Jobs and Professions

Every person has to earn a living by doing a job. We don't live independently, but in communities and have to find our place in society. Choosing one's job is a challenge and it can take time to make a final decisionand choose the job we would like to do.

As we grow up, gain more knowledge about ourselves and society we live in, and gradually have an idea about what we would like to do and what job would be appropriate for us. We realise that finding the right job is a crucial step in our lives. We need a job in which we can make the most of our talent,as well as a job in which we can make enough money to cover our living costs.

The time for this final decision to be made is during secondary school, between the ages of 16 and 19. We finally decide whether we want to do a manual job or a better paying job that requires more qualifications. Young people nowadays want to be lawyers, economists, managers, computer analysts. Apart from the proper qualifications, you also need certain qualities or character traits.

There are professions in which you need to have a special talent and determination. People like artists, photographers, designers and journalists cannot succeed if they are not talented. To do this type of work, you need to be independent and prepared to work irregular hours. You also need a good imagination and lots of creativity.

After you have made your individual choice and got the qualifications for your chosen job, then it's time to look for your future employer. There are several ways to find a job position. You can go through the classfieds (job advertisements in newspapers or on-line) or ask your friends and acquaintances if they know about any job vacancies. You could go to a job centre and ask for help.

Once you've found the job advertisement, you have to contact your future employer either by post, telephone, fax or e-mail and find out if the position is still free. If it is, you have to write a CV in which you include all the necessary information: your personal data and details about your education, qualifications and special skills. The next step is sending your CV, along with a cover letter (a letter that offers more detailed information about you), to your potential employer. And don't forget to prepare for that all-important job interview that will surely follow.

After a successful job interview, you can start working.