What sort of job do you want – your job goal
If you’re planning a journey, you need to have a destination in mind. It’s the same with a job.
Ask yourself: what sort of job do you want? Write it down. That’s your job goal. Having a clear and realistic goal will help to keep you motivated and focused.
If you’re not sure where to start, think about:
- which industry or sector you want to work in, for example, hospitality, construction, retail
- what type of role are you looking for, for example, customer service, management, office support
- where do you want to work, that is, what location – how far can you travel
- what hours do you want to work
- do you want a permanent or temporary job
- what pay / salary do you want
You might want to find out more about certain jobs before deciding on your job goal.
Take a look at the National Careers Service’s Explore Careers (external website) to find out more about what particular jobs involve and whether they could be right for you. Our Sectors section also gives key information on the sorts of jobs available in a range of industries.
What are you good at?
Make a list of what you are good at and the things you enjoy. This a great way to start thinking about what you can offer a future employer and it’s also a reminder to yourself of all the things you do well. Things to think about include:
- Your qualifications – at school, college, university and at work
- Work-based skills – the skills and experience you gained in previous jobs will be of interest to employers. These could be specific technical skills or ‘transferable’ skills that most employers would value, such as team working, communication, adaptability and time management
- Outside work – everybody picks up skills through their day-to-day lives or hobbies. For example, time management and organisational skills are important for parents and carers; and any hobby can require skills in things like IT or teamwork.
If you’re still not sure about your job goal and how to achieve it, the National Careers Service’s Skills Assessment (external website) can help you to identify your skills and interests and the type of jobs you might like.
Or take a look at our quick guide on How to be your own coach. Self-coaching can help you to untangle your thoughts and find solutions to any issues you might be facing.