“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
Coming from none other than the great Steve Jobs, what better advice to inspire our career choices. Seems that deciding on a career entails a degree of emotional involvement. On the other hand, should the process of 'searching and identifying which career path is best for us' be more rational? For most, before deciding on which career we are happiest saying yes to, we need to ensure that we have evaluated all possible career options methodically.
Here are some career advice questions we've put together at Ceek. Answering them will serve to guide you while navigating the career labyrinth in search of what's best for you...
a) Job or career?
This is important. The same role can be a job for one person, and a career for another. It’s their respective mindsets that make the difference. For the former, it's a grind that pays a salary at the end of the month, whereas for the latter it's the first scale of the ladder of professional growth. If you simply need to earn an income to support yourself and perhaps your family, then a job will help you achieve this goal. However, if you are building a career, then remember to pursue roles with the bigger picture in mind.
b) Which qualities make a job ‘happy’ for me?
While some seek a high salary, title, or prestige, others are happier working in a job that earns them respect and the satisfaction of being of service to others. Increasingly, jobseekers are on the lookout for careers where hard work is recognised and pays off. At the same time, they need to feel that their work is contributing to make the world a better place.
c) What are my passions?
This is where you sit down and build a list of what you love doing. If you’re a student, what you love doing is going to guide your studies. If you’re already working, you need to ask yourself if you like what you’re doing enough to start loving it in the future.
If not, don’t worry. Having a job is better than being jobless. Some jobs help us understand better what it is that we don’t like and spur us into pursuing what it is that we can be passionate about. Take people who graduate and start working in a particular field, only to abandon it for their love in the creative arts for instance.
d) What do I bring to the table?
This is where you make an objective assessment of your skills and personality. As you engage in self-reflection, you will be able to narrow down career options and take decisions.
A professionally developed career assessment can help you achieve this. In the process, you can also identify any necessary training that you need to undertake to follow your chosen career path.
e) Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
- How long is it going to take to make it to your chosen career?
- Will there be openings for such a career in the future?
Think long-term here... In your personal life, do you plan to become a home property owner, travel, have a family? Some of the jobs you're considering might not pay enough, not be flexible enough, or they might not fit in with your desired lifestyle. It's important to imagine the future you wish to create but also remain grounded.
Answering the above questions should see you start with a long list narrowed down to a few possible career options. Next step? You know your destination. Time to start the journey...
Search with us at Ceek! We have a wide variety of sectors that are always expanding. Register with us today for job opportunities in Malta...