Need an ideal profession, however, not certain how to get it? Here are some top tips to assist you with finding your dream work, and effectively figure out how to accomplish it.
There are two kinds of people when it comes to taking a decision about a career. Those who are interested in a profession from a young age and others who find it confusing to decide what path to choose.
The dilemma is understandable since the availability of various options can be overwhelming which may result in making a wrong choice. However, the bright side of having options to choose from is that there is an ideal job there for everyone. It's simply a question of identifying what is suitable for you and how to prepare for it.
In order to do so, it can be beneficial to take a methodical approach. Here’s a step-to-step guide to finding your ideal job.
The initial step of choosing a career is to comprehend your own abilities, interests, and aspirations for the sake of clarity. Understanding your own desires and abilities is a major advance towards choosing a career. One of doing so is by speaking to colleagues, friends, and others who know you in different capacities. They will actually want to give you bits of knowledge about yourself of which you may well not know. Try not to be hesitant to get some information about your shortcomings as well. You can use this advice to narrow down your options.
Consider how you like to function. Do you consider yourself a team player, or would you say you are an independent person? Do you need office work, or to work in the field? Do you need a profession in the public eye or in the background?
Remember to recognise your inclinations. Even if you don’t choose a career related to your interests, they will help you define yourself. For instance, if love to paint, you can identify yourself as an artist, a creative person. This way you can figure out what sort of jobs you’d enjoy. There is no point in taking up a job in which is not aligned with your interests as it may leave you feeling unfulfilled.
Remember that the whole idea of this exercise is, to be honest with yourself rather than trying to fit in where you don’t belong.
The subsequent step is to match the skillset and interests you have identified with the available career options. With the help of the above exercise, you will be able to shortlist potential career options. You can consider consulting others as they may see patterns you don’t.
Go through job listings on various portals and websites to see what sort of job openings match your profile. If it still seems confusing then take the help of different tools and methods designed to help candidates find the right job. Seeking the help of a career counsellor or recruitment agency is another good way of getting some clarity. A recruitment agency can provide you with a practical view of job hiring trends.
In case you find a gap between your skillset and a particular career that interests you, consider taking training courses to bridge this gap.
Now it’s time to prepare the pros and cons of career paths you have shortlisted. The best approach to do this is by speaking to professionals on online forums or social networking sites. It would be useful to conduct a SWOT analysis to compare the pros and cons of each prospective career path for you personally.
To do this, map out your relevant strengths and weaknesses which is by now is easy for you to do. Now let’s talk about opportunities and threats. Opportunities could be the scope of a particular career, or the connections you have and threats may include financial barriers to entry or a shortage of entry-level jobs. If the strengths and opportunities outweigh weaknesses and threats, then you might be on a winning career path. On the other hand, if the obstacles are insurmountable, then it might be best to choose something else. If you have become passionate about a certain job, however, do ask yourself if you could overcome said obstacles with dedication and patience. Certainly, part-time or online education options have made career training more accessible.
Now that you are certain about your career path, the last thing left to do is making a plan to achieve it. This means planning for both the short-term and long-term. Short-term goals include preparing a compelling resume, enrolling for a course, etc. These things will ultimately lead you to a realisation of long-term goals which includes getting your dream role in an organisation or qualifications required for a particular job.
Do keep in mind that there is a possibility of things not turning up the way you expected them to. So, always have backup options ready. As you move ahead in your professional space, you may develop new interests or be more aware of alternative options. Flexibility is therefore important to overcome the challenges.