Deciding on a career path is one of the most influential choices you’ll make throughout your life. You want to find a job that you love where you can be proud of the work you are doing. Some people are born knowing exactly what they want to do based on first impressions. Others hear the question “what do you want to be when you grow up” and cower in fear. If you are one of those people still searching for your career or a job that fits you, you definitely aren’t alone.

It can be difficult to decide on the perfect career. With so many options out there, you need to do your research and look into the perfect entryway job for you. Research key words about different fields helps, but it is also beneficial to know about yourself. Your wants, talents, and plans for your life will help inform what kind of job you may be well-suited for. Because finding a job that is a good fit means you’ll enjoy what you do rather than feel weighed down by your career. Let’s look at a few tips that may help you choose the perfect job for you.

1. Know your skills.

To succeed in a certain career path, you have to be good at what you do. So knowing your skills and talents will be the first thing to finding a career for you. For example, if coding and computers are something you’re really good at, you may be a good buyer or seller of IPv4 addresses and address space. You’ll understand the curb appeal and IP addresses better than any buyer. So stop just fixing routers at home and see if you can proactively address cybersecurity risks as a career. This works for general skills as well.

If you’re a people person, look for careers where you get to interact with the public. If you’re creative, look for jobs in the arts. If you’re a natural leader, look into career paths that will put you in charge of many people. Your talents are unique to you and will be a benefit to a few different jobs. So start exploring your special purpose!

2. Know your passions.

Having talent is one thing, but if you also have to be interested in that area. Sure, you can be great at math, but maybe you aren’t passionate about allocation and number-crunching. That means you won’t enjoy that job. It may even be more important to understand what you enjoy and work that feels meaningful to you. This will help prevent burnout down the line and make you actually excited to get up and work every day.

You may even be able to list your passions and interests and find a job that matches. If you’re someone who is always working on how to make a good first impression with your home, you may enjoy a career in landscaping or interior design and decor. Finding that place where your skills and passions intersect is a great way to finding a successful career path.

3. Know your lifestyle.

While you may be interested in a specific career, you also need to factor in if the lifestyle and exploits can work for you. Some jobs are regular nine-to-fives where you spend all day at a desk, others are much more hands-on and operate at random hours a long way from home. Would you like to be home by five to cook dinner and tuck the kids into bed or are you okay working the nightlife and enjoying spontaneity? You also want to consider the amount of money you’re used to having. If you grew up with a lot of money, you’ll want a career that can keep up with the lifestyle you’re used to. The best practice is to evaluate your needs and choose a career based around that.