decide on a career

Meaning

This phrase means to make a final choice about what kind of professional work or long-term job path you want to pursue. It implies careful thought and selection among various options.

Examples

• It can take years of studying and experimenting before you finally decide on a career.

  It can take years of studying and experimenting before you finally decide on a career.

• He went to a guidance counselor to help him decide on a career in technology.

  He went to a guidance counselor to help him decide on a career in technology.

• She decided on a career in medicine because she wanted to help people.

  She decided on a career in medicine because she wanted to help people.

• Many students feel overwhelmed when they are forced to decide on a career at eighteen.

  Many students feel overwhelmed when they are forced to decide on a career at eighteen.

• After working in retail for five years, he finally decided on a career in graphic design.

  After working in retail for five years, he finally decided on a career in graphic design.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to decide a career before I graduate.

  ✓ I need to decide on a career before I graduate.

  When 'decide' means to make a choice from a number of possibilities, it is followed by the preposition 'on'.

• ✗ She decided for a career in teaching.

  ✓ She decided on a career in teaching.

  While 'decide for' is sometimes used in legal or formal contexts, 'decide on [a choice]' is the standard collocation for choosing a professional path.

Related Expressions

Practice

• It's completely normal to change your mind several times before you ___.

  💡 Phrase meaning 'choose a professional path'.

  Show answer

  decide on a career

• My advisor helped me ___ that matches my skills and interests.

  💡 Phrase for making a final choice about your future job type.

  Show answer

  decide on a career