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Careers Advice

15:17 / 14.01.04

I'm going to be graduating soon, and I need some good advice. Before I went to uni, I pretty much did whatever jobs turned up, mostly clerical stuff. But it wasn't much fun. I'd like to do something rewarding, and something which is right for me.

Any advice you good people can give me to help towards that end would be greatly appreciated. How did you figure out what you really want to do? Is is just trial and error, or are there any useful shortcuts?

Dances with Gophers

18:54 / 14.01.04

Monster is the only one I can remember at the moment.

20:32 / 14.01.04

I graduated six months ago, and I still need some good advice. I'm still doing whatever jobs turn up, mostly clerical stuff. And it still isn't much fun.

Not much help I'm afraid, but a good oppurtunity to gripe.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

07:43 / 15.01.04

Nothing helpful to say, but may I add a big fat squeaky ME TOO! to this thread? I've sort of got some direction, but any ideas for that elusive non-sucky day-job would be welcome indeed.

08:14 / 15.01.04

I knew what I wanted to do since I was about 8 years old, but the reality hasn't lived up to my expectations, so maybe I need a change of career too.

At school, I did the "Morrisby" test, which was a 4-hour test full of questions that they then used to work out what the perfect career would be. Did you do such a thing at school? If so, it might be worth taking another look at the results for inspiration.

Career's libraries also tend to have computers that have programs that ask you questions, and then tell you your perfect career. Usually you can use your university's career's library for at least a few years after you graduate.

If you're unemployed and on job-seeker's allowance, they can send you on a 2-week long course where you will get access to their computers, and they might also have that kind of thing on them. I expect there's lots of websites that also do similar? (although Quizilla would probably tell you your perfect career was as a daffodil-washer, or something strange).

Check out your local library or bookshop - I've definitely seen at least one book that lists unusual careers.

12:53 / 15.01.04

No, I didn't do the Morrisby test. I wonder why. I've had a look at the kind of areas it deals with though, I think I'm most interested in the sections which talk about your values. The test rates you according to how much you care about the following:

Financial rewards
Enjoyable work
Security and support
Pride in the personal value of your work
Autonomy

Maybe this is the kind of area I need to think about more, my values about the kind of work I want to do. One thing I've been thinking about is status. That word has negative connotations, of wanting to strut around looking important, but I think it's an important reality. Working at British Gas was really sucky as you have 0% status there, which is pretty harsh considering that you have to be fairly intelligent to do the work.

I think one thing that's important to me is to be in a job where I would actually be asked what I think about things, rather than just told what to do. How many people here are in that position? I wonder if the only way to get that is to learn a serious profession, so that they have to ask your opinion on certain matters, given that you may know more than they do.

Out of interest, what was the career in question, Squirmelia? I'm interested in the phenomenon of people knowing what they want to do from a young age. It's quite alien to me, but my Dad was one such person. I envy it sometimes.

Rizla & Mordant - Not sure if I should feel better or worse for hearing that

Good luck to you both as well.

13:45 / 15.01.04

What career did I want? Computer programmer.

15:09 / 15.01.04

How does the glamorous life of a computer programmer not meet your expectations? I mean, what were the expectations in particular that it hasn't met? My cousin did computer stuff for his degree, but now he's decided he's had enough of computers and wants to go become a hippy or something.

22:14 / 15.01.04

Im sorry, I know Im rotting this, but it seems too on-topic to start a new thread, yet too off-topic not to put in this apology.
[rot]
Im trying to write up my CV, and am crap at it. How can I say "I enjoy my job" and "I am fairly hardworking" and something to do with customer service and that increasing my confidence, without sounding like Im lying? Thus far I have:
I work in the young fashions department, which has helped me gain experience in customer service, as well as knowledge of the branded clothing market, and fashions within it.
I really enjoy helping customers and since working there, have greatly improved my confidence.

And like I said, I sound like Im lying. [/rot]

09:48 / 16.01.04

I expected that being a computer programmer would be more like in the book 'Microserfs' by Douglas Coupland, but actually, university was more like that than work has been. Maybe I just work at the wrong company. I'm mainly bored, that's the problem, I didn't expect it to be so boring.

10:21 / 16.01.04

Gingerbop - no, that sounds fine. Writing application letters is always a bit cringeworthy, but generally speaking they sound worse to the person writing them than to the person reading them.

I'm in the process of applying for a part-time admin job and the application form is six pages long with eighteen (18) pages of further particulars... argh...

10:27 / 16.01.04

Bop, you've too many commas I think and you should switch your words around a bit, maybe to something like this: Working in the young fashions department has expanded my knowledge of the branded clothing market and the trends within it.

My confidence has greatly improved since working within this industry, I have gained valuable experience in customer services and have found I really enjoy helping customers. (Although I'm not sure saying your confidence has improved is wise since that implies you lacked any confidence at all beforehand.)

You could also say something like: I find working in the young fashions department really interesting and it suits my character. And I think saying you are hardworking is fine, although if you don't like the word hardworking you could say you are conscientious and reliable instead.

But I am sure lots of other people here are much better qualified to help you with sentence structure than I am. Haus, are you listening?

20:58 / 16.01.04

Thanks Olula. I see what you're saying about it sounding like I had no confidence before, which is.. probably true, but dont want them to know. And yes, Im liking hardworking alternatives, cause that work makes me want to punch myself. Thankyou.