You’re doing all sorts of great stuff right now. Everyone has talents, abilities and skills. Knowing what you’re good at and recognising your talents can help you choose a course, occupation or a job.
If you’re struggling to come up with options, then think about the activities you enjoy. Or the skills you use and your abilities in different areas of your life.
Often, you’ll discover patterns that appear in the things you like doing. These are important clues to enable you to identify the study and career options that’ll be perfect for you.
See how this approach helped Lily, Robbie and Jacob.
Meet Lily
Lily is in Year 12 and is trying to decide what to do after Year 12. Lily decided to jot down the things that she enjoys in different areas of her life:
| Aspect’s of Lily’s Life | What Lily Enjoys |
|---|---|
| Learning: Favourite school subjects, skills, favourite extracurricular activities | Favourite Subjects: Textiles, Maths, Art Extracurricular Activities: helps make costumes for a school musical |
| Family and Friends: Favourite activities with family and friends | Enjoys cooking for her family Loves op-shopping for clothes with friends |
| Leisure Activities: Favourite spare-time activities, such as sport, dance, Scouts, gardening, cycling, gaming, arts and crafts, etc. | Sewing clothes Cooking Drawing |
| Working: Volunteering, part-time job, community service | Loves her part-time job doing sewing in a clothing alteration shop |
Once written down, Lily could see that textiles and sewing are favourite activities. She has always loved fashion and clothes. Plus she enjoys doing her part-time job at the clothing alterations shop. This activity helped her realise that there were patterns across aspects of her life. So she decided to explore fashion design. Lily has enrolled in a Certificate III in Applied Fashion Design and Technology at TAFE.
Meet Robbie
Robbie can’t decide what to do after Year 12. He’s tossing up between continuing with Hospitality at TAFE. Studying Music at uni, doing Art at TAFE or PE Teaching at uni. So he did the same exercise.
| Aspect’s of Robbie’s Life | What Robbie Enjoys |
|---|---|
| Learning: Favourite school subjects, skills, favourite activities | Favourite Subjects: Art, PE, Music, VET Hospitality Extracurricular Activities: In the school orchestra, plays soccer and in the school athletics team |
| Family and Friends: Favourite activities with family and friends | Loves going to family shack Loves hanging out with friends from school, athletics and orchestra |
| Leisure Activities: Favourite spare-time activities, such as sport, dance, Scouts, gardening, cycling, gaming, arts and crafts, etc. | Club soccer Athletics club Music lessons – AMEB Grade 7 violin Play violin in orchestras Write songs Play guitar Photography Watches movies Surfing |
| Working: Volunteering, part-time job, community service | Plays violin in concerts Works as a kitchenhand in holidays |
Robbie’s got a pretty busy life. But after writing it all down, it helped him to decide to keep athletics and soccer as activities in his spare time. Given his love of music, he decided to continue with music at uni. Then he’d get a part-time job in hospitality to pay for his uni study. So in the end he was able to find a way to keep all the things he enjoys doing in his life.
Meet Jacob
Jacob is in Year 10 and is dead keen on getting into the workforce once he finishes Year 12. Here’s what he wrote down about his interests:
| Aspect’s of Jacob’s Life | What Jacob Enjoys |
|---|---|
| Learning: Favourite school subjects, skills, favourite extracurricular activities | Favourite Subjects: Materials, Design and Technology (MDT), Automotive, Health and Physical Education (HPE) |
| Family and Friends: Favourite activities with family and friends | Enjoys working on cars with Dad and Uncle Speedway on weekends with all the family Video gaming with friends |
| Leisure Activities: Favourite spare-time activities, such as sport, dance, Scouts, gardening, cycling, gaming, arts and crafts, etc. | Playing sport Racing go karts Building and making things |
| Working: Volunteering, part-time job, community service | Volunteering at the local mechanics with paid work during the holidays. Junior community firefighter. Automotive show volunteer/helper – directing cars for parking |
It became clear to Jacob that he has a passion for working with his hands. He had done a work placement at his Uncle’s auto service centre that he loved. He decided he wanted to do a school-based apprenticeship. So he asked his Uncle if he could do it through his auto service centre. It’s here he’ll undertake a Cert III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology with the aim to become a mechanic.
Give it a go
When you have a moment, find a pen and a pad, and try the exercise yourself to look for patterns in your own life. It could be one of the best 10 minutes you’ll ever spend.
| Aspect’s of Life | What You Enjoy |
|---|---|
| Learning: Favourite school subjects, skills, favourite extracurricular activities | Favourite Subjects: Extracurricular Activities: |
| Family and Friends: Favourite activities with family and friends | |
| Leisure Activities: Favourite spare-time activities, such as sport, dance, Scouts, gardening, cycling, gaming, arts and crafts, etc. | |
| Working: Volunteering, part-time job, community service |
Key takeaway
Remember to think about all aspects of your life when you are starting to design your career.