Blog: How to Find Your Dream Career

‘What do you want to be when you grow up’ is a question we’re all asked as youngsters. Do you remember what job you dreamed of pursuing when you were a child: a Dragon Trainer, a Unicorn Cuddler, a Shark Swimming Instructor?

While you’ve probably realised those vocations aren’t quite within reach, you might not yet have settled on a more realistic dream career path.

Different industries and job roles are vast and far-ranging, so for the undecided among us, it can be tricky knowing where to start. If that’s you, fear not – we’ve pulled together a handy step-by-step guide to get you started.

Take some time for self-assessment

To succeed and be happy working in any industry, it’s helpful to choose something you’re well-suited to. Setting aside time to think about your own personal profile can be useful as a starting point too so you can then search for industries and roles that you’re compatible with.

Consider making a list of your interests, passions and hobbies, what areas you would like to develop and if you’re currently studying, which subjects you enjoy and excel in; which you dislike?

As part of this self-assessment think about your personality type: are you an extrovert or introvert? Do you like being in charge and are good at getting the best out of people? Do you love being around people and working in teams, or prefer your own company and figuring out problems on your own. Completing a personality test can be helpful in finding out what your personality type is and what your natural strengths are.

Identify your top ‘must-haves’

Once you’ve figured out a bit more about who you are, then it’s time to consider what you want to get most from your career or job role.

These could be very specific things such as working with food, animals or people, or more broad such as wanting a job that offers variety, to make an impact in some way or to work in a physically demanding role.

Of course, money is often an important factor for anyone entering the world of work, but exactly how important it is to you is worth thinking about. Certain industries are more lucrative than others; would you be happy being comfortable enough or would you like to live a lavish lifestyle?

List down your top three ‘must haves’ plus some ‘nice to haves’ to help identify what’s important to you for your future career.

Find your fit

Now you’ve got your handy list you can start researching different industries.

Naturally, the internet will likely be your first port of call when it comes to researching but don’t be afraid to talk to people who work in the industries you’re interested in too as they’ll be able to provide real-life insight and advice that the internet can’t.

It’s easy to get lost down a rabbit hole when it comes to research, so here are some specific things you might want to consider…

Is an industry on the up? Following the pandemic, certain sectors are set to boom such as video games, cybersecurity, entertainment services and gardening. An increase in demand for a certain product or service often means more job opportunities as a result – so planning ahead and looking at sectors that are set to grow over the coming years is a good way to help increase your chances of securing employment.

If you have an idea where you’d like to settle down, see if there are any industries that are set to grow in that particular region. In Rotherham and the Sheffield City Region greener technologies and sustainability, the health and care sector and skilled trades including construction are all set to grow.

For many people who are trying to figure out what career they want, searching for jobs might not be the most obvious solution, but taking a look at job specifications of roles you’re interested in can give you a good idea of what the job would involve, who the job suits and what an average day might look like. If you find a role you could see yourself enjoying, make a note of what qualifications and experience are needed – it will help you create a clear action plan of how to secure your dream job.

Searching for your perfect career isn’t easy and can take time, but if you need a helping hand our friendly team are happy to discuss your options and can help guide you on the best course to study to fulfil your ambitions.

Explore our website for further inspiration or call us on 01709 362111.