Deciding what career path to pursue is never an easy decision. This decision is made harder if your qualifications do not lead to a specific profession like a teacher, nurse or accountant. When it came to making my decision, I reminded myself that this is not going to be the role I will hold for the next 40 years, so it is okay to choose a job that is right for you for the time being.
Here are the four things I took into consideration when choosing which career path I would pursue (for this moment in time):
It matches my values
I found myself avoiding applying for roles where the mission and values of the company did not match my own. I have always been interested in sustainability, so it seemed like a no brainer to specialise in sustainable development. This allowed me to seek out roles in an area I not only value personally but will also bring value to society.
A growing industry
When it came to deciding what course to pursue at postgraduate level, I wanted to study something which would help me to secure not only a job but a career. The innovation happening across the different pillars of sustainability is widespread across almost every sector and will only continue to grow. This instils confidence in my decision to begin my career in this area.
The potential to build an international career
Moving abroad and traveling have always been things that have fascinated me. I know I will have to be strategic in how I approach emigrating to make sure I can continue to advance my career when doing so. The nature of the energy sector and the rise of investment in sustainable development globally leaves me feeling confident that in the next 2-3 years I can begin planning my move.
Transferable skills
When it came to my graduate job search, I always made it a priority to consider what I could gain from the role professionally and personally, and where that could potentially take me in the future. Transferable skills have the potential to take you down multiple career paths. The experience I gained working in the transport, retail and not-for-profit sectors led me to my new role. In the future, if I want to switch things up again I have no doubt the experience I gain here could see me transition to a new completely different role.
What did you consider when it came to choosing the sector or role to begin your career in? Message @theirishgrad on Instagram to share your process with The Irish Graduate community.
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