We live in peculiar times when it comes to jobs. The market is going through tectonic shifts as old (mostly manual) work slowly becomes obsolete and new fields of expertise begin to crop up in the digital realm. Still, in spite of this shift, some jobs are simply irreplaceable. In order to understand your odds better in this fluctuating market, here are tips on how to choose the most suitable job for yourself.
Skill-love balance
In order to find the right job for yourself, you need to strike the right balance between what excites you and what you are good at. In a way, it’s about finding the best of all worlds. The worst thing that can happen to you is to feel a ton of bricks on your shoulders and a box of lead in your stomach as you get up in the morning to go to work. Still, doing what you like is not always a realistic option.
The problem with this is that people usually think about a very specific job – for example, being an astronaut or an actor. However, a much smarter strategy is to boil doing what you love down to skills – good at writing, good at math, enjoyment in organizing matters, etc. Then try to find the overlapping area between these skills and the things you want to do. It’s the best starting point you can hope for.
Do self-assessment
The next natural step is to use self-assessment tools to learn whether you are up for a career you have dreamed about. These tools usually take the form of what is typically known as career tests. By doing these tests, you will not only gather information about a variety of traits and limitations, you will also gain invaluable insight into your capabilities. While you can work with a career counselor or do a recommended test according to their advice, you can also browse the internet for a number of free tools and tests which are available to all online dwellers. Utilize the advantages of the digital age.
Are you a natural giver?
When it comes to the approach we take to the work we are doing, people can mostly be divided into two distinct categories – the natural givers and the natural producers. As you are considering your future career path and strategies, ask yourself this question: are you a natural giver? The answer can make a staggering difference and help you “funnel” your choices further. In this regard, we are talking about jobs for people that are typically called “big-hearted” – being a teacher, a veterinarian, somebody who works with kids or elders.
Of course, that’s not to say that all people that do these jobs are universally benevolent. In fact, when one sets out to find a carer with integrity and a genuine drive to help others, it can be like finding a needle in a haystack. This is why it is important to search your heart and see if you are somebody who can genuinely offer patience and care to others. Such individuals are always in demand and they hardly get out of work.
Work on your CV and motivational letters
Your CV (or Curriculum Vitae) is one of the most important ‘documents’ you will use when applying for a job. The appearance of this document should adhere to some formal rules, but it can also have some discreet and elegant stylistic distinctions depending on what sort of job you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a managerial position in an IT company, your CV will look the part if you use a non-adventurous sans-serif font, if everything is meticulously aligned and you don’t go with garish colors or details.
If you are applying for a creative job in a gaming company, you can use a striking yellow color (the color of creativity) for your headers and a nice serif font. Still, keep in mind that these are only examples, and each CV should be tailored to its particular occasion when it comes to the format. Its content should reflect the best out of your achievements.
When it comes to motivational letters, you should always have at least five of them prepared at your disposal, all for different occasions and with specific passages that are idiosyncratic to each letter. Writing these letters is actually more crucial to ‘finding’ the right job than you think. With each written letter, you will have to delve deep into yourself and find truthful motivation for work and you will have a much clearer vision of what is the most suitable job for you.
With countless options and so many confusingly connected career pathways, it can be hard to decide what the most befitting job is for you. The key matter is definitely to strike a balance between doing what you like and what you are good at. Your talents and capabilities play a major part in the latter aspect. Still, if you put enough work into it and adhere to certain tips on how to choose the most suitable career, you’ll be on your way to finding a job that will make you feel content.
