Career choice is really about answering the question; Which job suits me? As Confucius put it, 'Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.' But how can one find the perfect job? What requirements does the perfect job meet? And does the perfect job exist?
The following factors determine whether a job suits you:
1. Personality. Does the job match my personality?
2. Competencies. Am I good at it?
3. Job opportunities. Will I get paid for it?
Take the career test now and discover which professions you prefer.
There is a mismatch when a job doesn't suit you because your personality or skills don't match. Or when there are simply no jobs available for the work you want to do or used to do. There are three possible combinations that indicate a job isn't right for you.
1. Hobby. You love doing certain work. It suits your personality, and you're good at it. Unfortunately, there is no work in that particular industry, there is too much competition, or you simply can't make any money with it. For instance, many people dream of becoming a writer or photographer. Some of them will be truly good at it, however it’s only a few lucky ones that are able to make a living off it. Of course there is nothing wrong with having a hobby you don't earn any money from.
2. Illusion. It's an illusion when a profession really appeals to you and also has sufficient employment opportunities, but for which you lack the required skills. A simple example is someone who would love to become a pilot but can't because of an issue with eyesight. Some illusions can be removed through training and work experience. However, some professions are simply out of reach, and it's better to forget about these altogether. Often, it is possible to find professions that match in terms of personality profile and that require competencies that are within your reach or that you already have.
3. Mistake. A mistake is the most common mismatch between a job and a person. You possess the right competences and there are employment opportunities, but the work doesn't match your personality. People often end up in a job without thinking whether the work or organisation suits them and will make them happy in the long run.
Prevent a mismatch in your job search by looking at things critically. Does this work, this organisation match my personality? After all, when you're naturally shy, a position that requires giving lots of presentations won't make you happy. You could try to change your personality, but in general, it's assumed that this is a difficult and even undesirable road to take. It's better to find a job that suits your personality, that energises you.
In theory, there's a job for each personality type. Every job require certain specific traits who are less desired in other jobs. In other words, don't change yourself, but find the job that suits you. In that case, you will be more successful and satisfied. With a big five personality test you'll find jobs that will fit your personality, based on who you are.
If you know what kind of profession matches your personality, the next step is deciding whether you have the right competencies and, if not, whether it's possible to gain these. A competency is nothing more than a skill to carry out a certain task or solve a certain problem. Through education or work experience, you can gain a certain competency. Often, these are job-specific competencies. During a training programme, for instance, you can learn how to programme, weld, assemble, or cook. But there are also generic competencies. Think of skills such as organising, networking, teamwork, or analytical thinking. These competencies come in handy in countless positions and are particularly interesting when you aim to make a career change. Do you want to discover your competencies? Take the free soft skills test.
Once you've found a profession that suits you in terms of personality and required competencies, you still need to take into account the availability of work. Is the work in high demand, is there a lot of competition, what are the chances this profession will disappear in the future? Those kinds of questions.
You influence some of those questions. For instance, are you willing or able to move house? Is it possible that you work full-time or part-time? Will you settle for a lower salary or fewer holidays? If you're flexible, you increase your chances and the number of opportunities.
Yet it's also possible that your dream job disappears due to external circumstances. For example, the work moves abroad, or your kind of work disappears as a result of robotisation. In that case, you will have to start looking for another job that matches your personality and competencies.
Conclusion: You can certainly get an answer to the question: which job suits me? But the answer to this question will vary. Practically no profession will remain the same for 30 years. Nearly everyone will have to deal with changing circumstances throughout the course of his or her life. For most of us, finding the perfect job is not a final destination but rather a constant journey. The better you are able to determine who you are and what kind of work matches you personality, the more pleasant this journey will be.
Start this journey now and take the career test or find favourite your profession in the alphabetical profession list.
