When making a career choice, there are many factors to consider, so you must decide what your work and life priorities are. Here are some of the more important 'career drivers' that may influence your decision.

Hours

If you want a job with short days, steer away from careers such as banking and law. If you like the idea of a 9–5 job that you can forget about at the end of the day, get an office job – don't become a teacher! If you don't mind shift work, try retail or the healthcare industry.

Job content

By now you should have identified what kind of work you enjoy and are good at – don't forget this element of the job, as it is what you'll be doing for 40-odd hours a week!

Work environment

Do you like working in a large company surrounded by people? Or do you prefer a more intimate environment? Consider the pros and cons of large corporations versus small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Read about some of the benefits of working for an SME.

Money

What kind of lifestyle do you want to lead? If taking home a huge pay cheque is important to you, look at sales, management and finance careers. If job satisfaction or helping people or the community is more important to you, you could consider charity work, teaching or a career in the media.

Status

Many people have a desire to be seen as expert in their chosen career area, and some even cite social status as a deciding factor in selecting a job. But be careful – just because your parents were both doctors or lawyers, it doesn't mean you'll be disgracing the family if you decide not follow in their footsteps!

Location / travel

If you want to travel the world, don't become an accountant. Look at the Armed Forces, consultancy, sales, telecoms, even conservation or travel journalism.

Location within the UK is also important – if you have a family or other commitments in a particular area, you need to think what career you have there. Bear in mind that London is the finance and media centre of the UK, and you may struggle finding work in these career areas elsewhere.

Job security

This is hard to guarantee these days, but some jobs, such as sales or recruitment consultancy, can be very cut-throat and less secure than, say, law or the public sector.