Finding a new career is never easy. If you’ve been fortunate enough to know what you wanted to do since an early age, you are definitely one of the lucky ones.
However for most, it can be a long process of trawling websites and other resources to get an idea of what you might like and what you would be good at. And even after all of that you still may not be any more clear.
In this article, we take a look at some of the fundamentals of conducting your research and point you in the direction of some incredible value tools and sites to help you kickstart your transition into a new career.
Start with understanding yourself
To maximise the effectiveness of your research, begin by understanding yourself.
There are free personality tools which can be a great starting point to help you learn more about what you may enjoy.
16Personalities offers a free test which outlines your personality type, your strengths and weaknesses, but also career paths that would suit you. Take the test now.
FutureProof can then help you narrow down your options by discussing this with specialist members of the team, and we can set up further profiling to help refine your search further.
How to research career opportunities
With a clear understanding of your personality and a refined list of potential ideal careers, you can set to work researching your possible career options.
Here are some ideal starting points for you:
The National Careers Service
Providing in-depth careers advice, job profiles and a wealth of information and resources, The National Careers Service is a great starting point.
The site is packed with resources – including a skills assessment – and a vast array of job profiles and relevant advice about other options such as training.
Prospects
Another excellent website for a range of job profiles as well as guidance on writing CVs, Prospects should absolutely be a destination in your research efforts.
It is primarily directed more to graduates, however for those with a degree, it can provide you with some excellent advice for postgraduate study options.
i-Could
Explore real-life career videos by job type or subject and access a world of career ideas and information for your future at i-Could.
Recognising your transferable skills
With narrowed career options and a wealth of research behind you, now is the time to explore the skills required for your chosen areas.
Your sporting background will undoubtedly have exposed you to environments where you acquired some if not all of the required skills.
Write down examples and any achievements as a result of them.
Skills shortfall
In some instances, you may need to retrain in order to achieve your career goals. If you’re preparing for retirement in the future, then you may choose to complete online courses or degrees.
FutureSmart
FutureSmart is uniquely placed to help you with training guides and potential educational options within their programmes. The National Careers Service also provides guidance on courses and apprenticeships.
Higher Education
Most major further and higher educational institutions can also provide guidance on courses if you contact the admissions departments
Online Study
There are a huge variety of courses available from a host of different providers. Speak to FutureProof about your chosen courses to ensure they are a good fit for you and your goals. For IT and computer programming skills, Pluralsight provides a wide range of courses.
Speak to a mentor
If you’re still struggling with where to begin and want to talk to an expert, then get in touch with us here at FutureProof and we will be happy to help.
