Planning your career path can seem daunting, but a little web surfing can make your choices a lot clearer.
Going online to research your career options has many benefits — it’s convenient, free, involves little personal risk and can be a great starting point to get a sense of what industries and careers are out there that match your interests and skills.
Shirin Khamisa, a career coach at Careers By Design, says while some freestyle web-surfing is fine to get your bearings, make sure you do eventually set goals for your research sessions to ensure you spend your time wisely and don’t get overwhelmed or discouraged.
“When you open the computer, ask yourself, ‘What are my objectives with this research? What am I looking to find?’ That can make a big difference in terms of keeping yourself focused,” Khamisa said.
For finding out more about different jobs, the Government of Canada offers a great resource, which lets you search through job descriptions and skill requirements for thousands of occupations, find out what wages and salaries are like in different industries and even where to go to get trained for specific jobs.
Industry Canada also lists thousands of employers under job categories including brief descriptions of companies with their website and contact information as well so you can research individual employers in your chosen field.
Many public libraries and educational institutions throughout the country also offer access to Career Cruising software, which contains in-depth job profiles including information about standard working conditions, expected earnings, education and training needed and plenty of other great resources.
Similar information can be found at the National Occupational Classification offered by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.
Khamisa says the right attitude is crucial when searching out career options — keeping an open mind makes the process less intimidating and can inspire you to consider career changes you might never have thought of before.
“Having that adventurous spirit really helps people move forward with change,” Khamisa said.
