It is essential that you focus on what career is best for your needs and lifestyle.
Many people choose their field incorrectly and then wonder why they are bored, tired, or dispassionate about what they do.
Instead of taking a chance on the wrong path, you can consider a variety of careers and how they might work for you.
This course gives you an overview of the types of careers you can consider, as well as how to choose the right career and education you’ll need.
Our first module talks about the types of careers available and initial steps to choosing a career.
Careers Available
This course cannot possibly list every career, but it can give you an overview of the various industries in which you could work.
Career sectors have many occupations within the sector that have something in common, such as economic roles and types of work.
Sectors can include:
When you initially look at the list, you realise that it isn’t very long, but within those seven sectors, you have nearly endless possibilities.
For example, in agriculture, animals and food, you have farming, horticulture, veterinary science, fishing and the food/beverage industry, which can include serving and preparing food, as well as producing and distributing food.
In the science, construction and engineering sector, you’ve got computers (manufacturer, support, sales), pharmaceutical science, construction and architecture, biomedical technologies, environment and earth, engineering and manufacturing, mathematics, space science and physics.
In the medical and wellbeing sector, you have medical and healthcare, which can include becoming a nurse or doctor, as well as working anywhere within the healthcare system. You could be a janitor that cleans up the hospital or be an administrative assistant that works at a medical centre.
For the creative arts and fashion sector, you can produce art and design things, work in any area of fashion (beauty care, personal hygiene, hairdressing, beauty therapy, fashion design), publishing and media (television, internet, film, newspaper, radio), music or performing arts (music and entertainment or production in these areas).
In the government, law and education sector, you can work in the community or be a volunteer, educate others (teach any age or be involved with developing courses) and government (work for the government in any capacity).
For the accountancy and finance sector, you can help prepare taxes or become an accountant, work in the banking industry, or work in the insurance sector to sell insurance to individuals and companies.
The business and sales sector includes advertising and marketing (create advertisements, manage campaigns for marketing), business management and HR (make sure the company with which you work runs smoothly), clerical and administration, sales and purchasing, transportation and logistics (help with infrastructure, transport goods or people) and hospitality (work in hotels, bars, restaurants and promote your community in the best light).
What Do You Want to Do?
Now that you’re more aware of what careers are available, it’s time to think about what you want to do and why.
It can be helpful to consider your strengths and weaknesses and how they might play into the career.
For example, if you enjoy helping people, you can find a variety of careers that focus on helping people in various capacities.
Doctors and nurses help sick people, clerical staff direct people to the right place to go or ensure paperwork is completed correctly and hospitality workers ensure that people get piping hot food, have a comfortable place to sleep while travelling and have delicious beverages to help them unwind.
However, those who may be shy around people might not find working in fashion or advertising a great career move.
You have to be bold to work in these careers and you have to be forceful.
While you can learn the skills you need to do these things, you may want to consider other alternatives.
Skills You Possess
You can learn almost any skill, so you shouldn’t focus too much on what you don’t have or can’t do right now.
However, the current skill set you possess can help you choose a career, as well.
If you have no legal experience and aren’t passionate about the law, you might not make a good lawyer or paralegal.
If you are highly creative, you may do well as an artist, marketer, or advertiser.
Make a list of all the skills you currently have and then determine how they would fit in a variety of career sectors.
Skills can include:
These skills are what employers desire most, so if you already have them, you are well on your way.
If not, these can be added to the list of things you want to learn.
Your Weaknesses
While it’s tough to talk about the things you aren’t good at, it’s essential that you also make a list of weaknesses to help you determine what you might need to learn or polish before deciding on a career path.
For example, if you don’t play well with others, you’re not going to be considered a team player.
Most employers want people who can work by themselves sometimes and work on a team most of the time.
Therefore, you may need to brush up on your communication skills and learn what it takes to be a team player.
Along with such, employers want people who are willing to try – if you dislike stepping out of your comfort zone, you may need to learn how to do so.
For example, if you don’t like to engage with new people or talk to them, it might be hard to become a salesperson.
While you can learn how to communicate, you may find that the job always makes you uncomfortable.
You can choose to push through, or consider a different career path altogether.
In module 2, we discuss how to choose your career path.
Careers Available
Sectors can include:
- Agriculture/food/animals
- Science/construction/engineering
- Medical/wellbeing
- Creative arts/media/fashion
- Government/education/law
- Accountancy/insurance/finance
- Business/tourism/sales
What Do You Want to Do?
Skills You Possess
Skills can include:
- Communication
- Initiative
- Teamwork
- Flexibility
- Organisation
- Interpersonal
- Project management
Your Weaknesses
Text: In module 2, we discuss how to choose your career path
