Choosing a career: the basics
Thursday 1 January 2004
Some people instinctively know which career they want to go into. For many the decision isn't always so simple.
When deciding which career you want to take up, it's important to take the time to think about what appeals to you, and decide which jobs fit in with your talents and strengths.
Given that you might be working in a career for a long period of time, try to think what career would keep you stimulated and interested in the long term.
Your career path
Once you've got a rough idea of what you might want to do, you'll need to find out what you need to do to get your dream role. It could be that you decide to go for a career which you have no training for, so you'll need to do a bit of research.
Important things to consider are:
- What qualifications and skills do you need?
- How can you gain them?
- What are the rewards of the job?
- What are the downsides of the job?
- In what ways are you suited to this career?
The web is absolutely packed with sites that can help you do your research. A good start would be to visit the Government's Work Train site, which has lots of career profiles and advice.
Another good web site for career profiles is Jobs4U, which can be found on the Connexions Direct web site. As well as telling you what qualifications you'll need, this service will give you a list of honest pros and cons of the job. For those more motivated by wages rather than job satisfaction, it'll also tell you how much you can expect to earn in a certain role.
Your Curriculum Vitae
No matter what career path you decide to take, it's highly likely that you'll need a Curriculum Vitae, otherwise known as a CV. This is a document that tells employers about your qualifications, employment history and personal skills.
When sending a CV to a potential employer, it's important to make sure you stand out from the crowd. To do this, people normally write up a covering letter which gives you the opportunity to talk about how the experience shown on your CV meets the needs of the employer.
For both your covering letter and CV, it's important to create a clear and striking document that demonstrates your skills and talents. Even if prior experience doesn't seem relevant to the company you are writing to, the position itself may require similar abilities.
Application forms
Sometimes employers ask applicants to fill out a Standard Application Form (SAF). These forms ask applicants to fill in details of education, past experience and relevant skills for the job.
It is commonplace to be asked to write in black ink and, in some case use capital letters only. If you're sent an application form, perhaps try practicing what you plan to write on a separate piece of paper. That way, you be clear about what you're going to write on the one and only copy of the application form.
When filling out a form, it's important to:
- Read the instructions carefully
- Consider your response to these instructions before writing
- Complete each section clearly, correctly and concisely
To learn more about writing a covering letter and CV or application forms, click on our list of recommended links.
