Page 3 - Book VII Unit 5

Reading and Thinking

Get a head start on your future career

1 Before you read, discuss these questions in groups.

1 What are some of the ways that can help people decide which career is appropriate for them?
2 Is it essential that teenagers decide on a career before they become adults? Why?

2 Skim the text and find the main advice given to readers.

WORKING OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

As an adult, one of the first questions you are asked
when meeting someone new is, “What do you do?” Use charts and graphs
This is because your career is a very important part Charts and graphs are a great way to
of who you are. The career you have defines your convey a wide range of information in a
life, and so taking time to think about it is an essential limited space. To understand them, first
read the title and then the labels on the
exercise for young people. edges of the chart (often called the x-axis,
y-axis, and the key/legend).
The best time to start thinking about possible careers
is while you are still at school, before you make any
choices about your further education. This, however, is not always easy. Some people know
what they want to do from a young age, but many others just have a few ideas bouncing
around in their heads.

One of the most effective ways to get some insight on a possible career path is to complete a
“career aptitude test”. The results of the test will tell you about your strengths and interests, and
some tests also suggest careers that you may be suited to. Having this information will provide
you with a better chance of finding a job you like. There are many free tests online, so give one
a try. Getting a head start in considering your future career may help you for the rest of your life.
You don’t want to look back in years to come and say, “I wish I had thought more about what I
really wanted to do.”
There are many different
kinds of career aptitude
tests. Some ask questions
about your personal interests
and attitudes. Others focus
more on asking you to
rate different kinds of work
scenarios, like working as
a librarian or a lawyer. Of
course, while completing
these sorts of tests, it is very
important to be honest—and
don’t worry—there are no
right or wrong answers.
One popular test asks the
participants to grade their
preferences for a variety of
work tasks. Their answers are
then analysed and divided up between six different types of work personalities. The participant
is then given a chart showing their score for each type of work personality. The top three scores

50 UNIT 5 LAUNCHING YOUR CAREER