How to Find What Job Is Meant for You

With many hours of the day spent at work, finding your passion is important.

To determine what job is meant for you, the first thing you must do is consider your strengths in school. Were you great in English? Did you excel in math? Did you enjoy science? Then you must determine what you have enjoyed in your previous places of employment, if any. Did you enjoy working alone? Did you enjoy working in groups? Had you encountered situations where you were always consulted by others for information? Did you enjoy helping others---children, adults, the elderly? You should follow these types of questions with an evaluation of your personality to determine your true passion and aptitude for a specific job.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pen
• Computer with Internet service

Instructions

Explore Your Inner Passions

1. Make three columns on a sheet of paper. Label them "Joys in School", "Workplace Wonders" and "Personal Touches."

2. List titles of subjects that you enjoyed academically in the "Joys in School" column. You may include details about what you actually liked about each subject or class. For example, you might write, "English: presenting work in class."

3. List factors that were pleasant about your previous work environments in the "Workplace Wonders" column. If you have not experienced a workplace, list factors that you would enjoy in a particular workplace. This may include the type of people you enjoy, the behaviors or actions that you expect from a boss, the types of projects in which you like to participate and the physical aspects that you like about a building or office. Include details about tasks that you enjoy: filing, using the computer, designing Web sites, using accounting software, performing computer-aided drafting, taking the lead in discussions and/or drawing for plays or movie ads.

4. List personal facts about things you enjoy and/or would like to do in the "Personal Touches" column. For example, you might list teaching children, babysitting, working alone, developing projects, owning a business, handling customer service, calling customers, singing, dancing, roller skating, caring for the elderly, teaching, painting, creating flower decorations, working in the yard (planting flowers, cutting grass), radio broadcasting, washing clothes or cleaning the house. Let the ideas flow.

Take a Career Personality Test

1. 

   A career personality test will give you ideas for planning a career.

   Conduct an Internet search for a career personality test you can take. The iVillage UK Web site's Quiz Central offers a test that will lead you through several short questions. Answer each question based on your first instinct. Refrain from giving planned, unnatural responses, as they will yield an inaccurate response or rating. Remember, the goal is to get an accurate listing of careers that suit your personality.

2. Conduct online searches for a couple more career personality tests and compare the results. You should now have a short listing of potential jobs from which to choose.

3. Choose the top two positions that you believe will suit your personal and professional needs. If you have the educational qualifications, you are ready to go job hunting. Otherwise, enjoy taking classes and networking with others to obtain the job that you have identified as right for you.

Tips & Warnings

• After taking one career personality test, you may feel that you have an accurate answer. However, practice makes perfect. Be sure to take one or two more tests to determine whether their results are similar.

• If you find that you must further your education, meet with an academic advisor to plan for the achievement of your career goals.

References

• iVillage.co.uk: What Career Will Suit Your Personality?
• HumanMetrics: Jung Typology Test

Resources

• Keirsey.com: Personality Test