Choosing your Career

When you are 17 years old and asked to make choices about your future you generally have no idea what it is you want to be when you grow up. How can you be expected to? I know that for alot of people they spend half their life trying to figure out who and what they want to be, so how can you possibly be expected to make that momentous decision at the age of 17? The simple answer is you can’t. You haven’t yet experienced life, nor have you had the chance to really figure out what it is in life that excites you and makes you tick. So, if you are twenty plus and you still don’t know what it is you want to do with your life, don’t worry you are not alone.

For me, choosing a career was all about what I loved to do combined with what I was good at. I had always loved organising and it didn’t matter if it was a small dinner party my parents were having, or an evening out with my friends – I just loved to plan events. I was creative too and had an eye for colour and the ability to visualise. Slowly but surely and after a few bum steers I realised that I should do what it was I enjoyed in life - planning parties & events. After all, we spend a huge part of our lives at work so we might as well enjoy it.

I realise that it isn’t that easy for everyone, so I thought today we would look at whether or not wedding and event planning is the right career choice for you. First of all I want you to take a blank piece of paper and write down 5 things that you enjoy doing that give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside. If you are having trouble coming up with things think about answering some of these questions below:

1. What movies do you enjoy watching?
2. If you could enrol on a course what would it be?
3. If you could travel where would you go?
4. What do you love to do at the weekend?
5. What elements of your job do you really enjoy?
6. What elements of other people’s jobs do you wish you could do?
7. What blogs do you read and follow
8. What are your favourite TV shows and why?

Once you have done this then have a think about the things that matter to you in your working life:

1. Do you want to work full time or part time?
2. Is working from home your ideal?
3. Do you like being part of a team?
4. Do you mind travelling?
5. What is your preferred working location?
6. What skills do you want to use?
7. What sort of money do you need to earn?
8. What are your preferred industries?
9. What sort of hours do you want to work?
10. What level of responsibility are you willing to take on?

Once you are clear on these parameters and you have prioritised them in order of importance, then you can start to look at the options that are available to you. And if you are still not convinced or would like a helping hand then try taking a career test. The Myers Briggs is the most widely used personality assessment in the world with more than 2 million people taking it each year you are not alone. To find out more about Career Testing and the Myers Brigs click here…

If you have already decided that a career in the Special Events Industry is for you then you need to visit the Academy of Wedding and Event Planning and have a look at the career opportunities available to you in our industry. There are many choices open to you from Wedding Planning to Event Design. And if this is not your industry but you do cover this in part of your job role as a Personal Assistant, Secretary or Executive Assistant then there is a certificate course – Event Planning for PA’s available that will cover everything you need to know.  

Good luck and enjoy the adventure. See where it leads you and happy hunting.