Q I AM 23 and I would like to know how I can find a job that I would enjoy doing, one that would provide continuous challenges for me?

A IT SEEMS you are at an important juncture in your life. You need to review your options and try to establish a growth strategy that will offer greater meaning and purpose as well as a deeper sense of clarity.

The following steps could form part of your review process:

- Consider what goals you want to set for yourself on various fronts: finances, education, relationships, career, spiritual development and family.

- Ask yourself what your strengths and weaknesses are.

- Focus on your core strengths so you can find a comfortable career fit.

Many people take up jobs in areas that are not their strong suit and they feel like a fish out of water every day.

- Examine your abilities, interests and passions. Determine what your transferable skills are. Self-knowledge is the fundamental key to personal success, so you need to understand yourself better before you can build a long-term career platform.

- Seek feedback from your family, friends and peers, which will help you carry out an objective career review.

- Find a reliable mentor. He or she can help you form a more objective view and help you make well-informed decisions.

You can consider applying the ASK technique: Abilities, Skills, Knowledge of self and career landscape.

A 16-year-old I worked with, using this technique, has made a conscious choice, after much self-questioning and reflection, to embark on a course in accounting and to pursue his interest in this field long term.

To successfully plan a career, you first need to discover your innate talent and how to harness it.

Strategic career management is about taking charge of your life's agenda while embracing the greater scheme of life.

There are many valuable resources on career management that you can access. You can begin by checking out the website of the Asian Association of Career Management Professionals, www.aacmp.org.sg

Staying engaged and challenged is about discovering your true passion and stretching yourself to the limit every day so you can live a life with few regrets.

Christine Sim
Senior Associate Director
KCS Executive Recruitment Services

Advice provided in this column is not meant as a substitute for comprehensive professional advice. E-mail questions to a1admin@sph.com.sg.

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