Throughout the early stages of my career, I never had anyone I could turn to for professional advice; someone that could guide me in the right direction. Whilst this resulted in me changing my career path a number of times (like many young candidates do) and exploring various avenues, it ultimately meant discovering my strengths, and now utilising my skills, in a role that I love. In this article, I’ll discuss the journey I’ve taken, and what it takes to identify your next career step.
The Beginnings
When I finished school, I wasn’t one hundred percent sure what I wanted to do with my career. It was at that point where I enrolled in nursing school, although it wasn’t long before I realised that it wouldn’t be for me. This was the start of a few changes as I tried to find something that aligned with my goals and strengths, including stints as a Flight Attendant, working in retail, and even a role at Rainbows End.
It was taking this path that helped me identify that I needed to be doing something that involved working with people. Sales was always an area I did well in, however at that point, I didn’t realise I was excelling. I lacked proper feedback, management, and leadership that could help foster my development.
After landing my first Call Centre job, whilst I found the environment tough, having an excellent leader made all the difference. He helped me identify my strong suits, managed my development, and steered me in the right direction. I finally found my real strength – listening to people and understanding what they’re looking for. Connecting with people felt natural, came easily, and was something that I enjoyed, although it would never have happened if I didn’t have the right people in my life to mentor and guide me!
Now at Beyond Recruitment, where I’ve been for the last couple of years, I feel like I’ve found my place and can focus on what’s really important to me.
Making the jump to recruitment was a big step for me. I didn’t know much about the industry and prior to joining even had a negative impression of agencies, so coming across the right people to mentor and guide me has helped tremendously in deciding my next career move.
With a positive team culture and a line manager that I can rely on, the end result is brilliant. I have the opportunity to connect and engage with people every day, and utilising my strengths makes me feel confident and fulfilled because I’m in the right role. I wake up each morning excited about the day ahead and the people I’m going to meet – a role that I truly enjoy.
Working Out Your Priorities
In my role as a Recruiter, I come across a lot of people who haven’t received proper guidance. From my experience, I can relate to this – sometimes, people don’t know what they want to do with their career. It’s important to consider your options for your next career move. What are the qualities you’re looking for in a job? What are your short/long-term goals? What do you enjoy the most/least? I used to write little pointers detailing a few of these things – it helps to see it all written down. So, my advice would be to set aside some time, sit down, and start writing what you want in your next job.
Being able to identify these qualities and align them with a career will help you find the right place, rather than hopping around different roles and realising they all weren’t quite right.
Deciding if a Job is Right
Before I joined Beyond Recruitment, multiple offers were on the table and I had a massive fear of missing out. What if I made the wrong decision and lost an opportunity as a result? While this is a very normal feeling (after all, we want the best for ourselves!), reflect on what you look for in a job and make a decision.
Once you’ve been through the interview, it’s important to meet the team you’ll be working with. After you meet the people you’ll be interacting with daily, reflect back on what you wrote down and how you felt during your experience.
Did you connect with the manager and team? You generally know straight away whether you’re going to click with someone or not!
Think about why you initially applied for the role, did you get the vibe you were hoping for or something close to it?
The style of manager is crucial too – will they micromanage you? Will they be supportive?
On the other hand, how do you know when a role isn’t right? It’s important that you’re watching out for the red flags that could be indicating it’s time to look at your options. Look out for signs like not being motivated for work, finding yourself doing non-work-related tasks out of disinterest, or simply not giving your usual hundred percent in the workplace.
Closing Thoughts
Figuring out your next career move can be difficult, but with the right resources and mentorship, it doesn’t have to feel laborious. At Beyond Recruitment we’re experienced in helping people identify their strengths, values, and figuring out what makes them tick. With our guidance, we’ll work together to explore your options for your next career move. If you’re looking to identify your next step and move forwards with your career, get in touch today.
