A question that frequently pops up among job seekers, is where to actually get decent career advice. Before you just randomly jump on Google or ask someone specific for advice, it is always the best starting point to research the industry you are interested in and find out the basics first, before building on the foundation. This will also enable you to ask the right questions and not waste precious interview time trying to get behind the basics. Make sure you find out what the average education requirements for a specific job are and research the pay range – which includes everything from starting salary to the salary of a more experienced professional. Location is always important as this will also determine travel time which affects your work-life balance as well.
When it comes to asking an actual individual for advice, it is a good idea to research mentors in the same field as you who you could potentially chat to over an online meeting or meet up for a coffee. LinkedIn is always a good place to start if you are a bit lost on the world wide web. If there is a university or college in your area, it might even be worthwhile to set up a meeting with one of the lecturers or professionals that are involved in the specific area of your job interest.
When searching online for career advice, there are quite a lot of companies that have been established, specifically when it comes to the teaching profession, to assist potential teachers with all the tools and advice they need to be successful in the perusal of their careers. GoTeach (goteach.co.za) was established with the vision of assisting teachers to find the ideal schools to work in. We can assist with everything from CV review and improvement, to career coaching and support, interview preparation and assisting to find the right position for you as an individual. Services such as GoTeach also have a job seeker toolkit that can help teachers to get hired a lot faster with an expert coach that ensures individuals have the right resume and the all-important LinkedIn profile, as well as helping with interview preparation and the recruitment process as a whole.
Regardless of which route you decide to take when it comes to looking for advice when it comes to your career, the reaching out part of the process is not the most important – it is the follow-up. It is very easy to send an email or set up a meeting, but if there is no follow-through from a potential candidate’s side, the whole process and effort will be for nothing. There is another simple rule that will always apply when seeking advice from the plethora of avenues that you can explore – always be authentic and don’t sell yourself as something you are absolutely not. Career professionals that can offer advice will always strive to align who you are with what they do best!
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