Help Making Career Decisions

Some students enrol at uni very clear on where they want to go and why, others start out clear, but as the months and semesters go by, they feel less sure. Some have no clear career path and need help with making sound career decisions.

Some careers practitioners say 'it’s all a journey and you will figure it out at the end'…and while that has some substance (well, yes, you can learn from all experiences) most people look for some more direction than that.

The problem is, career decisions are not black and white – it is a complex and challenging process. But there are some basic structures to assist you clarify or test your career intent.  You can access further information and support for this challenging process.

To help…it’s useful to visualise a Russian Babushka doll…the dolls with the many inner bodies/layers that are found inside (yes it sounds crazy – but it is worth considering):

• At the outer layer and perhaps easiest to identify – think about your abilities, skills, competencies and aptitudes
• One layer in – consider your interests
• Next layer in – and we’re starting to get a little deeper and less easy to identify - think about your personality
• Next – some deeper thinking is required about the rewards you seek in a career (consider the extrinsic rewards– such as money, status, travel – but also the intrinsic rewards – such as knowing you are helping others, that you would get variety and stimulation)
• At an even deeper layer – what about your ethics, values, moral compass
  And finally right at the very core, an area which can be very hard to identify, but has great importance – are you able to identify what your passion is, what is your overall purpose of working at a career.

If you are thinking about a career/work role where all these line up very nicely – you should feel more confident you are going in the right direction for the right reasons.
Heading in a career direction that merely aligns with some of your skills and interests – will not prove to be sustaining over a log period of time. But alas, it isn’t easy to identify the ‘perfect career’ where all ‘your dolls’ align.

There is a great website called My Future – it actually has online tests which connect with each inner stage of the ‘Babushka doll’ metaphor.

Once you’ve researched your options and thought carefully about who you are, and what you want out of a career, complete the CareerStart module on Career Decision Making to help you identify the best option for you and an action plan to get there.

You are also welcome to make an appointment for Careers Counselling with Careers Central at the university.