How to get a job when you don’t know where to start

Why not use a careers counsellor?

OK, I’m saying from the outset that I’m not a careers counsellor.

But in the work I do, I have spoken many people who’ve changed their career. And I’ve received hundreds of emails over the years from people who are confused, angry, uncertain or depressed. They don’t like their jobs. They’ve worked in them for years. The want to change. But they don’t have the first clue about where to start.

Sound like you? Sounds like everyone at some point in their life.

So how do you find a job when you don’t know where to start?

I would strongly recommend to start with career counselling.  In fact, I seriously believe that some decent career advice in school could save a whole heap of job-heartache down the track. Here’s what a career counsellor can help you identify:

– Your innate strengths

– Your preferred working style

– Your preferred work environments

– The way you like to be managed

– People whom you like working with

– Any barriers you have to achieving your goals

From there, you could look at industries or businesses that are growing, and study you may need to do. Part of that process could be talking to people who are employed in the areas you have identified as being of interest. Ask them how they got their first job, what study is recommended and what are the exciting and not so exciting bits about what they do.

The reason I say this is that many people who successfully change careers have started from seeing a counsellor and talking to others. They have gained a level of self awareness. This has helped them in the job hunt when they’ve been grilled by an interviewer asking them about their career change. They can say with conviction, I asked an expert, and this is why I know this new career is the right choice for me.

This site has a list of career counsellors in Australia.

When you choose a counsellor you might want to ask their experience, the journey they take you on, what you can expect at the end, and their experience in helping people in your area.

The last thing to think about, is that a change is often a journey not a leap. Rarely do you hear of people who’ve gone straight from being acrobats to astronauts. That’s much too much of a jump.

(Lame joke, I’m sorry)

Tagged as: careers