Finding your ideal job can make you happier, so you must find one that complements your personality and interests. Start by considering these aspects as you evaluate potential employment options.
Create a list of careers you like the sound of, both ones you know about and those for which little information exists.
What are my interests?
As it’s a significant part of your life, choosing a career you truly enjoy is critical to happiness. One way to discover which might suit you best is by looking at your interests and hobbies: for instance, if cooking is one of your passions, then perhaps becoming a chef might be an option, or perhaps event planning would suit you better.
Talk to those with established careers – such as parents, friends, and relatives. They can provide insight into their paths and share experiences from their various roles.
As tempting as it may be to select a career solely on its financial potential, this approach may not always be appropriate. Instead, consider other aspects, such as lifestyle impacts and priorities (like spending more time with loved ones or volunteering). If you need to help to pinpoint your interests, then CareerOneStop offers free online interest assessments; alternatively, volunteering or getting work experience could provide excellent ways of developing skills while exploring various career options.
What are my skills?
Are You Starting or Exploring Career Changes? An inventory of your skills can help guide your next steps, whether embarking on a new endeavor or making changes within an established profession. For instance, those interested in history might consider law studies; while those gifted in mathematics might look into becoming engineers. Many more career options also call on different forms of knowledge and abilities.
Your personality type could also factor in choosing work you enjoy; working in fast-paced environments with lots of people might not suit an introvert, while customer service roles might suit an extrovert. A career assessment tool like Myers-Briggs can give insight into yourself and show what jobs would suit you best.
Consider your lifestyle goals when making career choices, such as traveling frequently or starting a family. In such instances, selecting an employment offer with flexible holiday and childcare policies may be beneficial.
As part of your decision-making process, it’s wise to consider the salary offered by a particular career. But remember not to rely solely on this factor – salaries can differ widely between careers; when considering average and potential progression salaries instead.
What are my strengths?
Consideration of your skills will assist in finding a suitable career for yourself. While your hobbies and interests might not directly translate to any one job, the skills acquired throughout life will increase your odds of succeeding at any task assigned to you.
Attitude plays an integral part in selecting a career path. Suppose you wish to become a lawyer or doctor, for instance. In that case, dedication and long hours will likely require you, and potentially additional education or training to acquire the necessary credentials.
Answering “What are Your Strengths?” correctly during an interview can be tricky. Be wary of overselling yourself as this could give the impression that you are arrogant or self-centered; instead, focus on skills relevant to the job specification (if applying for a marketing position, say), such as saying you are an excellent writer,, but this won’t do much good!
If you need help assessing your strengths, ask friends and family what qualities they see in you or take an online skills assessment test. A careers adviser is also an invaluable source of impartial information regarding job options available in Northern Ireland and advice on how best to make them successful.
What are my weaknesses?
Making an important career choice is no small matter, and you should ensure all available avenues meet your requirements before settling on one. Be aware of any possible negative aspects associated with each career choice as well as positive ones – this may involve taking an online career test or meeting with a careers adviser at your school for advice.
Interviewers want to see honesty and an eagerness to improve. It is best to select weaknesses that won’t prevent you from succeeding in the role (for instance, being unable to follow instructions or having trouble communicating) while selecting something which can be addressed through training or experience.
If you are applying for a job that requires frequent interaction with managers, an ideal weakness could be that you find it hard to remain motivated in roles without structure or regular feedback from management. This will show interviewers that you are an adaptable and resilient candidate able to flex with different environments.
As part of your career planning strategy, it is also wise to have an alternative plan should your initial choice not pan out. This could involve looking into other sectors in which similar skills are in demand, speaking to a careers adviser at school, or using information available on Windo can assist in this preparation process.
What do I want to achieve?
When it comes to choosing a career, many factors must be taken into account. You want something you will enjoy, which allows you to maximize your potential; lifestyle factors (i.e., working alone vs. with people), hours, and monetary requirements will also come into play.
Once you’ve identified what careers interest you, it’s time to conduct research into them. A great place to begin is our careers hub, where you’ll discover various jobs across various sectors and take our career quiz or explore volunteering or work experience opportunities.
Consider also the advantages of working in the UK, such as its status as a financial center and home to world-leading multinationals like Microsoft and IBM. By joining one of these large organizations right from the beginning of your career path, you will gain invaluable experience that will give you an edge in any particular field of interest.
Working in the UK offers one additional advantage – all jobs come with 5.6 weeks of paid holiday leave – giving you time to explore and visit family and friends while also exploring more of Europe! You might even decide to travel overseas during your break!
What are my priorities?
Before choosing a career, you must assess what your priorities are. For some individuals, it may be essential that they find a work/life balance to spend quality time with family, while for others, it could mean having flexible hours or the option to work from home.
Considerations should include how much money you need or want to earn, what hours and days of the week would suit your schedule, any associated perks or benefits of the job, etc. It is also essential to carefully examine whether your chosen career requires specific educational or professional qualifications and whether you possess sufficient experience (if applicable) to fill the role successfully ( if needed).
Take your time when selecting a career to ensure one that best matches your skills, interests, and goals – but also remain realistic so you don’t chase after unattainable dreams. Remember, you can change careers later if need be! For additional assistance, consider making an appointment with your university careers service (though these might be scarce due to COVID-19). They can offer expert guidance regarding what you are considering doing as well as strategies on how you might achieve these.
