Looking for work? Some things to consider!

If you are looking for work, being sure about the kind of job you want is key to success. The clearer you are about what you really want; the more chance you have of making a good decision. Remember, choosing a job isn’t just about having the right qualifications and experience and how much money they are prepared to pay.

Here are some other things to consider.

How important is work in your life? For some people work is the centre of their world. How they get on at work deeply affects their health and happiness. For others, work is far less important. They want to do a good job, but life outside work matters to them far more. If you are deeply committed to your career, you will need to know that any new job is going to give you an opportunity to develop your skills. How important for you is the possibility of future promotion?

What kind of work do you enjoy doing? To do well in any job, you usually need to enjoy something about it. Think about your interests and the things that you liked most in jobs you have done already. Think about what you liked and what you didn’t. In what kind of environment did you feel most comfortable? In what kind of environment did you do your best work?

What do you do well? People are better and worse at different things. What is it that you are good at doing? What is that you don’t do very well? Be really honest with yourself. Taking a job where you know you will really struggle to perform well is a very risky strategy.

What’s the right working pattern for you? Fewer and fewer jobs are 9 to 5, Monday to Friday. And less and less people go to the same place of work every day. For some people, the traditional way of working suited them very well. For others, new and more flexible ways of working suit them better. Is working in the evening and at weekends something you would consider?

What kind of organisation would suit you best? Some people like small organisations but others find more stimulation in large organisations. What about the differences between the public and private sectors?

When you have the answers to all these questions, you will be much better equipped to begin your job search and I wish you every success.