How to identify your ideal job theme

One of the most common dilemmas graduates have is not knowing which career path to take once they complete their degree. Many decide to continue their studies by doing a postgraduate course in the hope that they will suddenly have that light bulb moment. This can be a very costly error.

When working with individual clients I encourage them, amongst other things, to think about what they want their work to be about. All jobs can be categorised into themes, based on what you are doing within that role.

Take a look at these themes below:

• Your ideal work is mainly about working with people, with their wellbeing and development as the main focus of your work – Example jobs: Teacher, Life coach, Therapist, Nurse, Learning and Development, Career coach.

• Your ideal work is mainly about researching or managing information. This will include analysis, cataloguing and database management, but may include investigating topics in depth, IT, science, maths, quality control, systems and regulations – Example jobs: Accountant, Scientific researcher, Investigative journalist, Legal assistant, Book-keeper, Health and safety officer, Purchasing professionals

• Your ideal work is mainly about engaging with the physical world, for example building, cooking, craft, DIY, working with animals, plants and machines, sports and hands-on therapy – Example jobs: Sports coach, Physiotherapist, Engineer, LGV Driver, Builder, Mechanic, Veterinary Nurse

• Your ideal work is mainly about persuading other people to do something, buy something or believe in your cause. This includes driving others, influencing, persuading, lobbying, motivating and selling – Example jobs: Sales person, Recruiter, Fundraiser, Event manager, Estate agent, Public speaker

• Your ideal work is mainly about working imaginatively with ideas or designs. This includes jobs in the arts, performing, creative writing, and also visual design, lateral thinking, business creativity, adapting or coming up with new ideas, working in situations where no rulebook exists – Example jobs: Graphic Designer, Training Consultant, Wedding Planner, Public Relations

• Your ideal work is mainly about achieving things with and through other people. This may involve organisational change, planning, managing projects, leadership, creating a new business, shaping teams, getting results – Example jobs: Project Manager, Team Leader, Operations Manager, Sales Manager, Business Developer.

Choose three themes, try to put them together into a couple of sentences and read it out loud. How does it sound?

If it resembles something that you could possibly say to a recruiter then that’s a key stage in becoming clear about the type of work you want to be doing, even if you don’t know what sector you want to work in at this stage. It could also give a recruiter something to work with.

Mark is a qualified Career Coach who for for over a decade has been helping individuals through career transitions. For further information about the other stages you need to go through to find fulfilling work for you, contact mark@kickstartcareers.co.uk or visit http://www.kickstartcareers.co.uk