How do I make the right career choice in 2021?
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Job searches can be gruelling (trust me, I know), but that is precisely why it is that much more important to be properly prepared before tackling this herculean task. Reflect, analyse and have the courage to try again if you fail. If you possess the motivation to do these try simple things and with some help from this article, you too can feel confident on your path to a dream job and successful career waiting just around the corner.
How do I make the right career choice?
Reflect.
Making a career choice is one of the most important choices a person makes in their life. It will end up governing their day to do day lives. To make the right choice, you must reflect on your wants and needs. Are you someone who enjoys interacting, assisting and otherwise involving yourself with other people? Or are you someone happier seated behind a computer screen, typing away and supporting your company from the backstage? Different people have different preferences, and different preferences mean different affinities for different jobs. No matter, there is always something you can find no matter where you look, but there is a ton of helpful resources online to ease the process of reflection for you.
Choosing the role that's best for you
Analyse!
One of these are career tests. Nowadays, many workplaces already employ their own specialised tests or tasks tailor-made to assess the suitability of their applicants for the role. Applying for a copywriting role may require you to respond in writing to a practice brief made by the employer. Still, proper psychometric tests available from career coaches and authorised individuals are priceless in helping you realise the affinities you may not have even been aware of. They analyse your personality traits and sometimes even confidence levels in certain tasks to determine the best suited jobs for you.
An example of measurements used in career tests is Holland's RIASEC hexagon. This model describes six different dimensions of a work environment and uses them to determine what sort of a career would be best suited to an individual. The dimensions measured are Realistic (practical, methodological jobs such as engineering), Investigative (observing, methodological jobs such as academical research), Artistic (innovative, creative jobs such as communications), Social (educational, tutoring jobs such as teacher), Enterprising (influence and persuasion-oriented jobs such as a CEO) and Conventional (analytical, detail oriented jobs such as statistician).
The analysis part starts from career tests and continues through properly researching different work positions. Once you have determined your hidden strengths, it is time to weigh the strengths of various potential jobs. The company prestige, chances for personal growth and development, maybe even just the number written next to the pound sign on the job listing. Look up reviews made by others online and determine whether any given place is right for you.
Work/life balance
While choosing your career, you will want to think about your desired work/life balance in life. Often people can feel exhausted at work and that exhaustion can seep into their personal lives as well. However, the other can apply as well. If a person feels reinvigorated at their workplace, this energised mood can affect their personal life and free time in a positive manner as well. Still, too much work can hurt your personal relationships, so always keep that in mind when searching for jobs.
In addition, recently, there has been an influx of working from home. Many sectors have moved exclusively to working from home to save costs. This can be both a good and a bad thing. One of the benefits of working in an office or away from home is that, well, when you are there, you do not need to worry about what is happening at home much, and vice-versa. If your job is home-based, it will be harder to distinguish between the two, leading to stress from work affecting your personal life harder. Of course, there are benefits as well, such as being closer to your family or simply not having to get up from bed too early in the morning to be at your office in time. Weigh which approach is a good fit for you and plan accordingly.
Company Culture
Company culture or organisational culture is described as a pattern of shared basic assumptions learned by an organization as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, which has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems. This is a highly technical definition, but it boils down to the organisational culture being the culture taught at any given work environment. For a support worker, it might involve a more open and accepting view of people. At a fast-food restaurant, it will be more akin to working fast and hard. It refers to the core values workers adapt thanks to their workplace. If the company culture isn't a good fit for you, you might struggle to adapt on your career path. As mentioned before, looking up company reviews from previous employees can give you valuable insight into its culture. Never shirk your research!
Financial/salary considerations
Found a perfect fit for yourself? Oh, but what about the salary? Sometimes, money can make or break a potential job for some people. A low paying job could be devastating if it is located in a high-priced city. Still, it is good to consider even low paying jobs at the start of your career. These can often give you more value from the work experience offered than the money offered. I have heard from a friend of mine who worked at a news network that his travel expenses to get to his workplace often outweighed his actual paychecks. Regardless, he enjoyed the work and found it incredibly valuable in future employment.
What are the best careers for 2021?
Now that we have gone through the nitty-gritty, it is time to focus on looking at possibilities ahead of you. Determining the best careers to pursue is a highly subjective task, but there are still ways to make the process easier and approach the question from a different perspective. Different jobs have different popularities. Demand might be low for a position, for example, but the number of applicants might be unreasonably high. These trends move with the times, so it is important to stay afloat and be prepared. Recently, occupations in the care and educational industries have been on the rise. In the wake of the pandemic, Nurses, Home Carers and other such jobs have seen a rise in popularity. Among them, there is a growing interest in Community Development and Special Education.
SEN (special educational needs) teaching jobs are highly rewarding and tie into the theme of assisting people, developing communities, and growing closer in these trying times. In this role, you will work with children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities. If you are here, you are likely looking for one such opportunity, after all.
So, how do you become a SEN teacher? How do you get involved with Special Education? It is important to become a qualified teacher, first and foremost. You can either look for undergraduate degrees that result in teaching certificates (QTS - qualified teacher status). Many bachelor's courses either involve the necessary modules by default or can be taken as electives. However, if you have already gotten your first degree without QTS, you can complete a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) instead.
Volunteering is a valuable means of gaining crucial experience during your studies for the QTS or the PGCE. Try to involve yourself with the local community! Perhaps a library nearby is looking for volunteers? Schools are constantly looking for teaching assistants. There are many ways to go about it and it is up to you to find the one best suited for you. Do not be afraid to try it out if you are interested.
What are the skills you might need, though? Most of these you will have gained through your QTS or PGCE education, but some are more personal and applied. You must be sensitive, understanding and patient. Able to work well with others and respond calmly in critical situations. For these reasons, you will have to be confident in your abilities as well. Volunteering is a great way to grow your confidence. The more you work, the better you will become. Everyone makes mistakes and it is important to never stop working on yourself.
For this role, you will also need to pass enhanced background checks, but many employers assist you in the process. Specialist qualifications will be required to work with students with sensory impairment as well.
This is a great role to grow from as well. You can become a coordinator, working with volunteers and new applicants and assisting them on their Special Educations career path. As a starter in the industry, you will earn around £26,000, and as an experienced teacher, you could earn over £44,849 a year.
Conclusion
Looking for a job is hard, but landing a job is rewarding. So long as you have a clear goal and have done your research, the most important part is to keep at it and not lose heart. Find out more on how to start your career in special educational needs and disabilities or learn more about the benefits across different job roles in special education.
Looking for SEN Jobs? Click here to search our current roles