How to make the right choices in your career?

Do I apply or not? Do I accept this job or not? Do I do a sandwich course or not? We have to make choices throughout our working life. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula, but understanding how our brain works can help.

Our brain implements two strategies in order to make decisions: exploration or optimisation. Exploration involves trying new approaches that we have never tested before. On the other hand, optimisation entails relying on approaches that we are already familiar with and making the most of them to achieve its goal.

The gold miner’s dilemma

The problem is that we don’t always know which strategy to choose. This is what scientists, such as neuroscientist Jean-Philippe Lachaux, call the gold miner’s dilemma. The gold miner begins to sift sand on a riverbank. He is there because he was told that gold could be found there. After a few hours, he manages to find a few nuggets, he feels a sense of uncertainty. Is there more gold a bit further along the riverbank? He then finds himself in a struggle between exploration and optimisation. Should he go and explore or stay in the same spot to make the most of what he already has?

What would you do? There is no obvious answer as it will depend on each individual.

Everyone has their own profile

Our choice of strategy when making decisions is made based on the context and our natural tendencies. They are linked to our past experiences, teachings, preferences, values, etc. For example, some people will appreciate situations of uncertainty and won’t be reluctant to innovate, even if it means failing and trying again. These people will be more likely to explore.

Others are less comfortable dealing with uncertain situations. They naturally rely on strategies that they know and understand, strategies that have proven effective and allow them to maximise their chances of success.

There is no profile that is better than another. However, it is very useful to know what your prevailing profile is. To find that out, you need to ask yourself the following question: do you base your decisions on the resources available to you or do you prefer to explore?

For example, are you the type of person who applies for a job because you meet all of the requirements (diplomas, experience, etc.), or are you able to contact the CEO of a company that enchants you and ask them if they want to grab a coffee? When you think about, you will surely see that you have a prevailing tendency.

Making choices based on your profile

Why is it important to know what your prevailing profile is when making decisions? To make sure that you don’t always react in the same way and to choose the correct strategy depending on the context. By taking a step back and asking questions before acting, you can choose to be an optimizer, explorer, or a shrewd mix of the two. This will allow you to make choices that are right for you, and that is exactly what is needed to carve out a fulfilling career path that really suits us.