Читать книгу Cool Careers - Carolyn Boyes - Страница 17

People with cool careers are unconventional. They blaze their own trail in life. They decide what they really want and they choose a career that is likely to give it to them.

Expect to have a different life from the majority of people that you know. Perhaps you will travel more, meet more eccentric people, work different hours, but you should also have far more fun than everyone else you know. If what you do also makes for good conversation, even better.

To begin to decide on your own cool career, you will have to become your own career detective.

Five steps to decide who you are and what you want

1. Look at your interests. What do you enjoy doing?

 Are there any particular activities or subjects that keep your interest? These might be a hobby rather than a work interest at present.

 Do you have a real passion for any area of life? Forget at the moment whether or not you have any training in relation to the area. Simply think about what you enjoy doing. Here are some examples: the environment, playing computer games, cars and mechanical objects, influencing people, travel, science, helping others, directing and leading, changing the world, doing something personal and meaningful, collecting data or objects, writing or artistic pursuits.

 When you think about what you really love, what career direction does that start to point you towards?

2. Get to know yourself. Take a long, hard look at your personality. Be honest with yourself. Your work is going to take up a huge part of your life. There is no point pretending to be someone you are not.

 Are you a completer/finisher who always delivers tasks on time? Or perhaps you are much more a big picture, philosopher type who is great at ideas and strategic thinking.

 Maybe you are a moody, artistic type who is wonderful at living in your imagination? Ask your friends for their opinion if you are not sure.

 Psychometric profiling tools, such as MBTI (Myers-BriggsType Indicator), or specific career profiling tools, such as the Holland typing systems, are very effective for revealing your character traits. You may have to pay a career counsellor to help you but it could be worth it. If you are short of cash, there is a lot of information online if you search under the tools’ names.

 Choose a job that suits what you are naturally good at rather than trying to change yourself to suit the job. Changing yourself will neither make you rich nor happy. Doing a job that suits your personality, on the other hand, will.

3. Look at your current skills. How many steps are you away from your ideal career right now?

 What skills would you need to learn or train in to make your ideal career a reality?

 What would it take for you to learn these skills?

 Is it physically possible for you to learn them? For example, if you are already 70, it’s probably too late for you to be a Premiership footballer, but you might still be able to create yourself a career to do with football.

4. Decide what’s important. What is really important to you in your career?

 Is it money? Status? Flexible hours? Security and a nine-to-five routine? Regular promotions? Adventure and excitement?

 Perhaps you want to be your own boss?

 Maybe you need company, or would you prefer to be by yourself most of the time?

 Is location is a key factor?

 Do you want to work in an office, or outside?

 Would you like to dress up for work and look glamorous, or never have to put on a suit or smart dress?

5. Look around at what other people do. Other people’s jobs and career paths can be the inspiration that you need to think about your own career choices. Unconventional careers are comparatively rare so it is important to keep your eyes peeled.

 Who is currently doing the job you really want to do?

 Who is doing a job in an industry or area that you would really like to work in?

 How did they get that job?