Find the right job for you
Deciding your career path is probably one of the biggest decisions you will make in your lifetime. Sure, you can change career, but it’s certainly worth taking a look at your options and putting together a viable career plan right from the beginning, before wasting precious time and money.
What do you enjoy doing?
Do you have any hobbies that you would like to turn into a full-time career? Take the time to map out what you like to do with possible jobs that exist in the workforce.
What are your skills and talents?
Again, look at possible job matches in the workforce. Are there any alternative careers you can consider applying your skills to? If you enjoy working with animals you don’t have to become a vet… what about becoming an animal trainer and working with professional animal actors. You could also combine your skills into original new careers, e.g. combine your love for animals and fashion into a thriving doggie-wear empire.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Do you enjoy being a team leader, or do you prefer being a member of a team, providing support for others? Are you a quick-thinker who can work well under pressure, or do you prefer deliberating on an issue for a while longer? Considering these qualities will help narrow down the type of job you would like to do within your chosen career.
Working for yourself or for somebody else?
Do work well with authority figures, or would you prefer to do things on your own? There are a number of opportunities available that allow you to be more flexible about your approach to work. Each one comes with their own set of pros and cons that need to be considered. For example, if you decide to freelance, or work as an independent consultant, you will need to be very self-disciplined. You may have more independence to make your own decisions, but will lose out on the creative input gained by working with a team in an office.
What company would you like to work for?
If you decide to work for a company consider whether you would like to work for a small, medium-sized, or large company. Large firms can offer a lot more security than smaller companies, but you may become a cog in the machine, whereas small companies may not give you as much security, but there may be more opportunities for advancement.
Make your move
Once you have narrowed down your options it’s time to do some research on the field you are interested in working in.
• Spend time on the internet searching for descriptions about various jobs in the industry and look at how the roles differ.
• Make an appointment with a career advisor who can give you practical advise on how to develop your career.
• Talk to people who work in similar industries and ask them for advice on how best to approach your career path.
• Find out what qualifications you need? How long do you have to study for? Do you have to do community service?
You should now have all the details you need to map out your career path. Set yourself short-term and long-term goals. Don’t worry if you don’t achieve them… the world changes constantly and so do you. As long as you maintain a positive attitude and persevere you will achieve success in whatever you chose to do.