Аудирование "Choosing a career"

Choosing a career.

Interviewer: And here’s some advice to school students from a career guide. We’re now going to talk to Jenny Ogden, who works in the Career Advice Service. My first question to Jenny would be: How important is it to choose the right career?

Jenny: Choosing a career is probably one of the most difficult things in the world. You want to be doing something that you love for the rest of your life.

Interviewer: What would you start with if you were to choose a job?

Jenny: The first step would be to create a list of things that you like to do. For example, you can list down your hobbies or interests that you have been doing or would like to know about doing, something like ‘I am good with numbers’, ‘I am a nature lover’, ‘I am a technology enthusiast’, etc. You might also think back to your childhood. Your early years might be the best place to start. Assess your abilities. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What kind of skills do you have? You can try to come up with something that you are good at doing such as cooking or public speaking. Write down these ideas onto a piece of paper.

Interviewer: Well, what would the next step be?

Jenny: When you have the list of ideas that you like to be doing, try to brainstorm several jobs that for example might be related to food. For example, chefs, cooks, food specialists, kitchen helpers or even chemists are all professions that are related to cooking and food. If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a movie star and walking down the red carpet, check out a career in media, the entertainment industry or public relations.

Interviewer: How relevant is school experience in choosing a career?

Jenny: Extremely relevant! You can begin by looking at the courses you are taking in high school. What are your best subjects? What kinds of extracurricular activities do you participate in? What kinds of things did you learn from parttime or summer jobs? There must be at least one class that stands out above the rest. If you love history, art or archaeology, check out a museum job. There are more options out there than you may think – even if you don’t want to take tour groups around a museum, you could work on their marketing or manage the museum’s finances. By going one step further you will be able to find a career that suits your interests.

Interviewer: So you’ve got a list of jobs. What do you do then?

Jenny: Now, assess these professions. You can gather information such as job descriptions, salary, education requirements, necessary experience, work related hazards, etc. Moreover, you can interview others who are already in the professions and visit the library for additional resources as well as searching the internet for relevant information. Think about what is most important for you in a job: helping society, working under pressure, group affiliation, stability, security, status, working alone or with groups, having a positive impact on others or something else?

Interviewer: If you were choosing a job, would you do a career assessment test?

Jenny: You can try some of the free career assessment tests. They will give you an idea of what you are good at and what you like to do when it comes to choosing a career. If you have the money, seek a career coach or guide for ideas. They are able to point you in the right career direction after assessing key areas which you are good at. You can also get free advice from parents, teachers, friends or relatives. But remember that parents’ opinions are sometimes biased. As a result, the careers that they prefer might not be the one that fi t you the best.

Interviewer: Are there any other options?

Jenny: You can apply for a summer job in a company that specialises in the area of your interest. This job may later become a temporary position which will give you added experience.

Interviewer: So, choosing a career is a hard task that a lot of people find difficult to complete. It takes time to determine the career that matches your interest. Simply choosing a career that pays the most won’t keep you happy. Thank you, Jenny. I’m sure our listeners will follow your advice.

Jenny: You’re welcome. I wish I were able to help everyone to choose a right career, but a lot depends upon you as well. Listen to yourself and work hard to achieve your goals. Good luck!