FIND YOUR SWEET SPOT
The perfect job is out there, writes Melanie Burgess
CHOOSING the right career can be contingent on any number of factors but for many people, a sense of fulfilment and abundance of opportunity are likely to be important.
Analysis of data from SEEK Career Advice and the Federal Government’s JobOutlook forecasts has identified 23 roles that tick both of these boxes.
In each, the average worker rates their job satisfaction at least four stars out of five and there is expected to be more than 20 per cent job growth between 2019 and 2024.
About half of the identified roles are in the healthcare and social assistance industry – clinical psychologist, case manager, aged care worker, psychologist, disability support worker, allied health assistant, support worker, speech pathologist, mental health support worker, occupational therapist, counsellor and community support worker.
The rest span business, IT, education and design, with the roles of network engineer, marketing manager, digital marketing manager, management consultant, business consultant, analyst programmer, change manager, Java developer, brand manager, building designer and teacher’s aide.
Employer Branding Australia chief executive Mark Puncher says it is important to choose the right employer, not just the right role.
“It’s not enough to say ‘I am part of an organisation that does this’, you have to feel you are personally contributing to the good,” he says.
“(For example,) so many people go into aged care or disability care to help others but if you are not really connected to the people around you, it makes it hard to have that impact.”
He recommends jobseekers look through an employer’s website and social media accounts and read employee reviews on SEEK Company Reviews or Glassdoor.
Puncher says projected job growth is an important factor to consider, too, as it can provide stability as well as increased options when choosing an employer.
“Be more strategic,” he says.
Of the 23 jobs identified as having high job satisfaction and strong growth, nine also have an average advertised salary of more than $100,000.
They are network engineer, marketing manager, digital marketing manager, clinical psychologist, business consultant, change manager, Java developer and brand manager.