This blog is to help young Jamaicans who require help choosing a career. It is always good sense to have long-term and short-term goals concerning your career. We hope at BusinessJA.com; you can find inspiration and support in this one of your most important decisions. So, what are the things to know when choosing a career?
Consisting of four stages, we will help you navigate this maze and help you come out on the winning side. BusinessJa’s purpose is to help you visualize your career goals and what it takes to achieve them. We also want to help you know how to put these actions into practice.
Here are The Four Stages of a Career Plan
- Identify your skills and interests
- Explore career ideas
- Make a decision
- Set achievable goals.
Career planning is essential for several reasons. First, having a career development plan helps eliminate the risk of you making impulsive decisions. And it also allows you to recognize when you are prepared to look for new opportunities and develop new skills.
Anyone can use this model - from school leavers to students, graduates and career changers. We hope that any Jamaican on this journey can use this guide.
Learn more about the process and how to map out your career journey.
1. Identify your Skills and Interests
Choosing a career is a big deal. You’ll spend much of your life at work, so to enjoy your job, remain motivated to fulfil your potential. Therefore, making wise career choices is essential.
Self-assessment means taking stock of your skills and assessing your interests and values. In essence, what are your likes and dislikes?
Understanding your range of skills and knowledge is essential to see if they are a good fit for the job you’d like to do. Awareness of your skills also helps highlight any gaps that need to be filled in to achieve your goals.
Make a List of Your Unique Skills
List all your active skills, and highlight when and how you use them. Honesty in listing these skills and considering their strengths and weaknesses is vital. An excellent approach to this is never to overthink them and know how effective you measure up using these skill sets in employment.
Consider where you are now in your career. Then, please share your future goals, including where you see yourself in five years. And what to do to get there. Try not to stretch yourself into choosing a career path. Instead, you will feel like you need more time to feel fulfilled.
What am I good at?
What are my interests, motivations and values?
What did I most enjoy at university?
What kind of lifestyle do I want?
What do I want from my career?
What is important to me?
Take a Test
Take a test you are having difficulties identifying your strengths, weaknesses and character traits, practising psychometric tests could bring them to light. There are many psychometric tests online, and they are perfect for this kind of assessment of you.
After doing the test, you will better understand the jobs that will suit you. After that, however, you will need more information to decide which to pursue.
Here is a Quiz for you. https://skillsroad.com.au
2. Explore Career Ideas
Exploring career ideas is about learning what is available in the job market. It is about finding what interests you and zoning in on your options.
Consider your ideal job sector, and discover its critical trends by researching the local, national and global jobs market. This will help you learn about potential career paths. And also understand which roles long term or moving in a downward direction.
The three job sectors that cover a wide range of industries are:
There are three types of organizations: private (including sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies), public (including local and national governments, agencies, and chartered bodies), and not-for-profit (also known as the third sector or the charity and voluntary work sector).
Browsing job profiles is an excellent way to introduce you to less obvious career paths. But, unfortunately, these career paths are probably ones you would never consider suited to you.
Make a list of jobs that may be of interest to you. Then, put aside the advantages and disadvantages for a bit.
- Career development
- Employment Outlook
- Entry requirements
- Job description
- Related jobs
- Salary and conditions
- Training
Where Do You Fit In the Employment Portfolio
Consider which employer size best fits your personality and work ethic. For example, Which type of work environment do you feel most comfortable in small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs), large companies, or self-employment?
Consequently, Now is a great time to explore work experience, internships, work shadowing, and volunteering opportunities. These opportunities will give you valuable insight into the areas you're interested in before making any commitments—specific career paths.
3. Make a Decision
You are now equipped to make decisions. First, utilize the knowledge you've gained about yourself, your options, and the job market for graduates. Then, combine these factors to guide your choices.
Look at your list of job ideas and choose the one that interests you the most. Having one or two backup options is also a good idea if you need assistance. Then go after your top preference.
If you need assistance making a decision, try asking yourself the following questions.
Will the job bring me enjoyment daily?
Does it align with my preferences?
Am I equipped with the necessary skills for the position?
Does the company’s values align with my own?
Additionally, its essential to consider any limitations such as location, financial, or skills restrictions.
Lastly, ensure that the salary is realistic for the job.
If you’re struggling to conclude, you can try several exercises to aid decision-making. For example, listing the pros and cons of a particular job or career is often worthwhile. It would help if you also considered completing a personal SWOT analysis.
What is a SWOT Analysis?
A SWOT analysis speaks to you:
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
What unique strengths would you bring to the role in terms of skills, traits, certifications, and connections? What sets you apart from others?
Weaknesses: What areas could you improve on? Do you need to gain skills to excel in the role you’d like to pursue?
Opportunities: Is your industry growing? Could you take advantage of your competitor? Are there any errors or options missing in the market?
Threats: Are there any weaknesses or technological changes that could impede your progress at work? First, it’s essential to consider any potential obstacles to your development.
