«I have no idea where to start looking yet»

«Ask Sarah»

I have a problem in that I simply don't know what I want to study. I put so much pressure on myself, but I'm only in Year 7. Still, I'm so scared that I'll be in Year 9 and not know what I want to do. I'm pretty athletic and really enjoy interacting with other people. That's important to me in my career. I'm starting Year 8 soon and have no idea where to start or what to try out. I'm so scared. I hope you can help me.
Leonie

Dear Leonie,

Thank you for your question. I will be happy to try and provide you with some answers that will hopefully help you.

I think it's great that you're already thinking seriously about what you might want to do later in life. What I don't like so much is that you 're stressing yourself out and putting pressure on yourself about it. That's not necessary and it's not good for you. Right now, you need all your energy for school and for your life outside school: for your free time, your family and your friends.

A lot happens in two teenage years

You didn't mention your age, but I'm guessing you're about 13, right? To take some of the pressure off you right away: you won't finish compulsory schooling until you're 15 or 16. Only then will you start your vocational training. So you still have two to three years ahead of you in which you will undergo significant changes in terms of your interests and your attitude towards many things.

Can you still remember what you were like three years ago? You were just a ten-year-old child. You've probably developed a lot since then and are now in the middle of puberty. See? So you still have plenty of time before you have to be ready.

It's not just the grades on your report card that count, but also your personality.

Of course, you start getting a taste of things in Year 8 . You get to try out different professions for two to five days . This is a good opportunity to find out what might be right for you – and what isn't.

Various opportunities to try out the programme

I know some young people who try out the same profession several times, but each time in a different place or company. Others try out different professions. These are mainly those who are not yet sure what they might like to do.

In Year 8, you will discuss all topics related to career choices with your teacher. They will also help you find and apply for work experience placements. There is no need to worry about this yet. All your classmates are in the same boat – you are not alone.

You say that you are athletic and enjoy interacting with people. Excellent! I am confident that with these skills, you will find a truly rewarding career.

Free career counselling

I strongly recommend that you go to a career counsellor. Every canton has such offices in larger towns. The best thing to do is to search online to find the nearest cantonal career counselling centre in your municipality. You can register there and make an appointment.

I hope your parents will help you with this and accompany you there. This counselling is free of charge. A specially trained person will take the time to find out which professions might suit you best. They will then give you some brochures to take home with you so that you can look at them in more detail.

Trust that your school and parents will support you in your career choice. Everyone has found something that suits them.

It is also important to consider your educational background. Depending on your level – for example, secondary school or sixth form – there are more or less professions to choose from. The higher your school leaving qualification, the more options are open to you. But I must emphasise that even students from secondary schools can learn great professions. It's not just your grades that count, but also your personality.

Your future boss will find it more important that you are punctual, reliable, polite and hard-working. Whether you are great at French or maths is usually less important and depends on the job.

My tip for right now: Take a look at www.berufsberatung.ch and go through all the professions. There are filters where you can tick your interests – then you will find possible professions that match them.

Social professions

Even if you are athletic, that does not necessarily mean that you will choose a career in this field. You can also find work involving contact with people in social or medical professions or in the service sector. Examples include childcare assistant, healthcare assistant in a hospital or nursing home, medical practice assistant or optician. Retail is another sector where you get to interact with people.

As you can see, there are many options available. I understand that it can be overwhelming to find the right one for you. That is why I strongly recommend that you seek the support of a career counsellor. You can also rely on your school and your parents to help you with your career choice. Everyone has found something that suits them.

If all else fails, there is still the option of so-called bridge programmes. These give you a little more time to find a good start to your career.

I wish you all the best on this journey!