15 Most Important Career Questions to

Ask Yourself
http://www.comparebusinessproducts.com/briefs/15-most-important-career-
questions-ask-yourself
Firstly what's the difference between a career and a job? It seems a common
question that people ask. Typically a career is something that takes you into the
future - you build up skills and knowledge that take you onto higher paying and
higher status opportunities. You typically stay within the same career over longer
periods of time.
A job is something you go to each day, normally to put money in your pocket, to get
the job done and go home. You tend to live more in the moment and may change to a
number of different jobs over time. A job might allow you to fulfill other important
opportunities, or plug a gap in your career.
The average person will work from the age of 25 to 65. They will work around 48
weeks each year and 37.5 hours each week (probably more in today's working
climate). During that time the average person is likely to:
 Spend 40 years at work
 Work 1,920 five day working weeks
 Spend 9,600 days at work
 Work for around 1,800 hours each year
 Spend 72,000 hours at work during that 40 years
In comparison during the same period the average person will:
 Have 3,840 Saturdays and Sundays (or 4,160 for the full year)
With all that time at work - are you doing what you really want to do?

If you have less than five years of employment, here are fifteen questions for
you to ask yourself:
1. What are you really good at? - interpersonal, knowledge, skills

interpersonal : active listening,communication, behavior, punctual, organized,

rigourous,etc.
2. What do you really enjoy doing (again, and again)

practice sports (2x a week), cooking new meals for my friends, action movies,
comics, entertainement parks, etc.
3. What do you know that you really want to avoid in your job/career

accountancy, bad atmosphere, invidualisic atmosphere, etc.

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 4. What would people who know you well say you are good at?

Organising events, nice, smiling, open-minded,etc.

5. Where are you now? What have you achieved so far (education, courses,
training, experience)?
At the moment I'm studying management at UCA, I passed my baccaleaureat in ….I
did an internship in Romania for 3 months last year. I had several summer jobs in
local supermarkets.
6. What are the 'must haves' for you in your career? For example - money,
satisfaction, a career path, values, people, location, type of work
Money first for I think it's rewarding, then quality of life and finally a job with
responsibilities.
7. Who/what influences your career choice? For example - family, money, peers,
you, other? What influence do they have over your choice? What do you think
of that?
One of my teachers influenced me in the true choice I've made concerning my
career path. He showed me the possibilities available and provided me with assets.
8. Thinking more broadly, and about all the people you know, are related to, or
admire. What careers choices are available?
In my circles, I don't think there are career choices because I make my own
decisions. Moreover, I don't really feel concerned by the career choices of my
relatives.
9. What would you be happy to spend the next 25-40 years of your life doing?

Have enough time to spend with my family and practice a sport in order to find a
good work-life balance.
10. What is your ideal job or career? Write down your ideal job or career with all
the reasons it's ideal for you
be my own boss, start up a company, take up challenges because it's changing all
the time. I need to use my creativity in my job so I need to be challenged; I like
discovering new people and new spaces. That's the main reason why I would like to
travel in my job; I'm deeply interested in new cultures.
11. What do you still need to do to achieve your ideal? Who do you still need to
speak to? What resources do you have available to help you achieve what you
still need to do?
Find the right employer – I guess I had all the elements I needed. - meet employers'
associations/ meetings/ gatherings

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 12. If for any reason your ideal job or career is not achievable right now, what can
you learn from what you've written so far and how can you apply that to a
different job?
I would have extended my networks and career choices. Several options seem to be
available. Know how to get the right info.
13. What do you need to do in order to ensure you make the right choices?

Pay a visit to a local business where I can meet the person in charge of ….
14. Who should you be speaking to next?

Ask recommendations or tips.

15. What do you think you are able to achieve if you put time and effort into
working towards your job/career?
Reach my goals, not be disappointed by the results because I would have done the
best I could.