The future can seem like a big place full of possibility and excitement, but it can also seem daunting as you consider what you want to do with your life. As you begin to ponder where you would like to go with your career, it can all seem a little bit too ‘grown-up,’ like you are expected to make choices that you are not quite ready for. Even if you have an idea as to where you would like to go with your career, it can seem like a huge task to get there. However, even if your dreams seem a long way off, you can still manage to keep them in perspective and keep moving towards them, little by little.
Like any journey, it starts with a first step, but it is important to know which direction you need to head in first. Use the resources available, whether that is by speaking to a careers advisor, a teacher, or looking online to find out what qualifications and experience you need to get into your dream job. Even the seemingly most insurmountable of goals can be achieved if you know what you need to do to get there.
Chances are, your journey will start with your GCSE results, and you will almost certainly need to get a pass in Maths and English. From there you can look to specialise and concentrate on relevant skills to achieve your goal. Knowing what you need to study will help you to take the right path, so if you need to succeed in science, for example, you should certainly put in the effort required to make it to the next stage of your plan. Not knowing what is required of you will leave you floundering around, hoping to get the relevant grades and experience, but following a proven path with ensure that your efforts are not being wasted.
Of course, many careers have several ways of getting to them, whether it is an apprenticeship, a degree, or just working your way up to the top. Fortunately, there will be very few (if any) careers that have not already been mapped out by others, so you should seek inspiration from them. If you can look at the success of someone who is already in your desired job, then perhaps you can follow in their footsteps and avoid some of the mistakes they may have made?
Whatever it is you want to achieve, the first step is knowing how t get there. Like looking at a map before going on a journey, so you can plan your career path and work out what experience and qualifications you will need to reach your destination. That is not to say that you might not skip some of the steps and find yourself reaching your goal faster than expected. However, take things step by step, and remember, if you don’t know where you are going, how are you to know which way to go?
Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by your dreams, but instead break them down into smaller, bite-sized chunks.
