the highest paying degrees are when you’re choosing a career path. Not only do these choices make the time and money you spend on completing your degree worth it, but these degrees are also in demand in many countries around the world!

And since you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance that you’re carefully considering the study options that are right for you. We know it’s not always an easy decision. That’s why we’re writing this article; to help you on your journey towards choosing the right degree. One that pays well, offers job security and suits your skillset and interests!

We’ll discuss what to look for when you’re deciding what to study and we’ll talk about the 12 highest paying degrees in England, including the average salary for people working in those professions, the type of skill sets most suited to each and finally, the academic requirements to study each degree.

What Should You Think About When Choosing a Degree?

Knowing which questions to ask might be challenging, so let’s start by discussing the most important factors to consider when it comes to picking the right career path.

What Makes The Degree Worth Your While?

A good degree is one that allows you to earn well, is versatile and is a needed skill. It is also really important that it’s something you’re passionate about.

Looking at the highest paying degrees when you’re choosing what to study isn’t just about wanting to earn well, it’s also about making sure you’re studying something that has high job stability.

It’s also exciting to know that the top 12 highest paying degrees that we’ll talk about are in many different fields and cater for different personalities and skillsets. This brings us to the next point; thinking about your personality when you’re choosing a degree. 

Think About Your Personality

Thinking about your personality traits is important when it comes to choosing a degree that’s right for you. This means taking note of your preferences and what it is that you really enjoy. 

You can consider the subjects you enjoy doing most at school and which ones you’re good at. That way, you can choose to study for a degree that matches your skillset and interests, and it’s something that you’re passionate about. 

By following these steps, you’re likely to be more motivated to complete your degree and you’ll feel like you’re working towards something meaningful.

Think About the Lifestyle You Want to Live

It is just as important is to think about the life you want to live. Some jobs are more suitable for family-oriented individuals while others require long hours, frequent travel, or are for career-driven individuals. 

When choosing a degree, think about your aspirations. Do you see yourself working in an office? Would you like to have a job that allows you to travel? These questions will help you decide your career path and narrow down your study choices to degrees that help you to plan for the future you envision. 

The Top 12 Highest Paying Degrees in the UK

Here is a list of the top 12 highest paying degrees in the UK for young people today! These are not in any specific order and we’ll give you all the information you need to know for each degree.

1. Dentistry

Dentistry is an exciting field because it’s a skill that’s needed around the world! It also places towards the top of the list of highest paying degrees in the UK and in many other countries.

If you have great communication, organisation and leadership skills then this may be the career for you. Dentists also need to be patient, detail-oriented and good at problem-solving.

The average dentist salary in the United Kingdom is around £64,684 per year. If this is something you’d like to study, then you’ll need to work towards achieving seven GCSEs at grades A or A* including English Language and Mathematics. And at least two science subjects at a B grade or above. 

For A-levels, you’ll usually need 3 A-levels at grades AAA to ABB, including Chemistry and Biology.

2. Medicine

Medicine is a broad field and it gives you an opportunity to work with different age groups and in different specialities. It’s also a great choice for anyone who is passionate about helping people!

If you’re thinking about going into the medical field then it’s great to have communication skills, to be detail-oriented and flexible. It’s also important to be empathetic in nature and emotionally intelligent. That’s because working in the medical field requires long hours and you’ll be working with many different people. 

The average salary for persons working in this field is between £45,124 to £77,519 per year. If you’d like to study medicine, you’ll need seven GCSEs, including sciences like physics and biology, with 5 subjects at grades A or A* and English and mathematics at a grade B or above.

For A-levels, you’ll need AAA grades in subjects like biology and chemistry with physics or mathematics.

3. Veterinary Medicine

Veterinary medicine is the perfect field for those who want to help animals. It is also broad and you can choose which types of animals you want to work with such as common animals like cats and dogs, exotic animals or a more specialised group – like working with horses or zoo animals, for example. 

This is also a great career choice if you’re compassionate and have strong interpersonal, management, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. 

The average salary in the UK for this field is around £47,094. If veterinary medicine is a career you’re interested in, you’ll need five GCSEs at grades A-C including science, English, and mathematics. 

