Irish Independent - 16th August 2007
CAREER DOCTOR

Question:
I fancy a career change but am unsure as to what. I am not happy in my current job and think I might be in need of a career change but dont know what to do.

Answer:
I'm currently working as a policy administrator in the insurance field. Before that, I worked in a call centre as a technical support agent. I have a masters degree in sociology and speak fluent German, English and Polish (my native language). At the moment, Im also studying business studies in a local college. I want a change but am unsure of the path to take in my professional life. The biggest challenge is trying to identify what I enjoy and what fits the skills I have.

Finding the perfect career can seem like a daunting task, particularly these days when opportunities abound. There are a number of steps you can take, however, to help. The first is to look at the job you are doing today and list what you like and dislike about it. Identifying what you dislike is often the easier part when you are unhappy in a job. Review all other jobs you have done in the past, and again list likes and dislikes of each and add these to your list. Think about the elements of the ideal job, including the working environment, level of responsibility, working within a team/independently and so on, and add these to your list. What energises you at work? Next, make a list of your skills and prioritise your top five. What comes easy to you? What are you able to do that other people around you find difficult or impossible? List the three most important values to you in your life that would affect your work, ie independence/autonomy, family, security, lifestyle etc. With all of this information to hand, you should start to see a little clearer the aspects of work that are important and interesting to you. Now start to make a list of career options and try not to limit yourself. To begin with, just list the options and, when completed, prioritise in order of interest. Take the top two options first and learn more about each of them (through networking with people in these industries or via the internet). Learning about your options while bearing in mind your own skills and work priorities should bring you closer to finding your ideal career.