NEW YEAR >>> NEW CAREER

AGE OF THE CAREER CHAMELEON

ACHANGE in career is something becoming more and more common among Australians, with the Australian Bureau of Statisitcs (ABS) reporting more than one million Aussies changed employers between 2017 and 2018.

ABS chief economist Bruce Hockman said that more than half of those who had changed employers or businesses were working in a completely different industry or occupation in February 2018.

“We can really see the dynamic nature of the labour market with the estimates from the Participation, Job Search and Mobility survey,” Mr Hockman said, when comparing the results to the monthly employment estimates from the Labour Force Survey.

As the world continues to change at a rapid rate, the opportunities change also meaning the likelihood of having several different jobs over one’s working life is now higher than ever.

Working out which jobs suit your skills and interests is a good way to find a career that is right for you.

SkillsOne chief executive Brian Wexham said it was “essential” for people to consider their personality when choosing a career path.

“You might want to be a teacher but don’t like standing up in front and you are not confident in speaking so maybe that is the wrong choice for you,” he said.

Meanwhile, people who are nurturing, patient and empathetic may be suited to aged care, disability care or childcare; and people who are innovative may be suited to charity work.

SEEK resident psychologist Sabina Read said other factors also play into career choices and changes.

“These include values, life goals [and] career motivations,” she said.

“Personality is important because it drives our decision making and approach to life but it doesn’t define every part of who we are.”

There are many online tools that allow people to see what jobs are a good match for various skills and qualifications.

The myfuture website provides facts about specific jobs, including information on related courses and qualifications, your personal requirements, other similar occupations and the duties and tasks.

The Job Outlook website is an Australian Government initiative providing employment characteristics, trends and prospects for specific jobs.

The Job Outlook career quiz also helps to find jobs that might match one’s current skills.

Ultimately, there is no single factor that leads to making the perfect career choice, meaning for those looking to try something new in 2020, a change in career or industry could be an option.