Choosing the Right Career for You
Looking to start a new career? Finding the right fit for your personality, interests, and skills helps lead to a rewarding experience.
Here’s how Cara guides participants through the process of self-discovery and choosing a career
Cara works to match participants and employers based on a mutually great fit. This means we don’t just place Cara participants into any open position, but rather help them find one that matches their needs, interests, and skills. This ensures that both employers and employees are happier with the outcome and productively work together. Cara’s process is unique, but our philosophy of using the talents that all participants come to us already possessing and guiding them to opportunities that spotlight their skills is something anyone can learn from and apply to their job search. Here are three steps to take when searching for a career that suits you.
The First Step: Self-Discovery
A great first step in any job search process is practicing self-reflection. Ask yourself questions like: What am I good at? What am I interested in? How do I work best? What are my goals and values? Then think deeply about the answers. The places they intersect are where you should look when pursuing a career.
Cara participants come to us with a variety of skill sets and levels of job experience. But no matter how much or how little experience people have, all of them have talent and interests that can help lead them down the right path. To get started, we encourage Cara participants to partake in frequent self-reflection and really think about themselves. These discoveries allow us to match them with employment opportunities because, through the process, we get to know their individual strengths, goals, skills, and barriers. That way, we can suggest pathways that set them up for success.
For example, a patient person who enjoys helping others would likely do well in a customer service job, even if they have no prior experience. On the other hand, a detail-oriented and careful person with computer skills could potentially make a great administrative assistant. Through these insights and with our closely cultivated relationships with employment partners, we make targeted employment recommendations that are a win-win for both sides.
For a fun way to reach some personal insight, try taking a personality test! They’re not hard science, but they can help you reach new conclusions about yourself.
The Next Step: Taking On Opportunities
After some self-reflecting to figure out what you’re interested in, start looking for volunteer opportunities, internships, and temporary positions that may suit your interests and skills. These short-term options provide the chance to explore a multitude of jobs and industries without making a serious commitment to one career path. At the same time, you’ll grow a network of connections and gain applicable job experience.
At Cara, we help participants get placed in temporary positions with our employment partners. These opportunities allow exploration of potential career paths without the pressure to make an end-all-be-all career decision. To find some nonpermanent options, see if companies in your area offer internships or contract positions. Or, if these resources aren’t available to you, reach out to Cara Connects—we connect candidates with temporary employment opportunities through a trusted network of employment partnerships.
A “Final” Step: Fostering Mentorship
Another important step in the job search process is finding a mentor to help guide you through it. Whether it’s a family member, friend, teacher, manager, or professional coach, having someone invested in your professional development will be vital to your success. Talk to people in industries you’re interested in who know your personality and talents to figure out whether or not a specific career path could be right for you. If you could use some help getting started on this, check out Cara’s career development services. Our team of mentors is dedicated to guiding you through the job search process. Along with this, ask those around you to interview you leading up to the real deal—this will help you prepare for a variety of questions and interview styles.
Cara’s mentors are dedicated to guiding participants through the job search process as they find the right fit. One role of our volunteers is to simulate the interview process in real-time. Along with behavior-based question training and professional drills, coaches give participants immediate feedback to incorporate into their interview approach. This allows participants to build confidence fluidly and grow from day one all the way to the time when they step into a real interview.
Bringing It All Together
The key to choosing the right job is bringing all of these pieces together and putting yourself out there. Self-reflection can lead you to discover short-term opportunities that in turn, guide you on the best career path for you. Surround yourself with people invested in your future success and be proud of the skills you have to offer.
Here at Cara, our goal is to bring out the best of each and every participant. We believe that our participants already possess talent when they come to us, and it’s our job to spotlight their skills by guiding them to opportunities that allow them to shine. No matter who you are, finding a job is tough. But it’s never too late to try. If you could use a helping hand in your job search process, learn more about joining Cara and connect with us.
