Finding a job that matches your skills
When looking for work, think about jobs that match your skills. To do this:
- Work out what you’re good at and the skills that you enjoy using.
- Think about skills you have developed through hobbies, training, previous jobs or other experiences.
- Look for roles where these skills will be valuable.
If you’re not sure what you’re good at, try making a list. People who know you well could help you to do this.
Or you could use online jobs skills tests to help you identify your skills and explore your interests and motivations.
Finding work that interests you
You can search for roles and the skills needed on the National Careers Service’s job profiles page.
Matching a job to your skills
Use results from job skills tests as a starting point for finding a suitable job.
Prospects Career Planner and Job Match are useful if you have a degree or are thinking of taking one. The website offers 2 question-based tests - one which will help you find your ideal career, and another which will match you to specific job profiles.
Finding out more about specific roles
Once you have found roles that may suit you:
Look at job advertisements online
Even if you are not ready to apply yet, you can look at ads on job sites.
If there are any companies you’d like to work for, search their websites for vacancies and look at the ‘job specification’. This will tell you the skills required.
Talk to people already in these roles
You may find these people through:
Questions to ask yourself
To find out if a job is for you, ask yourself:
- Is this a role you can do now?
- If you are missing any of the skills, is this skill listed as essential in the job specification? If so, you might need extra training.
- Will you enjoy the role?
Support to Work offers advice on skills and jobs for disabled people.
Employment information supported by Virgin Media.
Last reviewed by Scope on: 09/06/2020
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