by Sharon Jones
Picture by Arek Socha from Piabay - CC0 Licence
A fact that's true for most of us is we need to make a living to get by in life. Whether we want to travel the world, save a significant pension pot, or generally afford to survive, money is needed. And so, rather than delving into any old job, you may be thinking about how you can find out how to make a living that works with your personality and lifestyle. After all, if you're going to be working for the best part of your life, if you have a choice, you will want to do something you like. For tips on how to get closer to a job that's right for you, here's how.
Research
Head onto Google or open the newspaper and see what's out there. Forget filters and restricting yourself to one sector, read a lot of job descriptions, see what they entail and write down what roles sound interesting to you. When you are researching be as open-minded as possible, otherwise, you may miss an opportunity that could be perfect for you. At this point in time, don't worry too much about the specification for qualifications. If you're serious about a particular job, you can always look at what needs to be done to get you to that stage later on. e.g. work experience and training.
Volunteer
For some people, researching isn't enough. They need to gain insight into a role before making a decision, and this makes complete sense and is strongly advised. Gaining first-hand experience either shadowing someone in a position you think you'd like to be in. Or applying to sit within different departments in a particular job sector will give you a strong indication of whether you really want the role you were interested in.
Inner Voice
Keep tabs on what jobs you like and not what other people think you should like. But don't mistake fear and anxiety as your inner voice either, as these elements only work to prevent yourself from doing what you really want to do. If your dad wants you to be an engineer, but you want to look for accounting internships, stick to your guns! Because of the scope of jobs out there and the diversity in each and everyone's personality, no person or quiz can tell you how to make a living that will make you happy. However, they can, of course, make suggestions which you can either delve further into or decline. And so, trust your instincts and go with your gut when deciding what jobs to apply for.
Create Your Own Job
Making a living is a part life journey, and so bear this in mind when searching for a job. As you may very well not fit into any of the current occupation boxes out there, and if this is true for you, you're not alone. Many people who feel this way, and who have the confidence to do it, decide to create their own job or business. This way, you can create a living based on something you have created. Without feeling like you need to fit an employers idea of what candidates experience and education is viable and acceptable.
Although a job is necessary for most to survive and thrive in society, it doesnt need to be a role that you can't stand. It's essential no matter what age you are or where you're from to allow your inner voice to shine. And to prevent the ever-present emotion of fear from getting in your way of doing something great.