Career Finder. Gill Hasson

and study before you'd qualify and be able to earn a living. Certainly, that's true for some professions, but for so many other jobs and professions, there's often more than one path; apprenticeships, for example, allow you to earn while you learn. You can find out more about apprenticeships in Chapter 6.

What if you know what you'd like to do but you believe you can't do it because you're not clever enough/you're too old, it's too late? Perhaps you believe that what you'd really like to do won't pay enough or you'd have to move to a different part of the country? Or you might have physical or mental health difficulties or else you have caring responsibilities for family members and think that would exclude you from pursuing a particular career. Maybe you believe that the career that interests you might not offer much in the way of opportunities for career progress? The answer to all these concerns is to recognize that they are assumptions; beliefs for which you may not have any concrete evidence. Again – there's a wide range of advice and information available that can help you navigate your way to the work you'd like to do.

      Finally, what to do about the career advice and pressure from family and friends? Whether you told them you were planning on training to be a horse whisperer, a microbiologist or tarot card reader, a brain surgeon or a florist, there's always going to be someone who thinks you're doing it all wrong. Listen instead to Dave Grohl, the front man of the Foo Fighters, who said ‘No one is you and that is your power.’

      Steve Jobs, co‐founder of Apple, had some good advice too, he said: ‘Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.'

      The quest to do work you enjoy, that's right for you, is a process of discovery and experimentation. There are three key steps. You need to:

       Know more about yourself; what your values are – what's important to you, what your skills, strengths, and abilities are.

       Know what's out there; what jobs, professions, trades, and careers there are. (There are thousands!)

       Know what you can do to maximize your chances of getting the work or career that appeals to you. This doesn't mean knowing how to fill in a job application form, write a CV, or behave in an interview. There's plenty of information about CVs, application forms etc. online for you to read (see the websites on page 157). Rather, it's about knowing what opportunities you can pursue that will lead to the work and career you're interested in.

      Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.

      Zig Ziglar

      Most importantly, to find what you want to do or to work towards, to have enjoyable fulfilling work, you must be prepared to put time and effort into finding it. You'll need a positive approach – an open mind, to be flexible and willing to try new things. You'll need to manage difficulties and challenges and be solution‐focused.

      In a nutshell

       Career paths are far less predictable than they once were. There's been a huge shift from people relying on their employer for job security and career development, to people taking responsibility for their own career management and employability.

       Some people do spend their working life with one employer – in the same role or in different roles. Others change employers or change professions every few years. Other people set up their own business, work freelance, and are self‐employed. And some people have a portfolio of jobs, dividing their time and skills between two or more part‐time jobs, one or more of which may be self‐employed.

       In order to enjoy your work and to feel fulfilled, it needs to be meaningful, engage you, and provide a sense of purpose. What's meaningful and makes for career success is down to each of us as individuals: you must create your own definition of success and use this definition to guide you in your career choices.

       Whatever your circumstances, and whatever's happening in the world, you'll need a positive approach; to be flexible and able to adapt, open to new ways of thinking and doing. You'll need to be willing to acquire new knowledge and skills.

       There's a range of issues and difficulties – all valid – that can get in the way of getting yourself a brilliant, meaningful, purpose‐filled job, work, or career. Fortunately, those difficulties all come with solutions!

       The quest to do work that's right for you is a process of discovery and experimentation. You need to find out more about yourself and you'll need to research a number of jobs, professions, and careers. You must also take advantage of the opportunities that will maximize your chances of getting into the work or career that's right for you.