Career choice: What makes me tick?
The better you know yourself, the easier it is to find a suitable job. However, it is not always easy for young people to assess themselves realistically.
The search for the right training programme starts right at the beginning: with yourself. What are my interests? When do I feel comfortable? What makes me tick? For young people who are no longer children, but not yet adults either, these questions are particularly difficult to answer.
They are currently grappling with various other developmental tasks: they are looking for their place in society, thinking about what values are important to them, what kind of relationship they want to have and how they want to be perceived. Their hormones are also dancing. Many, but not all, of these questions influence career choices. Nevertheless, this is not the centre of interest for all young people.
But they still have to deal with it. And if they do it right, they will also learn a lot about themselves in the process.
- What topics have I recently searched for information on?
- What do I know so much about that I give others information?
- What activities make me lose track of time?
- What do I have to overcome myself to do and am glad when I have done it?
- Do I prefer to solve tasks alone or with others?
- Do I use my foreign language skills?
- Do I like working with my hands?
- Where do I feel most comfortable?
Such questions, which can be answered from the memory of the last few days or weeks, make self-assessment easier. This is not yet about specific professions, but about personal inclinations. The aim is to find out what kind of person the job or training programme should suit.
A good starting point is to ask yourself what your dream job is: Astronaut? Fashion designer? Extreme alpinist? These dream jobs harbour an interest in a certain activity, an environment in which you would like to work, and in some cases the prestige that a profession brings with it. This interest can be the first step in the direction of the next educational goal.
What interests a young person and what they like to do is often linked to what they are good at.
Those interested in space travel may also be interested in other scientific and technical subjects. The person hoping for a career in the fashion industry can think about what else they would like to design. Then it is quite possible that both will come across new topics that interest them even more. After all, it's normal for interests to change, especially among young people.
What interests a young person and what they enjoy doing is often - but not always - related to what they are good at. Those who can concentrate well on the task directly in front of them are more likely to be interested in solving complex technical tasks. Someone who prefers to be in contact with people all day, likes to explain things or lead a group of scouts is more likely to have strengths in communication and empathy.
Recognising realities
Even if school performance only reflects part of a person's personality and abilities, many people cannot avoid recognising certain realities when choosing a career. Anyone who has difficulty following maths must either work on these deficits or look for a job in which abstract thinking and numbers play a subordinate role.
If you choose a physically demanding job for your taster apprenticeship, you will find out how you function outside your comfort zone. They may even enjoy the movement in everyday life. Then they can also accept the apprenticeship as a physical challenge. If the physically tough job is not for them, they will have learnt something new about themselves.
