Tests, tools and methods · 7 min read
How do I make a career decision when every option has downsides?
Every career option has costs. Compare options on what matters to you, test the closest two, and decide with a reversible next step.
The short answer
When every career option has downsides, stop looking for the perfect one and compare them honestly on the few things that matter most to you, such as the work itself, money, people, location and growth. Test the top two with small real experiences, then choose the next step that is most reversible and teaches you the most. Most career decisions are less permanent than they feel, and evidence makes them easier.
On this page 8 sections
Choose your criteria first
Before comparing options, write the five things that matter most to you in work right now, and weight them. Typical criteria include the daily work, income, the people, location or flexibility, learning and growth, and meaning.
A weighted comparison (illustrative)
| Criterion | Weight | Option A: UX research | Option B: Project management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily work I'd enjoy | 4 | 4 (16) | 3 (12) |
| Income in two years | 2 | 3 (6) | 4 (8) |
| Flexibility | 2 | 4 (8) | 3 (6) |
| Growth | 1 | 3 (3) | 4 (4) |
| Meaning | 1 | 4 (4) | 2 (2) |
| Total | 10 | 37 | 32 |
The numbers are not the answer. Their job is to show you where you are guessing. If you scored “daily work I'd enjoy” without ever having done the work, that score is a guess and the place to test first.
Test the guesses
For each option, design a small test of the score you are least sure about. Then rescore. If the gap between options widens, you have your decision. If it narrows, look at which test you enjoyed more; that is often the tiebreaker.
Choose the reversible next step
You rarely need to choose a whole career at once. You choose a next step: a course module, a project, a part-time role, an application. Prefer steps that keep options open and teach you the most, and save irreversible ones for when the evidence is strong.
Separate reversible and irreversible steps
| Mostly reversible | Harder to reverse |
|---|---|
| A short course or module | A multi-year degree with large fees |
| A side project or volunteer role | Resigning without savings |
| Applying for roles | Relocating a family |
| A trial month of freelancing | Signing a long business lease |
Make reversible steps quickly and treat them as experiments. Slow down for the irreversible ones and make sure you have tested the assumptions they depend on.
Use a pre-mortem
Imagine it is a year from now and the option you chose has gone badly. Write down the three most likely reasons. Common answers: “I didn't actually enjoy the daily work”, “it took twice as long to earn enough”, “I underestimated how much I'd miss my colleagues”. For each, ask whether a small test could tell you now. This turns vague dread into specific things to check.
When the options are genuinely close
If two options still score within a few points after testing, either is probably a reasonable choice. Pick the one that keeps more future options open, or the one you are more curious about, and set a date to review. Endless deliberation between close options usually costs more than choosing the slightly worse one.
Questions people ask
- How do I choose between two career options?
- List your top five criteria, score both options, then test each with a small real experience. Often the test reveals something the scoring could not.
- What if I make the wrong career decision?
- Most career decisions can be adjusted. Choosing reversible steps, such as a trial project before a degree, reduces the cost of being wrong.
- Should I trust my gut on a career decision?
- Gut feelings are useful data, especially after real experience. Combine them with a structured comparison so one bad day does not decide for you.
- Why can't I make a decision about my career?
- Often because the options are still abstract. Testing them turns them into experiences you can compare.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Designing Your Life · Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
- Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career · Herminia Ibarra
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.