Finding the Right Job for You
Questions
to ask yourself when deciding the correct role for yourself:
- Every job you have ever had, which one was the most successful and enjoyable?
- Which advertised jobs have attracted you?
- Out of all your school subjects you have ever held, which ones did you enjoy the most? – Where they academic, training or leaning?
- What are your interests?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Why would you want to pursue this career?
- What are your work values?
- If you disliked your last job, was it the company, your colleagues, your role or the sector that you worked in?
Being able to provide answers to these questions will give you the ability to shorten the list of finding a role that will suit you.
Practical steps to come closer to your decision:
- Examine your personal skills.
What are your key skills? Your Values? How do you use these skills in a work place? Can they easily adapt to a different work environment? Assure that you have plenty of up-to-date evidence of skills development, learning, and voluntary activities.
- Do your research.
Research before you job search. Do not trust on second-hand information about sectors, find out for yourself. Pick a couple of job applications and ask around until you get a chance to talk to people who actually do the role. That way you really know what the job is like and you learn to talk the language and knowledge that will get you an offer.
- Get your facts right.
When you get closer to conclusive idea on what your ideal job is, learn how to present what you are and what you do in short with focused statements. Be ready to recap your skills and know how fast and say how you can assist the organisation. Choose in advance what are the most important half dozen things on an employer shopping list and prepare appealing stories to match.
- Identify your goals.
Once your decision has been made, identify your long and short – term goals. Allowing yourself to do this will allow you to eventually work in your chosen area.
- Put together a career action plan
Putting together a ‘Career action plan’, a written document that lays out all the steps you will have to take to reach your goals. Write down all your short – and long-term goals and the steps you will have to take to reach each one. Contain any anticipated barriers that could get in the way of achieving your goals.
- Evade yes/no thinking.
When you previously heard about an interesting job, how fast did you find a reason to say ‘no’ to the idea? Discover the options carefully and don’t let setbacks put you off. Ask a good friend to test you when you’re tempted to trash your goals.