For A-levels, you’ll need to aim for grades BBC to A*AA including biology and two other subjects.

4. Accounting and Finance

Accounting and finance places near the top of the list of highest paying degrees in the UK. That’s because every industry needs professionals from this field and there are so many ways to offer your services, as well as opportunities to earn multiple incomes.

This is the perfect career choice if you’re driven, resilient, persistent, fair, ethical, and loyal. Working in the financial field also means you need to be good at communicating because you’ll be working with different people.

The average salary for working in finance in the UK is around £52,500 per year. If you’re interested in studying towards a career in finance, you’ll need to achieve A grades in the majority of your subjects. You’ll also need to do well in subjects such as mathematics and accounting.

For A-levels, you’ll need to work towards achieving an AAB grade, including accountancy, business or mathematics.

5. Engineering

Engineering is a very rewarding field because not only do you earn a degree that allows you to work in different fields but it also gives you the skills you need to be an entrepreneur!

If you’re curious and creative and have critical thinking skills, collaboration skills, and communication skills then this may be the right path for you! This is also a great career choice if you enjoy working with your hands.

The average salary for careers in engineering in the UK is around £20,938 to £88,085. This also depends on the field you want to specialise in such as civil, electrical, mechanical, or chemical engineering. To study engineering in the UK, you’ll need to aim for five GCSEs at grades A to C. 

For A-levels, you’ll usually need three A levels at A/B grades to apply for the most popular courses.

6. Actuary

A degree in Actuary offers a work-life balance! And apart from being one of the highest paying degrees in the UK, Actuaries start off with a high salary too, as much as £32,000 per year!

This is a great degree choice if you’re investigative, detail-oriented, organized, and a logical thinker with problem-solving skills. It’s also beneficial if you’ve got strong Maths skills and are passionate about Mathematics.

The average salary for Actuary in the UK is around £59,650 per year. If this is a career you’re interested in studying in then you’ll need to work towards achieving five GCSEs at grades A or B with a minimum of grade C in English and A in Mathematics.

For A-levels, you’ll need a grade B or above in A-level mathematics and a grade C in another A-level subject.

7. Physics 

If the idea of testing theories and hypotheses excites you, and you enjoy discovering new things, you’ll really want to consider studying for a degree in physics!

This is also a great choice if you’re analytical, curious, critical, communicative, and have interpersonal skills. This degree is also very mathematical, so enjoying this subject is essential.

The average salary for a career in physics in the UK is around £41,714 per year. If you’re interested in studying towards this career path then you’ll need to work to achieve five GCSEs at grades A*-C, including English and science.

You’ll also want to aim for three A levels, including physics and mathematics.

8. Computer Science

This is an exciting degree because it gives you the opportunity to work in different settings! You can also choose to specialise in different areas, and one of the biggest advantages is that you can work remotely if you’d like!

This is the perfect field if you’re an analytical thinker and are skilled in problem-solving and critical thinking – and you enjoy working with computers, of course!

The average pay for careers in computer science in the UK is around £42,544 per year. If this is a career you’re interested in then you’ll need to aim for five GCSEs at grades A-C, including science, English, and mathematics. 

You’ll also need to take mathematics or further mathematics at A-levels and another one or two A-level subjects.

9. Business and Administration

This is the perfect career choice if you’re passionate about business. This degree also gives you the opportunity to work in different types of businesses, including starting your own!

It’s also a great option if you are decisive, self-aware, enthusiastic and fair. You’re also more likely to enjoy studying towards a degree in Business and Administration if you enjoy being in a leadership position.

You could expect to earn an average salary of around £42,500 per year when you get your degree in Business and Administration. If you are interested in studying for a degree in this field, then you’ll need to aim for five GCSEs at grades C or above, including mathematics and English.

For A-levels, you’ll usually need three A levels at A/B grades to apply for the most popular courses.

10. Architecture

This is a field that gives you the ability to get creative and solve problems at the same time! It can also be a fast-paced career and gives you lots of opportunities for growth.

