How To Choose The Right Career

Step 1: Your skills

If you're not sure what career you want, you might not be taking into account skills that you already have. Everybody is good at something, so try and brainstorm and write a list of as many of your qualities as you can. Think about factors like whether you prefer working alone or with others, and how these qualities can translate into a job.
Ask family and friends what they think you're good at, because you may have skills that you are not even aware of.
You could also try speaking to a careers adviser. They will help you assess your skills and personality and enable you to develop ideas about careers options you hadn't thought of

Step 2: Prioritise

Take the time to really consider and decide what your priorities are. Think about factors like your expected salary, the distance you want to travel and whether a job offers long-term security.
Also consider the likelihood of finding employment in your chosen area. Many people know deep down what their dream job would be, but deny it because they think it would be too difficult to achieve, or they're seeking approval from family or society. Decide whether you want to aim for a goal which may be risky and difficult to achieve, or choose a 'safer' option that offers more security.
And remember that there may be many related jobs in your area of interest. If you're passionate about, say, football, it may not be realistic to aim to be a professional footballer, but there are lots of other jobs in the sports industry which may be suitable.

Step 3: Looking for a job

Once you have an idea of what line of work you want to be in, it's important to do lots of research. Find out how active the jobs market is in that industry, and how the recruitment process usually works.
You may need some additional training or education before you can start work in your chosen field. Contact training bodies in your area and find out if there is any free or subsidised training available. Or you may have to gain some unpaid experience before you can start fully paid work. This can be done in the form of volunteering, internships and work experience.
When exploring your career options, talk to as many people as you can. Use your network of family and friends to gather information, and remember that networking is not something that's just done at stuffy business events.
For more ideas on how to search for jobs, watch some of VideoJug's other careers films. Good luck in your new career!