It’s not always easy deciding what kind of career you want to pursue. With so many options to choose from, the process can be overwhelming.
To choose a degree that leads to a future profession you’ll enjoy for years to come, you’ll need to do some reflection. Think about the kinds of things you find interesting, whether you’d like to work full-time, part-time or casual hours, and what skills you’ll need to work in the areas that interest you.
Career Matcher: Study Australia’s career personality quiz
Study Australia has partnered to develop a new online tool to help you understand your strengths and personality traits, and how they relate to the working world. The quiz takes just five minutes to complete. You’ll receive a personalised report examining your top strengths and offering suggested careers in several industry sectors.
The Career Matcher looks at your personality traits rather than your existing skills. It won’t limit you to careers that build on your existing skills, but instead looks at you as a whole person. For instance, if you like to inspire others, it might suggest roles in management across many different industries.
Once you have your report, consider which areas and industries interest you. The Career Matcher report will provide a wide range of roles that you might enjoy based on your responses to the quiz.
Personality traits and your career
Research suggests that aligning your career with your natural personality traits can make you happier and more productive at work. It can even positively influence the amount of money you make. Having particular personality traits can also strongly influence your success in the job market. These traits can be developed if you don’t naturally possess them.
Research has shown that adaptability is a critical characteristic for career success. According to this research, there are several ways you can develop or improve your adaptability. One of these is to practise proactive planning. To become a proactive planner, you should consider what skills you need to add to your skillset and where you can gain work experience. Internships offer excellent work experience, or you could consider a volunteer or part-time position.
Confidence is another trait that will increase your adaptability. While it can be hard to feel confident when you don’t have much work experience, consider the skills you have gained while studying. Be confident in your soft skills like communication, teamwork and time management, all of which you will have practised during your studies.
Choosing what to study
Some degrees make choosing a career easy. For example, if you do a degree in veterinary science, a career in that field seems logical. If, however, you pursue an arts degree, the career fields you can move into are practically limitless. Make sure you consider this when choosing your degree.
It’s a good idea to consider not only your interests but also your strengths when you’re making this decision. If you’ve never been great at mathematics, an accounting degree might not be the best choice for you!
You can also look into whether your local universities or your former high school offer a career counselling service. Talking to a career counsellor is an excellent way to gain deeper insight into what you want to spend your working life doing.
Many education providers in Australia publish alumni stories, so be sure to check these out too. These will give you an insight into which areas of study can lead to specific kinds of jobs, and can be an inspiring source of information.
Deciding which career to pursue can be a daunting task, but some careful thought and the right resources can help you understand which ones might be the most rewarding for you. It’s well worth the effort!
The Study Australia website is the Australian Government’s official resource for international students. The Study Australia course search tool is the most comprehensive of its kind in the world. It features more than 31,000 CRICOS-registered courses across all sectors – schools, ELICOS, VET and higher education – as well as a complete list of international student scholarships.