If you are passionate, easy-going, confident, creative, and adaptable this could be the right choice for you! It’s also a great option if you enjoy learning about different architecture and you’re good at drawing.

The average salary for an architect in the UK is around £43,115 per year. If you’d like to consider studying architecture, it’ll be good to aim for five GCSEs at grades A*- C including English, maths, and science.

To study architecture, you’ll usually need three A levels at A grades to apply for the most popular courses.

11. Law

Does the thought of justice being served excite you? If your answer is yes, and you like the sound of earning a good, secure living, then this may be the right degree for you! 

Law is also a great choice if you have strong research and analytical skills, communication skills, people skills, and good judgment. It is also a field that constantly requires critical and logical thinking. 

The average salary in law is around £49,326 per year. If you can see yourself studying law then you’ll need to aim for five GCSEs at grades A-C, including English.

For A-levels, you’ll usually need three A levels at A grades to apply for the most popular courses.

12. Education

The great thing about education is that you can go anywhere in the world and there are lots of extra earning opportunities! A degree in Education also allows you to choose the ages you enjoy working with.

If you have leadership skills, organizational skills, you’re compassionate, patient and you love working with and guiding people, then this is the job for you! 

Educators in the UK earn between £19,894 to £64,788 per year. To study education, you should aim for at least five GCSEs at grades A-C, including English and mathematics.

Most courses also require you to have a minimum of two A-levels. These could be related to the subjects you would like to teach.

Taking Your Future Into Your Own Hands

There you have it, the 12 highest paying degrees to study in the UK! At GT Scholars, we believe that anyone can achieve their goals and dreams with the right support, and anyone can achieve A grades when they learn how! So, if you’d like to find out more about our high impact programmes and how you can work towards studying for the career of your choice, you can click here to register your interest and we’ll get in touch with you!

Designing a career pathway means planning a path for your career. Regardless of the career, you have chosen, you will need to think about how you’re going to get there. This applies to all careers from Law to IT and from Sciences to the Arts.

QUOTE: If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else. – Yogi Berra.

This means doing your research, thinking ahead, and planning a course of action for how you will arrive at your desired career. It involves determining the education and training that you will need to enter your chosen career and also thinking about the additional things that you can do to set yourself up for success within that career.

When you design your career pathway, you will most likely need to think about the skills required to enter the career, the subjects that you’ll need to take at GCSE and the A-level or Post-16 courses, as well as the best university that you can attend or apprenticeship that you join that will support you within this career.

In this section, we’ll go into more detail with the things you should put into consideration when designing your career pathway.

1. Find out the skills & qualities needed
It’s important that you do your research and have a good understanding of your chosen career before embarking on this and designing your career pathway. Choosing a career, especially as a teenager, can feel quite daunting but it doesn’t have to be so hard. To get started with designing your career pathway, you’ll need to do some further research on the skills and qualities required to succeed in this career. You can find out the key skills and qualities by doing desk research online, looking at job descriptions, and asking people that work within this field. Knowing the top 5-10 skills needed in this career, will help you stay focused and it will help you to continue developing those skills in your day to day life. Once you know these skills, you can start thinking about how you’ll develop these skills – this might be through extra-curricular activities, through your hobbies, through starting an online blog or even starting a small business. You will find that there are lots of creative ways to build these skills, no matter what these skills are.

2. Learn about the field, industry & employers
Now that you know the skills required, you’ll need to find out more about the industry or sector that you’ll be working in. This will give you an awareness of any opportunities or challenges within the industry, including an idea of the employment prospects for the future. You’ll also get an idea of the possible employers that you can work with and expected salary. Researching the industry, will help you widen your knowledge of this career and you may even stumble upon opportunities that you hadn’t realised existed. The more research you do, the more you’ll discover a wide range of employers and employment opportunities that will become useful when you’re ready to apply for jobs and look for work experience.

3. Search for work experience or work shadowing opportunities
Work shadowing is a great way for you to get a taste for a particular role you’ve been considering. It allows you to find out the day-to-day business of a specific job by ‘shadowing’ a person who is actively doing the job. Having work experience on your CV, shows that you’ve taken the initiative to learn more about the career. To find relevant work experience, you can ask your network, you can ask /search on social media or you can contact companies directly for openings for relevant opportunities.

