Careers

Matching the Career Descriptions

Finding a new job can be a difficult task? What are you good at? Where do you start looking? This article will give you adviceon how to start looking for a new job or career and how to make sure you are successful in getting that new job!

Before Starting to Job Hunt

Before you start job hunting it is good to ask yourself a number of questions to help you target the exact career or job for you. The sections below will help you brainstorm and nail down exactly what you want. You should bear in mind that you are trying to match the employers career description that they have in mind.

Why do I want to leave my current job?

This is the best question to ask your self when you start to look for a new job - why do I want to leave my current job. Is it for more money? Career progression? Unhappy with the industry you are working in? Change of location? Dont like your career descriptions? The list is endless. By knowing exactly why you want to leave will help you narrow down the possible career opportunities and therefore help you be focussed in your search.

  1.  What jobs am I good at?
  2.  Skills Employers want?
  3.  What is important to me?
  4.  Other key questions to help you

What Jobs am I Good at? Back to top


Identify your strengths and weaknesses to ensure that you are in the right role or are applying to the right role. It is also important to align what you are good at with what you enjoy - if you are good at public speaking but absolutely hate it, there is no point applying for a role as a company spokesperson. Check out some real career descriptions in job adverts to get an idea of the topics that employers are concerned about

Important Job / CV Skills Back to top

It is also important to assess your skills to see where your weaknesses lie. The skills below are all desirable from employers. Under each heading, try and list examples of when you have shown these skills. This will show where you are particularly strong and if there are any weaknesses, you may want to improve your experience in your current job. Try to match up examples of the job skills your identify with any career descriptions you may have.

Career descriptions Back to top

Here are some pointers to think about - how important are all of these things to you? Prioritise them and then you can see what type of job you are looking for, this will help you when you come to look at career descriptions. If money not that important and finding a meaningful job is a high priority you may want to look for a role in the charity sector for example.

Other Job and CV Questions? Back to top

Answer all of these questions and build up a profile of who you are and what sort of thing you think you will be good at - using this profile you will be able to start researching jobs and seeing what type of role you would be suited to.

Do you want to……

It is also good to look around you at your social group

Which of my friends enjoy their jobs ?
What makes you envious of other people's jobs? Is it money, challenge, status?
Who has the best job in your current place of work? Why

If you could work any where in your company where would it be? Why?
Now you have built up your personal profile, you will be able to start researching what job interview opportunities are out there.

By Hazel Culley

 

Please feel free to leave a comment about this page

Was this page useful? Do you have something to add? Do you disagree?

If your comments meet our guidelines then we will publish them (you do not need to register!)

Or why not tell a friend and email this page to someone