How to start a career when you don't know what to do!

[coffeeebean]

Hello, I know this seems like a very stupid question but please hear me out. I am from a working class family...everyone I know just has a 'job', mostly cleaners, tradesmen and catering. I was the first in my family to attend university...and after graduating I don't know how to get started!

I don't know what i want to do. At all. I don't really have any 'passions' and nothing jumps out as overly interesting, which is making it so hard to get started. I don't want to blow my own trumpet but I have always been very bright (Top A-Levels and a 1st) but since graduating have only had dead end jobs (some temporary admin, hospitality and childcare). I haven't absolutely hated them necessarily but they aren't something I want to do long term...and cant really progress in either.

I just don't understand how people get going on a career, especially when you don't know what to do. A lot of advice online seems to say just get a job and go from there...but what job? What do i look for? Entry level, graduate jobs, assistant?? I don't understand a lot of the jargon which I know just sounds stupid; I have only just learnt the difference between private and public sector for goodness sake! No one in my family is able to advise me so i'm just overwhelmed with all of the options. I have applied for a few 'assistant' type roles in various industries and haven't heard back from a single one, I imagine on my applications it is apparent i'm quite tentative and lack passion..which i do.

My degree is in life sciences but there is nothing in my field that stands out to me or opportunities that i can find. Im not sure why I went to university when i did...i suppose i felt i should go because of my grades, which is a shame looking back. But equally i suppose having a degree is never a bad thing, even if i'm not using it right now.

Graduate schemes do not really appeal, mainly because although i know i have performed well academically, I lack confidence. I dont know how id cope with the intensity and competitiveness of it all. At the same time I want to use my brain and be challenged and fulfilled by work, its just finding something thats a good balance.

I am just really looking for any advice on how to find out what on earth i want to do with my life, or how to get started finding out what I enjoy. I am 24 shortly so really feel I should be getting on with it by now!

TIA

This might be way off the mark, but there is going to be an enormous need for counsellors as people are realising their mental health isn’t as sound as they thought and being in close quarters with a furloughed partner can also bring its strains and stresses. Not to mention the stress of losing loved ones to covid or being made redundant.

If you want to start a business that will always have customers, which can charge a lot per hour, and which can operate from home in a back bedroom/office providing you have a phone or computer, I’d sit whatever you need to become qualified as quickly as you can and get your website built ASAP.

Your uni should have a careers service which you should still be able to access even after graduating...

It will take you a minimum of four years and s great deal of money to qualify as a counsellor and getting a private practice off the ground and making it pay is not easy at all.

I agree that going back to your university careers service would be a helpful first step. Think about what you like doing, what you enjoy and where your strengths are as well as what you want from work with the realistic attitude that you never stop learning and flexibility and change are important aspects. Look at the National Careers Service site too. You might also find looking at "What Colour is Your Parachute" interesting.

Thank you for your replies. Have tried for the last month or so to get a careers appointment but they seem to be impossible to get hold of! Probably bad timing with everyone working from home etc but will keep trying. Im finding it all quite overwhelming so talking to someone will be helpful just to get out my worries if nothing else I suppose

Perhaps think about the skills you enjoy using? So...problem solving, negotiating, dealing with clients, not dealing with clients, analysing, working with data - try and narrow it down to 5 things you’ve enjoyed doing and build from there? It’s also ok to try a few things out and make mistakes, you don’t have to choose something right now which will be your job forever.

Look at the National Careers Service website. Look, many people when it comes down to it are not super passionate about their area of work, but they comprise between satisfaction and opportunities. Eg they go into health and social care because there's a clear career path and they know they have a good manner with people, or into the oil industry because they want to make it in a competitive environment, or become a solicitor or accountant because its well paid and flexible. Drop the low confidence and consider what you did well in childcare/office/hospitality? These are your strengths. What challenging aspects of the jobs did you enjoy? These will give hints to the type of thing that will give you career satisfaction eg helping someone learn a skill, being a team leader, problem solving, poring over the figures (everyone likes the easy bits so ignore the bits you liked because it was quiet/easy). Pick a few large sectors and do a fantasy job hunt, just see what roles attract you. Then see what you can find online - you're lucky because there's lots of online Webinar, open days and work experience things currently so you can gain insights and experience that way. You do need to graft at the skills development and applications though. You absolutely need to fake passion and confidence even if you don't have it, and if you do, it might grow.

I came from a very similar background (may I say very well done on your excellent achievements)
Have you considered a post grad? Perhaps teaching? Or another vocational route. Science is a great subject to have.

Try temping until you something you like. That way you earn and get experience until you find the right thing for you.

www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/healthcare-science/roles-healthcare-science/life-sciences

jobs.newscientist.com/en-gb/jobs/life-sciences/united-kingdom/

www.prospects.ac.uk/planner

www.ratemyplacement.co.uk/science-and-research

Are you reasonably mathematical? Accountancy is a popular choice for biologists who don’t want to go into research.

Do you want to stay located where you are? If so I would research companies or big employers locally and look up their working for us pages. Brush up your cv, interview and application writing skills.

How typical just as I was saying I couldn't get an appointment I have checked the website again and there was one available, so careers appointment booked for January...step 1 is done.

@ScrapThatThen
Very fair point about people not often doing what they are passionate about, maybe I am being unrealistic. I just really want a job I enjoy as I have struggled with depression in the past and I do worry about slipping back into it if im unhappy in work.

