Within the world of work there are two fundamental protagonists. Those who want a job and those who want a career. Normally those who just want a job see working as a means to and end in itself. Their interests lie outside paid employment and just work to earn in order to pursue those interests. There are however several elements to deciding what career to embark on as defined below.
1 Follow the money.
Many individuals, after school ,will be looking for wealth and security. For security a candidate needs to join an organisation that has a structure of promotion. The bigger the organisation the more secure the applicants will feel. The public sector offers many opportunities in this field . If their goal is money then self employment or sales are probably the best.
2 Follow your passion.
This individual would consider doing the job for nothing because they have so much interest in the topic. Creative professions like the arts theatre and music appeal to those who love what they do and their daily activities is as important as the salary.
3 Follow your gifts.
Usually you are gifted in areas that you are interested in but not always. Some people will be very good at something and are not interested in putting effort into their work. A job that provides easy money with little effort will be suited to these personalities.
4 Desire for status.
Status is best represented in the professions like law ,medicine , finance , engineering etc. This is often a generational trait as parents throughout the world feel status when their children join a recognised profession.
5 Desire to be different.
Some school leavers desperately want to stand out and will search for uniqueness often through social media. They do not like authority and want to do their own thing. Self employment offers opportunities for being different but they will take time to find the difference that pays them a living.
6 Desire for adventure
People who get high on adrenaline need employment that satisfies this need. Joining the military or one of the civilian forces is a common appeal as is working in emergency relief or medicine. Adrenaline junkies are partly driven by status but are more motivated by excitement. They find the humdrum of daily living boring and if they can’t find excitement in their work will search for it in their leisure activity.
7 Desire to belong and integrate.
These are people who like to work in teams and crave authority and fellowship. They don’t want to make decisions on their own. They love meetings and training as they are collective activities. They see social interaction, personalities and corporate politics as important as the service or product being provided.
If you can’t decide what to do after full time education try writing out these seven options. Then try to put them in order of importance the most important at the top. You might find that your ideal employment will jump out of the page giving the ideal career for you.
Peter Bull ( Author of the GET INTOUCH SERIES)