Does your first job still exist?

My first job was working in a clothes shop. The shop is still there and there are many other people doing similar roles to the one I did. But retail, like other sectors, is constantly looking at ways of using technology to improve processes, efficiencies and reduce costs. Things are changing fast.

There was a time when students were told at age 16 what their career options were by a careers’ adviser. These options weren’t always favourable and at times were pretty staid. You may recall what your careers adviser suggested you should do. How did that work out for you? I wonder if anyone really got the most out of a role they were ‘assigned’ by a careers’ adviser! All this got me thinking about just how hard it is to find your way when you’re starting out in the world of work.

That’s why I think it’s really important for all of us who are already established in our careers to think back to those first jobs, to the first career chats and remember our own experiences and challenges. We cannot forget that we were there once, struggling to get out the starting block.

One of the biggest problems is that when you’re just starting out, people often focus on what you can’t do; your shortcomings and the holes in your experience or skillset. I find this strange. Why focus on people’s negatives or under developed strengths. It’s like telling someone “you’ve got a cut and I am going to put some lemon juice in it to make you feel better”. I just cannot see how this can be beneficial.

That’s why, I choose to work on what people are good at. And I always start with three simple questions:

What are your strengths?

Are you good at these?

Do you enjoy them?

Once a young person has got to grips with these (it may take a while to train their brain to think positively for a change), it’s about getting out there and getting some experience. They’ve got to build up knowledge and give things a try. But there needs to be openings where this is possible.

I would also therefore really implore employers to do their bit to offer work experience opportunities to students. I receive so many requests from students that just want a week (sometimes even a day) of work experience in a financial services company. They receive so many rejections. They don’t have the contacts that other families may have. They are left often feeling dejected and despondent. They just want a chance. Having high scoring exam grades does not always equate to getting a paid, dare I say, enjoyable, job.

More needs to be done to encourage, assist and teach youngsters how to start up a business of their own, run a business, sell a business. I will cover this subject in another article. But let’s get real. Let’s find the right opportunities that match a person’s skill set and start helping them find pathways to having a purposeful career.