Anyway, thinking more broadly about what I'm good at and what I enjoy:

1. My absolute favourite thing at university was my dissertation. I loved collecting and analysing all my data..I used to try and show everyone my spreadsheet even though no one cared at all! I liked picking out the trends and figuring out what it was telling me (just as an insight, I ended up creating a risk assessment formula from my data..found it all super satisfying). It definitely helped that it was a topic I found really interesting though (horses...)

1. Even though I am naturally anxious and introverted I found myself always acting as a leader in group projects at uni. I am naturally very organised so would just take lead and divide up roles and set deadlines etc...purely because not knowing what was going on and when used to stress me out and I didn't want to lose marks for other peoples laziness!

1. I love helping people. I am ISFJ so really like to feel like im making a wider impact...hence I have enjoyed working with children as it felt meaningful

1. I have tutored in the past and do enjoy explaining things. Thinking about it, Ive had people throughout my life tell me they think id make a good teacher I've just never believed them!

1. With regards to maths, yes I am good at is (or at least was at school..forgotten all my a-level stuff now!) and did used to love it. I just think the idea of accountancy sounds so dull, but then Im sure that's just a stereotype.

Any ideas of jobs that could combine some of these elements?

Project Management?

www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/project-manager

What's good about it is that it pays well, applies across a few industries and I think would fit well to the skills/interests you set out above. The best PMs are smart and like people. You'll see references to 'change management' which requires you to examine the roles people currently do and create a plan as a result of eg a new computer system being introduced or a massive increase in orders to be processed. So you have to get up your head around how a company's processes work, how people do their job and what will change for everyone as a result of the new system. People may have to adapt how they do their role, fewer or more roles will be needed.

Oh, and don't dismiss accountancy, you can again be an accountant in any industry and sometimes it's more about the environment you work in than the job itself.

Your future self would also thank you for choosing a well paid stable career.

Oh dh has lots of data analysts he works with in the ministry of defence, we both agree this type of job would be really satisfying. Sounds right up your street.

Or systematic reviews? www.cochrane.org/news

I mean not necessarily in Mod, but it could be worth looking at civil service jobs - organisations like DEFRA, Environment Agency etc have a wide range of roles and career pathways.

What is more important to you OP - salary or impact?

I'm not saying it's a binary choice but if you had to choose between a lower salary and meaningful work that helped people or a higher salary that didn't necessarily have a direct impact in terms of helping people. Which would you prefer right now?

From what you've said so far these kind of options spring to mind:

• Actuary (numbers driven, analytical, risk assessment, well paid BUT no direct impact on people)

• Teacher/tutor

• Project manager (but IMO it does work better to do another job before being a project manager so you have some experience of what you're managing). You would start as a project assistant or PMO assistant

• Researcher (at a uni, in Govt departments or for a charity)

You need some very good careers advice. Ds1 was given some at secondary while studying GCSE's. They have good online quizzes and apps. It asks about your personality and what you like doing, what are you like? Do you like project management or whether you are good people person? and whether you like to manage people, or do you like to work alone. and what kind of jobs might suit you. what you enjoy doing and what you don't enjoy doing. all the things you need to take into consideration now.

As someone above has said, your strengths sound like they could be suited to an analytical role in the civil service. There are roles across most departments, and the professions cover statistics, operational research, social research, modellers and 'unbadged' analysts. Most entry level roles require quite general analytical skills to start out with and there is a lot of room for career progression, particularly if you're interested in eventually going into management.

I was going to suggest doing a personality test to help focus your thinking but can see you’ve already done one - Myers Briggs or similar? I do think this makes a good start.

I second the finance role - bit boring to start with but over time you can choose your sector eg education, the skills are great, and it’s well paid. Also you can work closely with commercial to pick up business skills which helps broaden your options with career progression. I used to think finance was boring but as you progress you will find that it is critical for driving business strategy and becomes much more interesting.

Good luck!

Years after graduating and I still don’t know what to do! I work in the civil service but I don’t particularly enjoy it or feel any love for the department or job.

Does your uni have an mentoring programme? If not you may be able to find one through LinkedIn.

Hi all, thanks for the replies. I have done personality tests before....I am ISFJ. I have looked a lot into the civil service actually, I like the potential to explore different careers and change as you go. My only concern r.e. finance is im really not an office 9-5 kind of person. I cant stand being sat at a desk and much happier being up and doing something at least part of the day. I think maybe I need to look towards a trade or something instead :(

If you don;t know what job you want to do, work backwards and think about what sort of life you want to have. What would you value most if you had to choose: job security or excitement? How about hours? Do you want a strict 9-5 and clock off so you can enjoy a rich social life or would you thrive on having to pull all nighters to bring a project in? If a steadier life appeals, look at the Civil Service. They are pretty good at matching your skills to what they need.

Do you want a job with clear progression? If so, maybe look at one of the big corporates - Unilever, Proctor & Gamble etc. If you'd prefer to be your own boss, look at careers that enable this. Maybe do a course on entrepreneurship or running a small business.

Maybe work on your lack of confidence too, so that you don't feel put off by graduate traineeships. It would be a huge shame if all that intelligence and further education stalled because you were telling yourself the story that you're not quite up to scratch like your glossier, privately educated peers. It won't be true.