Planning what you’ll do after you finish school can be nerve-wracking – not everyone has a clear idea of what job they’d like to do after their GCSEs! Thinking ahead to your future, we’ve tackled 5 common career fears to help put your mind at ease.
1. My CV won’t be good enough
This is a very common fear! Many young people leave school without ever having had to put together a proper CV. The best thing you can do is use a CV template and do your research to find out what things employers in your chosen industry are specifically looking for. Once you’re happy with it, double check for any obvious spelling and grammar errors, then run it by someone your trust.
2. I don’t want to go to university
Nowadays, universities in the UK can charge up to £9,250 a year for undergraduate tuition. This alone may factor heavily in an individual’s choice as to whether they’ll go on to study for a degree. But what you need to remember is that even having a degree is no guarantee of getting a job! Luckily, there are plenty of options after school including apprenticeships, traineeships and gap years.
3. I won’t present myself well at job interviews
Quite simply, the more preparation you can do – the better! There’s a lot riding on it, when you consider that 80% of the decision to hire someone is based on what the interviewers see and hear on the day and only about 20% is based on what is in your CV/qualifications. Jot down a list of questions you think your interviewer is likely to ask you and ask a trusted friend or relative to give you a mock interview.
4. There’s too much competition for the role I want
There are very few jobs where you’ll be the sole candidate and, even if you’re the only one, you still might not be chosen for the role. Job seeking is a fine art, and the more you experience you have, the better you’ll get at it. Personalise your CV and cover letter for each new job you apply for, and don’t be deterred by receiving a few knock-backs. Having a positive attitude and never giving up will eventually land you the job you want!
5. I’ll end up in the wrong job
During our lifetime we spend a staggering 99,117 hours at work, so it’s important that you enjoy your job! It’s highly unlikely that you’ll stay in one role for your entire working life – the average is 6 jobs across 6 different companies according to one study. You need to remember that you have all this time to settle on a job you love doing, so there’s no need to panic.
Interested in doing an apprenticeship after school? Speak to our recruitment team about your options today!
