Career Planning

The Difficulty of Choosing Careers

Parental Expectations

• Wanting you to embark upon a specific career of their choice
• Agreeing to their career suggestions that do not interest you

Taking up such a career may create frustration and job dissatisfaction that will not let you realize your full potential.

Peer Pressure

• Persuading or coercing you to choose careers your friends like
• Willing to be led by decisions made by your peers

Basing your career decision on your friends decisions might not work out for you as your beliefs, interests, and abilities could be different.

Overestimating Your Abilities

• having the required skills, aptitude, and qualifications for success in the chosen career
• Being too optimistic or over-visualizing about possible opportunities, especially abroad

Embarking on a career that appeals to you without evaluating your skills and abilities may lead to failure.

Unreasonable Goals

Succeeding in your career, or alternative career, entails realistic planning and proper preparation rather than making castles in the air.

Choosing the right career is not easy. You could make your career planning less stressful if you:

1. Think about you. Think about the type of person you are, what you are good at, what you enjoy doing and what makes you happy.

2. Find out what type of careers will suit you. Visit websites, complete quizzes, or speak to a career advisor! After your research, narrow it down to about three career options.48

3. Learn more about these careers. Gather information on the subjects or qualifications required to meet the career description. Additionally, keep talking to your career advisor.

4. Set your goals. Write down your career goals and the steps you need to take to achieve them. You are most likely to enjoy, develop and grow in careers that match your personality, skills, abilities, and subject knowledge.

5. What type of personality are you? Generally people fit into one, or a combination, of six personality types. Find out what suits you!

Six Personality Types

Doer

These realistic people tend to follow tradition, have common sense and are practical.

Careers

Business: Administration

Hospitality and Tourism: Tourism, Tourism Management

Forestry and Land Based: Agriculture, Biotechnology, Forest Management or Operations, Horticulture, Environmental

Technical: Engineering, Health and Safety

Related +2 or A Level Subjects: English, Maths, Science, Computing, Business Studies, or Hotel Management

Thinker

These investigative people tend to be independent and are often curious about how things work.

Careers

Business and Computing: Administration, Applied Management, Computing, Journalism

Forestry and Land Based: Biotechnology, Forest Management, Horticulture

Technical: Engineering, Health and Safety

Related +2 or A Level Subjects: English, Maths, Science, Computing

Creator

These artistic people prefer to be more independent and unstructured.

Careers

Creative: Art, Applied Writing, Fashion, Interior Design

Hospitality and Tourism: Tourism, Tourism Management

Forestry and Land Based: Horticulture

Technical: Engineering, Health and Safety

Related +2 or A Level Subjects: English, Maths, Science, Sociology, Psychology, Art and Design, Computing49

Helper

These sociable people tend to be good listeners and possess good written and verbal communication skills.

Careers

Teaching: Education, Teaching

Hospitality and Tourism: Hospitality, Tourism

Medicine and Nursing: Medicine, Nursing, Health Care

Social Science: Social Services, Social Work, Mentoring and Leadership

Related +2 or A Level Subjects: English, Sociology, Maths, Science, Art and Design, Computing, Business Studies

Persuader

These enterprising people tend to have good verbal ability and enjoy meeting new people and speaking in public.

Careers

Business and Computing: Administration, Applied Management, Computing

Creative: Communications, Fashion, Interior Design, Journalism

Forestry and Land Based: Agriculture, Biotechnology, Forest Management

Hospitality and Tourism: Hospitality, Tourism, Tourism Management

Social Science: Mentoring and Leadership

Related +2 or A Level Subjects: English, Maths, Science, Business Studies, Accounting, Economics, Sociology, Computing

Organiser

These conventional people tend to have good follow through and are structured and methodical.

Careers

Business and Computing: Administration, Applied Management, Computing

Creative: Fashion, Interior Design

Forestry and Land Based: Forest Management

Related +2 or A Level Subjects: English, Maths, Science, Business Studies, Accounting, Economics50

• Having excessive financial and job-related expectations from your career
• Not being patient enough to persevere to get the success you desire