What Job is Right For Me? How to Get the Skills You Need

 Answering the question "What job is right for me?" doesn't mean you will be able to just walk out there into the job market and get it. You have to make sure you have the right skills. So what can you do to make sure you will be able to get the right job?

Step #1

First of all, you need to look at the job in close detail, so that you can understand exactly what is involved. This is a crucial step in deciding if the job is, in fact, really right for you. When you know what is involved, you'll get a much clearer picture of the skills needed and how much additional training you need if you are to succeed in getting the job.

To get a more detailed picture of the job, you can do a number of things. You can search online for any information on the job - accounts by people already in the job, job descriptions and specialist websites which give you all the details. One of the best ways to find detailed information is to go to the relevant government website for your country. Simply search for "job profile"s plus the name of the country and the site should be listed on the first page.

Step #2

From the information you have found, list all the skills and qualifications you will need to get the job. Be as specific as you can, for example, don't just write "computer literate", try to find out which programmes you will need to be familiar with and the level of expertise required.

Step #3

Now you need to create a plan which will be able to get you the skills you need. Try asking the following questions:

Is it possible to get the skills on the job? If so: Which companies train people at my level?

Is there an apprenticeship I could apply for?

Or is there a degree course which includes practical experience? These are sometimes known as sandwich courses, with an extra year of work experience or language study sandwiched in between two or three years spent at university WhatJobs.

Talking to people who are already doing the job is one of the best ways to find out about many aspects of a particular job. You can ask questions to help you work out if you would enjoy the type of work and you can also ask about skills and training. You can find out if companies are likely to pay for training and also which courses and colleges are best.