Finding a job isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t know what you want to do. While some people have a clear vision from an early age, many reach adulthood unsure of which steps to take next. If you’re looking for your first job, you’re choosing courses to study or programs to complete, or considering a change of focus or field, here are some top tips to find the right career path for you.
Consider your interests and passions
We’re all familiar with the saying, ‘You won’t work a day in your life if you love your job.’ While this may not be true 100% of the time, there’s a lot to be said for choosing a career that complements your interests and passions. Think carefully about your hobbies, the subjects and classes you enjoyed at school or college and the areas in your professional life that motivate and excite you most. Focusing on your interests can help you find a job that will not only give you enjoyment and satisfaction but also increase engagement and encourage progression and development.
When you’re exploring your interests, you may need to think outside the box. There may not be a natural or obvious link until you delve deeper. If you’re passionate about sports, for example, you might not think a career in sports is a viable option if you don’t have the necessary practical skills and talents. This is not true. There are many careers linked to sports and active lifestyles. From instructing and personal training to sports journalism, photography and broadcasting, there are multiple avenues to consider.
Outline your strengths
We all have strengths and weaknesses. When you look for jobs or think about your future career options, always concentrate on your strengths and what you can do. Perhaps you’re brilliant at creative activities, you have a very logical mind or you’re excellent with your hands, for example. We tend to devote all our attention to academic prowess and grades, but not all jobs require top scores or a faultless academic record. In addition, many people don’t want to go down the route of studying or doing a desk job that involves tasks such as problem-solving, analyzing data or drawing upon theories and academic learning. Outline your capabilities and look for positions that will allow you to showcase and use your skills to benefit others.
Think about your experience and qualifications
There are some roles that require specific professional experience or qualifications. If you’re interested in these types of careers, it’s important to make sure you understand what you need to do. You may find that you already have the necessary qualifications or you may need to study or complete work experience, an internship or get an entry-level job, for example. If you don’t have the relevant qualifications, this doesn’t always mean that you have to throw the towel in. There may be ways around changing your career dreams. If you want to be a doctor, for example, but you don’t have the grades, explore other opportunities in medicine and healthcare. You may find that research opportunities appeal or that you have the grades or certificates needed to apply for different healthcare jobs.
Research career opportunities
Most of us grow up with a relatively limited spectrum of jobs in mind. When you’re a child, you often read books and watch TV shows and movies that feature people with job titles, such as doctors, nurses, teachers, emergency service workers, plumbers, builders and hairdressers. These are great jobs, but they represent a tiny portion of what’s available in the real world. It’s helpful to research careers, find out more about different sectors and roles and see what people do in an average working week. Ask questions, read interviews and career profiles and use online resources. It’s also helpful to shadow people and spend time in different professional settings and environments.
Make use of specialist career and job websites
The Internet has revolutionized the way we search and apply for jobs. It has never been easier to find suitable vacancies and apply for roles. One of the best ways to find the job you want or explore opportunities that match your skill set, qualifications, strengths and interests is to make use of specialist websites. From working as a teacher, a nurse or an educator to a boiler operator, a field engineer or a pilot, you can access targeted, tailored adverts via specialist recruiters and job websites. Focusing on specialist sites can help you save time and effort finding suitable roles. In many cases, you can also upload your resume, sign up for alerts and apply for jobs online.
List your priorities
If somebody asked you what was most important to you when choosing a career, what would you say? Studies show changing attitudes in recent years. Although salary and job security remain important, there’s been an increase in the number of jobseekers prioritizing work-life balance, health and well-being and flexibility. It’s wise to go into a job search with a clear idea of your priorities. What are you looking for in a job and what do you want to get out of your career? Are you desperate to climb the ladder and earn a significant amount of money? Are you searching for a job you love? Do you want more freedom and flexibility? Is job satisfaction the most important thing for you? Are you on the hunt for a job that will be less stressful than your current role?
Once you know what your priorities are, you can use this information to tailor your search and narrow your options. You may find that you change jobs or explore different avenues within the same industry. You may swap conventional employment for freelancing, for example, or consider part-time or remote working instead of a full-time or office-based position. Be open-minded and weigh up the pros and cons of different options.
Think outside the conventional working model box
In recent years, there’s been a significant shift away from conventional working models. More people are working from home, freelancing has become more common, more people are traveling for work or pursuing remote opportunities and there have been record numbers of new business applications. If the standard 9-5 job doesn’t check the boxes or work for you, be open to new ideas.
Examples include remote working, getting a job in a different location, setting up your own business and going freelance. Draw up a plan that works for you based on your priorities and goals. If you crave flexibility, more control or creative freedom, for example, why not launch your own business or embrace the freelance working model? You can set your own rates, choose your clients and projects and manage your schedule. Being your own boss can also help you maximize your income and enjoy a better work-life balance.
Try different jobs
Most people don’t know what job they want when they apply for college courses or their first job. Often, we learn from professional experiences. Both positive and negative experiences can shape our future plans. You might find that your ambitions or goals change after doing a certain job or that the career you thought you wanted isn’t actually a good match for you. Alternatively, something that was never on your radar may turn out to be your dream job. It’s advisable to try different jobs, explore opportunities to shadow others or gain experience and get a sense of varied fields, positions and environments. It’s very hard to understand what a role entails from a written profile, a magazine advert or an online job description. When you do a job, even if it’s just a day’s unpaid experience, you get a sense of what it’s like to be in that world.
Learn more about yourself
One of the reasons why it’s hard to choose a career path is that we often don’t know ourselves as well as we think. Many of us struggle to answer questions about our character traits, strengths and weaknesses and we find it hard to talk about our personalities or pinpoint our USPs. Learning more about yourself is an effective way to understand your capabilities and traits, zone in on your interests and outline what makes you tick. This is hugely beneficial when exploring career choices, thinking about what you’d be good at and deciding how you want to spend your working hours. Personality tests can give you valuable information. Look for tried-and-tested evaluations and assessments. You can take specific career-focused tests to help you identify suitable roles and give you insights into how your personality could help you excel in different jobs.
Finding a job isn’t easy, especially if you’re unsure which path you want to follow. If you’re looking for a job or considering a change of career, these steps will help you narrow your options and explore opportunities that align with your goals. Key areas to focus on include considering your interests, strengths and weaknesses, passions and qualifications, researching different careers and roles and using specialist websites and recruiters. It’s also beneficial to outline your priorities, think outside the box and try different jobs.