« Back | Home » Ask Lynn. Career Path

Dear  Jurie

Thank you for your question regarding career change. Well done! You have a job; so many young people don’t. As you say, it is important that you stay with the job you have and do it to the best of your ability while you figure out what you really enjoy. Use your current job to learn as many skills as possible. All skills are transferable to new careers, so absolutely no time spent working on a job or studying is ever wasted. Also save as much of your current income as possible; it may come in handy when you need to implement your career development action plan. Remember, you now have an interim goal – finding a career that you enjoy.

I am glad you are considering studying after hours; this will look good on your CV, as it shows potential employers that you have perseverance and are serious about your chosen career. UNISA and many other education institutions and training providers offer correspondence, evening and weekend classes that will suit your needs.

So how do you go about finding out what you enjoy? I suggest you work through the tried and trusted steps developed by the Father of Career Guidance, Frank Parsons:

Self-knowledge: Find out all about yourself. Explore your interests, values, personality, academic record and attitudes towards studying. Use the resources suggested later in this reply.

Knowledge about the world of work: Find out about the different careers that suit your interests, values and personality. Make use of the resources on the Careerplanet.

Integrate your self-knowledge and your career knowledge to come up with a list of potential career opportunities to explore further.

Explore potential careers.  Make use of Careerplanet and the resources mentioned in this reply.

Make an informed decision about which career you will pursue (your goal)

Work out a career development action plan. This must include education (studying), job hunting and experience collection. You will be surprised how much your current job is going to help you. Make us of the job hunting resources mentioned under the heading resources to help you with this planning and implementation process.

Implement your plan – step by step. Please remember; only leave your current job when you have a new job offer in writing.

Evaluate your progress and your plan, taking into account any new information or opportunities which may have come to light during the process. Don’t be disheartened by rejection; keep your goal in sight and keep applying. Job hunting takes time and perseverance.

Adapt your plan if necessary.

Resources:
There are a number of books, websites and professional people you can get help from. Some books which you may find useful are:

• A to Z of Careers in South Africa; Don Nelson. The front section has some information on interests, values, job hunting and interview preparation.
• What color is your parachute. A practical manual for Job-hunters & career-changers; Richard Bolles. This book is a mine of information; read it through and implement the areas which fit your situation.
• The Ultimate Career Guide; A&O Vision. A wonderful source of South African career information.
• Your local public library will probably be able to help you with these books and may be able to suggest others too.
• The library probably takes the newspapers, which you can read free of charge

Some websites which you may find are useful include:

• Careerplanet: a good resource for career information and work experience opportunities (www.careerplanet.co.za)
• UNISA: Bureau for Counselling, Career and Academic Development; self-knowledge:  http://www.unisa.ac.za/default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=15144
• Umsobomvo Youth Portal:
• Career Development and Planning Guide; http://www.youthportal.org.za/ur/EducationandTrainingCareerPlanningUFVersion.pdf
• Finding Work; http://www.youthportal.org.za/ur/Employment_Finding%20Work_Final%20010304.pdf
• Getting Skills; http://www.youthportal.org.za/ur/GettingSkills.pdf
• Labour Market; http://www.youthportal.org.za/ur/LabourMarketFactSheet.pdf
• Education and Training options in South Africa; http://www.youthportal.org.za/ur/EducationandTrainingETOptionsUFVersion.pdf

You could also consult a professional (psychologist, psychometrist or career counsellor) to assist you with your career development process. This process often includes a career development assessment. Try the Yellow Pages to find contacts in your area.

We hope this information will help you to get started with your planning process.

The Career Planet Team