Imagine you're in the market for a new car. You have a loan already secured from the bank, so it's just a matter of finding and choosing the car that best meets your wants and needs.

Will you make your decision using any of the following approaches?

• The "escape artist" or "play it safe" approach - you imagine the worst-case scenario - perhaps spending way too much on a car that turns out to be a lemon - so you spend much less, settling for a car that meets only your minimum requirements.
• The impulsive approach - you buy the first car that seems to fit what you're looking for, no matter what the make or price.
• The "let fate decide" approach - you buy the first car you see in the lot, believing it's your "destiny" to do so.
• The procrastination approach - you decide not to decide on a new car right now.
• The compliant approach - you let someone else decide what car you'll buy.
• The agonizing or "paralysis by analysis" approach - you spend days, weeks, or months weighing all your choices, never taking any real action to buy any car.
• The subversive approach - You figure out what car your spouse really wants, then buy something just the opposite to spite him or her.

Obviously, none of these decision-making styles will work very well for you in buying a new car. But not so obviously, many people - either intentionally or, more often, unknowingly - use one or more of these unwise decision-making approaches when trying to determine a job or career to pursue:

• The "escape artist" - sees significant potential risks involved with the job or career he or she really wants to pursue, so instead settles for something secure but unsatisfying.
• The impulsive - decides to pursue the first job or career that seems to fit what he or she is looking for, no matter what the "make" or cost.
• The fatalist - opts to pursue the first job or career he or she becomes familiar with, believing it is his or her "destiny" to do so.
• The procrastinator - decides to put off deciding on a career direction.
• The complier - chooses to pursue a career that someone else (e.g., a spouse, a parent, a relative) has in mind for him or her.
• The agonizer - explores career options by the dozen, but never gets below the surface of any of them.
• The subversive - pursues a job or career solely to anger someone else.

Do you see yourself using any of these not-so-healthy career decision-making styles? If so, there's a better way. In fact, there are two better ways, one or both of which will serve you much better as you consider a new job or career.

Consider first the rationale or planful method of career decision-making. Using a rationale approach, you first learn about yourself by identifying what you enjoy (i.e., your interests), what you're good at (i.e., your skills and abilities/talents), what's important to you in a job or career (i.e., your work-related values), and what makes you "tick" in your work and in your life (i.e., your personality). Next, you explore various careers in depth. Finally, using your new knowledge of yourself and various jobs and careers, you decide which job or career best "matches" you.

The rational approach to career decision-making ensures that you "cover all the bases" thoroughly. But what if, despite your in-depth research, you still have a nagging sort of feeling about the job or career you want to pursue? Perhaps you're a more intuitive decision maker; you rely on your "gut" or "heart" whenever you have an important decision to make. If that approach works for you - and if you can look back on other decisions you've made in your life, good and bad, and see where your intuition did play or should have played a key role - then you'll undoubtedly benefit from an intuitive approach to your career decision making as well.

The key to career decision-making success is recognizing which healthy style - rational, intuitive, or a combination - works best for you and sticking with it, while avoiding the pitfalls of the many unhealthy options that are also at your disposal. The unhealthy styles may be quick and easy, and perhaps even a little bit fun - at first. But in the end they'll lead you nowhere; Millions of dissatisfied workers everywhere can attest to that.