Numerous sources of assistance can aid you in making a decision. Of course, you don’t have to utilize every option. However, you do need to have some help when on this journey:
Here are some support options that are available to you:
Company websites
Family and friends
Newspaper articles
Professional bodies
Industry conferences
Tutors
University careers
Employability services
Remember that it’s common for individuals to have skills that can apply to multiple careers. It’s also common for people to change career paths multiple times throughout their working life. To stay employable, it’;s crucial to have the ability to adapt and acquire new skills. Therefore, knowing I am successfully considering changing my career is wise.
4. Set Achievable Goals
To achieve goals, you must have a plan that clearly outlines the necessary actions and timeline for reaching your desired destination. You can also separate them into your short, medium and long-term goals. Then, constantly review your progress, especially after achieving each short-term goal.
If your situation changes, a backup is a wise decision in any career plan. Create multiple alternative paths to reach your long-term career goals. Consider potential challenges, like training requirements, and plan how to overcome them at every stage.
To achieve your career goals, consider improving your CV and cover letter as a short- term target. You can also aim to gain relevant experience through internships or volunteering and attend careers fairs for networking opportunities in the short to medium term.
If you need professional guidance and reassurance regarding your career plan and choices, schedule an appointment with your university’s careers service and speak with an adviser.
During COVID-19, many university careers services moved their programme of activities and events online to support students and graduates during the crisis. However, as things reopen, you can make face-to-face and virtual appointments.
In Conclusion
It's essential to remember that career planning is an ongoing process. Make a point to regularly revisit and review your objectives and goals throughout your career. It’s crucial to feel confident in the goals you’ve set for yourself. The structure of a career plan can assist you in charting a course to explore new opportunities. Finally, having multiple careers is possible and can be beneficial. In today’s world, having multiple income streams helps you leverage everything you can manage.
We at Businessja.com in Jamaica hope this blog on Things to Know When Choosing a Career is helpful. Below is a list of ideal career options for Jamaicans:
Are you seeking guidance on choosing the perfect career in Jamaica? Check out this helpful guide.
Agriculture - pursue a career in farming or agricultural management.
Hospitality and tourism - work in the hospitality industry, such as hotels, restaurants, or tourism companies.
Addiction counselling - helps individuals overcome their addiction and lead a healthy life.
Behaviour specialist - assists individuals with behavioural challenges or mental health issues.
Body massage services - start a career in massage therapy and help people relax and heal.
Social worker - works with individuals or communities to improve their well-being and social functioning.
Dating coach - helps people improve their dating and relationship skills.
Funeral director - assists families in planning funerals and memorial services.
Nail technician - start a career in nail art and beauty services.
Bartender - works in the food and beverage industry by serving drinks and creating a fun atmosphere.
Chef - become a professional cook and create delicious meals for customers.
Tour guide - provide guided tours to people exploring Jamaica’s beautiful sights and attractions.
Bus driver - become a driver for public or private transportation services.
Computer security specialist - works in cybersecurity and helps protect companies from cyber threats.
Computer service technician - provides technical support and maintenance for computers and other devices.
Data entry operator - enter data into databases or computer systems accurately and efficiently.
IT consultant - provides IT advice and guidance to businesses and individuals.
IT project manager - manages and oversees IT projects for companies or organizations.
Accountant - manages financial records and provides financial advice to individuals or companies.
Bookkeeper - records financial transactions and maintains financial records for individuals or businesses.
Plumber - works in plumbing services, repairing and installing plumbing systems in homes or buildings.
Real estate agent - become a real estate agent or work in property management.
Sales - work in sales for various companies or organizations.
Health technologist - works in the healthcare industry by operating and maintaining medical equipment.
Nurse practitioner - provides advanced medical care to patients.
IT manager - oversees IT operations and manages IT staff for companies or organizations.
Web developer - designs and develop websites for businesses or individuals.
Registered nurse - works in the healthcare industry, providing medical care and treatment to patients.
Market research analyst - Conducts research and analyzes market trends to provide insights for companies or organizations.
Pharmacist or assistant - works in the pharmacy industry, dispensing medication and providing healthcare advice.
Cybersecurity personnel - work in cybersecurity to prevent and manage cyber attacks for companies or organizations.
E-commerce - start an online business and sell products or services.
Construction or masonry - work in construction and help build homes, buildings, or infrastructure.
Carpenter - works in carpentry, creating or repairing wooden structures and furniture.
Handyman - provides various handyperson services, such as repairing or maintaining household appliances or structures.
Welding: Provides welding services, joining metal pieces to create structures or equipment.
Electrician - works in electrical services, installing or repairing electrical systems in homes or buildings.
Block laying (masonry) - work in masonry services, building walls, foundations, or other structures using blocks or bricks.
Landscaper - designs, creates, and maintains outdoor spaces such as gardens, lawns, and parks. They use their knowledge of horticulture and ecology and plan to create beautiful and functional outdoor environments.
Coder - a programmer or a coder is one who creates computer programs — often for more prominent computer software.
Freelance Writer - A freelance writer is a self-employed person who writes articles, ad copy, or other types of content for a living. They may write for news outlets, websites, etc.
With these options, you can find a career that matches your interests, skills, and values.
