Best Career Choices

How to Find a job in an Uncertain Market

Making good career choices can be difficult at any age. The majority of countries in the developing world have seen a dramatic change in the job market in the last 20 years. Although predications of the death of the job are a little exaggerated, very few people can expect to be in the same job or even working for the same company ten years after starting work, never mind being there until retirement. And if you add in the uncertainty of today's economy, things seem even more insecure.

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Bearing this in mind, how should you go about looking for a job? Is it better to look for a position in the fastest growing market sector or is it advisable to look for something you know you will enjoy? There are a few steps you can take in order to protect yourself and feel a little more secure about your future income.

First of all, become an expert in your field. Whichever area you are currently involved in, be sure to keep up to date with new developments. With the speed at which technology is developing, no-one, irrespective of their career, can afford to stand still. So you must become a specialist. This doesn't mean that you have to understand every single area of your field. You can focus on one aspect of your career where expertise is in demand. Think about potential employers and the skills they are looking for and consider how this fits your own areas of knowledge. However, given the rate at which things are changing in the economy, it is a good idea to have the ability to work in more than one career.

So take a close look at your transferable skills, and identify the ones which can be used in a number of different jobs or careers. Look at the marketplace - what is in demand right now? Consider soft skills, such as communication skills, which are needed in all jobs, yet are top of the list of skills in which candidates are lacking! Think about developing existing skills to a higher level and acquiring additional skills which would ease your transition to a different post, should your present job become redundant. Further skills also open up the possibility of establishing yourself as a portfolio worker. The second step is therefore: invest some time and money in training.

Thirdly, keep an eye on trends. In a society where people change careers on average 7 times, trends become a lot more important than they were for previous generations. And of course, new careers are opening up all the time. Not many jobs do not require the ability to use a computer and there are many jobs in existence today which had not been dreamt of 10 or 20 years ago. If you are aware of the need for continuous training and education and constantly learning new things, you will increase your chances in the labour market.

Finally, but by no means the least important aspect of your choice is your own enjoyment. How important is it to feel passionate about your choice of career? For some people it's the most important factor, yet many believe it's not realistic. However, many people have a higher list of requirements when it comes to deciding on a second career, often the result of having been dissatisfied with the first one.

What sort of work style do you prefer? Are you a high achiever? Do you enjoy the thrill of taking risks or do you value financial security above excitement? Do you enjoy using leadership qualities or working as part of a team?
It's important to achieve a balance between tasks which enrich your experience of work and factors which are important for your comfort. Stepping out of your comfort zone to some extent is a good thing, but step too far out and you could be out of your depth and this could cause a great deal of anxiety. Often this is necessary if you are entering a completely new field, especially one which is high powered or fast moving. However, after the first few months, things should become easier.

It's never possible to know 100% if a career will be right for you - until you've tried it. So you need to be aware that making career decisions is a complex process and requires a great deal of planning.

Remember that the best career choice is the one that is right for you.