Some people leave school or university knowing exactly what they want to do. For others, it can take much longer to figure out what kind of career path they want to carve. Whatever your ambitions, it’s never too early to start laying the foundations. Here are some steps to take now. 

Draw on your passions and interests

The average person spends 36 hours per week at work. If you’re going to be working for the next 30, 40 or even 50 years, it’s crucial to find a job that provides you with stimulation, satisfaction and enjoyment. Most people end up doing something that they don’t want to at some point in their lives to earn money, but there are ways to prevent falling into a situation where you move from one job to the next accepting the offer purely because you need to pay bills. Focus on establishing a career that reflects and complements your passions and interests. For a growing number of employees, particularly millennials and younger members of the workforce, job satisfaction and a healthy work-life balance are priorities. Think about how you like to spend your time and look for roles that will give you the opportunity to indulge interests. Are you passionate about conservation or animal welfare? Are you a people person? Do you enjoy being creative? Use your passions and hobbies to inspire your job search. 

Analyse requirements and qualifications

In some jobs, you need specific qualifications and a level of experience to start climbing the ladder. If you have a dream role in mind, start doing your research now. What kinds of qualifications do you need, how can you gain experience and what will set you apart when the time comes to submit applications or attend an interview? Investing in yourself is hugely beneficial, and undertaking further study and adding training courses to your CV can make all the difference. Look for courses that correspond to your skills and the job you want and consider opportunities like those provided by Kettering Online if you’re keen to study and work at the same time. Learning new skills, completing graduate and postgraduate certificates and gaining experience will enhance your employability and help you increase your chances of landing the job you want. 

Network

Networking is incredibly valuable within many industries, notably media and communications, banking, oil and energy, computer science and IT, marketing and sales and design and animation. If you have ambitions to work in a sector where it pays to have contacts, it’s beneficial to start forming connections both online and through events. Meet new people, spend time getting to know more about leading employers, organisations and companies and put yourself out there. It can be daunting to attend events, especially if you’re not naturally an extrovert, or you’re going to your first networking engagement, but you’ll soon get used to these situations. Networking opens doors, and it’s a way of hearing about new roles and connecting with employers who may want to hire you or offer you the chance to take an internship or a placement. 

You might not know exactly what you want to do now, but it’s never too early to start laying the foundation for a career that will bring success and satisfaction.