4. Think about how you can continually build your network
Opportunities including work experience and skill building opportunities, can often be found through building your network with different people. At all levels of networking, some of these people are or will become genuine friends and this is one of the great advantages of networking. The aim of networking is to build connections with people around you. There are three key levels of networks that you need to think about.

a. Personal networks: These are the people that you normally connect within your day to day life but are outside of your school/work. This includes your family and friends but can also be extended to people in the same after-school activities as you, people from your fitness class, religious service or the charity you volunteer for.  It may be a tennis club, air cadets, dance group job, or a camp you attend during the summer holidays.

b. Professional network: These are the people in your immediate environment that you work or study with. At school, this would be your classmates and teachers. At work, this will be your colleagues and bosses. They may not be your friends and you may not have much in common with them but you can make a genuine connection and they may be able to support you in your career – right now or in the future.

c. Strategic network: These are people that are outside of your immediate environment and you have purposefully connected with them through a specific type of member’s club, institution, or an association for people that have the same career interests as you. They may be ahead of you in your career or they may be on the same level or they may be at an earlier stage. If they are at a more advanced stage, they may be able to provide you with mentorship and support for your career, they can also recommend you for jobs or new opportunities within your field. Over time, you will also be in a position where you can support others within this group. This is strategic networking.
The most important thing with networking is recognising that you are not an island. Don’t be afraid to speak to people about your passions, interests, and your planned career path.

5. Learn about the qualifications, courses and subjects needed for this career
Designing a career pathway will mean looking into which courses and subjects you need for this career. Most careers have a standard minimum expectation when it comes to qualifications. So there will be many questions to ask such as: Do you require a degree for this career? If you don’t require a degree, what are the steps that are usually needed to enter this career? Are there apprenticeships or fast-track programmes for this career? Are there any specific learning schools or courses e.g. in London for Performing arts (Brit School), Fashion (London College of Fashion)? Are there special exams you must take and professional courses or certificates needed to work in this career? Where are the best places to study if you choose this career? Are you required to complete special training or courses? Are there any particular scholarships that you can apply for or international work opportunities for this career?

6. Join some associations or membership groups for this career
As part of your strategic networking, it’s important that you network beyond your immediate group and this is where memberships and associations come in useful. Most careers will usually have at least one membership group or organisations connected to it. You can sign up to their newsletter, join their mailing list, follow their social media handles, join their Facebook or LinkedIn group, receive monthly publications, and attend networking events. Many membership groups will provide cheap or free membership to students as they are keen to see young people enter and succeed in their industry. By signing up to be a member, you’ll stay aware of the opportunities in this industry including work opportunities, scholarships, sponsorships, and awards that you can apply for. This is another thing that you can add to your CV especially if you choose to take an active role within the association.

7. Keep a record of your progress
It is worth documenting your hobbies and activities so that you can remember what you have learned or achieved over the years. This can be via an online blog or offline journal that can evidence as a portfolio of your talents and interests. In some careers such as Art or Architecture, it is expected that you keep a portfolio of your achievements so far. Even if you are not in these fields, you can keep a record of your certificates and recommendations. This will help you with writing your CV, personal statement or cover letter. It will also help you stay positive and remind you of all that you have achieved so far. Remember that there is more to life than your career – this is just one part of your life. However, it will be a big part of your life and it is important that you are able to feel proud of yourself and proud of what you’ve achieved so far, no matter what stage you are.

The career pathway that you design for yourself will keep changing over time – and it won’t be set in stone. This is because over time, as you grow more confident in your abilities and you learn more about this career, you’ll be able to refine your ideas and you’ll discover new things about your industry or field. You may even start to specialise and find a ‘niche’ that you enjoy and can be successful in.

Most people will change careers at least once in their life, so it’s important that you find something that you can enjoy but also design a pathway that gives you some flexibility to explore other careers if you choose to make a change in the future.