Making decisions about your career can be an exciting process, but for most people it’s also a tricky one. It can be hard enough to find out what jobs even exist, let alone whether they would be a good match for your skills and interests.

As careers editor of Physics World, I have learned much more in the past year about the many paths you can follow with a physics degree than I ever did when I was researching what to do after I finished my own studies in the subject. But most people don’t get to spend a whole year speaking with people in all kinds of jobs about what their work involves and what their advice is for people starting out now.

That’s why Physics World creates an annual guide to career options, collecting all this valuable information in one place for physics students and graduates. We recently released the sixth edition, Physics World Careers 2022, which is available online now.

As always, the newest guide contains profiles of physicists working in fields across academia and industry. From quantum technology and nuclear power to astronomy and medical physics, these case studies offer insights into how different physicists approached the decision-making process, and how they got from their degree to where they are now.

There is also a collection of shorter “Ask me anything” interviews that give a glimpse into the nitty-gritty of what various jobs entail. These focus on the key skills required, what the ups and downs of each job are, and what advice people who are further on in their careers would give their former selves if they could turn back time.

Of course, the jobs market itself changes with time too, so it’s important to keep up to date on the opportunities available and the skills that are in demand. This is reflected in the career-development section of Physics World Careers 2022, which includes an article about how to prepare for job-seeking in a market that has been permanently impacted by the pandemic.

But COVID isn’t the only recent development affecting what recruiters are looking for. With quantum technology approaching the jump from research to real-world applications, we’ve included an article about the current state of the field, and how to boost your employability if you’ve got your heart set on working in this exciting sector.

There is also a whole special section about the variety of green jobs that physicists can pursue. Working in renewable energy might be the first option that springs to mind, but it’s far from the only one; as you can read about in “Green jobs for physics graduates” there are physicists using their skills to accelerate sustainability through their work in policy, consultancy and finance too.

If you want to find out from employers themselves how you can give yourself an edge in applications, make sure to check out the “Employer directory” section of the guide. Here you can read about companies and institutes who want to hire physicists, what it’s like to work for them and which attributes they look for in new recruits.

So if you’re currently navigating career decisions, I hope this guide gives you some inspiration and helps you take the next steps towards your future, whichever path you take.