Advice for Young Men Choosing a Career

What vocation should I go into? This is a question that I struggled with many years ago. Guided by my parents’ advice, my desire for ministry, and a romanticized love for the medical missionaries of the past, I ended up in nursing. Here is my advice for young men who are asking the same question that I once did.

These are only considerations – but I hope that you will consider them deeply, seriously, and prayerfully. The choice in front of you will have life-long implications.

Consider whether your career choice will honor God

God created men to work – even before the Fall brought sin into the world! While work can honor God, sin will try to make work dishonorable. Whatever career you choose, be sure to honor God in that choice. As God told Eli the priest, “those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Samuel 2:30).

Some careers are obviously incompatible with Christian living – operating a bar or working in a casino are obvious examples. But any career that is based on helping people sin is obviously incompatible with Christian living.

Some people try to choose a job that will allow them to retire early, so they can stop working. At first glance, this may seem wise, but on second thought, God created us for work. Retiring early to avoid working is outside of God’s plan for men. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t invest or can’t pursue financial freedom – but it does mean that we go into a career with the intention of working, not getting out of work quickly.

Consider a career that interests you

God gave us desires and interests, and they differ from person to person. Rather than ignoring these desires and interests, consider how they direct you. Do you nearly pass out at the sight of blood? You probably shouldn’t go into medicine. Have you enjoyed fixing things and building things since you were a child? Maybe you should consider engineering or general contracting. Are you a bookworm or writer? Perhaps God has been preparing you for teaching or education. While you shouldn’t make the choice of a career based solely on your interests, don’t be afraid of them – they can be very helpful, God-given aids in selecting a career.

Consider a career that provides enough to support a family

Are you preparing to marry a wife and start a family? Many young men haven’t thought that far down the road, but now is the time to begin thinking. God’s intention – for most young men – is for them to marry and have children. Even if you aren’t married, you need to be preparing for this. Contra the world, this is NOT a time for you to ‘goof off’ and ‘have fun.’ It is a time of serious preparation. This means you should consider whether your career will allow you to support a family.

Does it provide sufficient income? Some jobs are unlikely to provide a sufficient, stable income. Some of the jobs that may sound ‘fun’ – or even ones that you are passionate about – may not be good as your primary career. You can always do that job on the side, but beware of choosing it as your primary career. Recognize the value of financial stability for supporting a family.

Remember that it takes time to raise a family. Be cautious about jobs that will keep you far from home for long periods of time, or jobs that require excessive work hours.

Consider whether a career will remain in high demand

One lesson from the COVID pandemic is that jobs are not nearly as secure as we imagine. 30-40 million Americans went on unemployment during the pandemic. Keep this in mind as you choose your career.

Recognize that jobs are more or less secure depending on how closely they provide us with the necessities of life. People who operate the ‘critical infrastructure’ of society will always be able to find jobs, even in a financial meltdown. Those who provide society with nonessentials or luxuries are going to be most vulnerable to economic distress. Keep this in mind as you choose a career.

Consider whether a career will make you go in debt

The Bible does not say that being in debt is a positive sin, but it warns us strongly about debt. Most Americans (because we are more conditioned by our society than by Scripture) gloss over these warnings. We believe the lie that debt isn’t all that big of a deal. But it is. And if a certain career choice requires you to go in debt, it is very likely that you should skip it.

In fact, very few careers actually require you to go in debt. If you work during your education, put in the research to find an affordable school, and apply for scholarships, most careers can be afforded without debt. It may not be easy, but it is possible.

On this note, beware of expensive, ‘name brand’ schools. These schools have wonderful reputations, but they are prohibitively expensive. Often, when you attend these schools, you are paying for an experience more than for an education. The ‘experience’ is rarely worth the money – and is often a serious threat to your Christian faith.

Consider how your career choice will help you love other people

Ultimately, the Christian is called to love others. This should affect every action that he takes. Including – especially! – his career. How will you use this career to love others?

Most careers provide some way to love others – although it may not be obvious. If you go into healthcare, you can love others by helping their physical needs. If you are an engineer, you can love others by helping create products that are useful in their lives. Those in the hospitality industry can love others by providing them with a place to stay when they are away from home. Almost every career provides a venue by which to love others. Most people don’t think of it this way, but Christians should. So how will your career help you to love others?

And on a spiritual level, how will your career choice help you to care for people’s souls? Many Christians try to choose a career that will get them out of the ‘world’ so that they can just work among other Christians. This is completely unbiblical! Jesus called us to be in this world, to interact in it. Don’t try to avoid it. It is a blessing to be able to work with unbelievers. You can demonstrate genuine love to them. You can care for them. You can share God’s life-giving Word with them. How will your career provide these opportunities?

You might enjoy checking out this great article by my friend Joshua Bontrager, on the question Should I get a College Degree?