Job Knowledge Jobs can generally be divided into a variety of general interest areas. The following list shows you the main areas. How do you feel about these areas? Are there any that stand out as being possible interest areas for you? Interest areas Artistic: Careers involving creative work with your hands or which require an interest in or appreciation of art. Administrative/Clerical/Financial: Careers which are office based, often requiring accuracy, precision and the ability to manage staff. Computational/Mathematical: Careers involving calculators and other use of numbers and formulae. Literary - Information/Analytical: Careers requiring reading and writing, also those involved with the production, selling and use of printed and electronic publications. Mechanical: Careers involving mechanical parts or the use of machines and tools. Musical: Careers in this area involve playing an instrument, singing, recording, reading about and promoting music and musicians. Outdoor - Agricultural/Horticultural/Environmental: Careers which keep you outside most of the time, and often involve work with animals or plants. Persuasive: Careers which involve meeting and dealing with people, or working with the media to promote projects or to sell products or services. Scientific/Research: Careers which involve solving scientific problems and discovering new facts. Sometimes health or product related. Social Service: Careers which involve helping people manage personal difficulties, problems or crises in their personal lives. This category also includes careers which indirectly help people. Job Knowledge 1
Specific jobs Now look at the jobs which can be included in the various interest areas. (Some may appear in more than one list). Make a note of any jobs that take your interest. If you don't know what is involved in a particular job, make a note to find out about it. You could avoid missing a potential opportunity. Artistic Actor/Entertainer Advertising Manager Art Editor Art Historian Art Teacher Boat Builder/ Designer Choreographer Clothing/Textile Designer Curator Dancer/ Dance Teacher Desktop Publisher Exhibition Designer Film Animator Film Producer Food Writer Furniture Designer Graphic Designer Home Economics Teacher Industrial Designer Interior Designer Jeweller Landscape Lighting Technician Musical Instrument Maker Occupational Therapist Photographer Production Assistant Radio Announcer/ Producer Screen Printer Signwriter Stage Designer Teacher Television Designer Theatre Director TV Presenter/ Producer Web Designer Administrative/Clerical/Financial Accountant Activities Co-ordinator Actuary Advisory Officer Agricultural Agronomist Archivist Auditor Biologist Building Inspector Computer Programmer Database Administrator Diplomat Editorial Assistant Engineer Financial Adviser Guidance Counsellor Health Inspector Health Service Administrator Human Resources Adviser Information Officer Insurance Assessor Investment Consultant Land Registrar Lawyer Liaison Officer Librarian Management Consultant Market Research Officer Marketing Representative Personnel Officer Public Relations Officer Quality Controller Research Officer Social Worker Staff Development Officer Statistician Systems Analyst Systems Administrator Teacher /Clerk Trainer Underwriter Urban Valuer Job Knowledge 2
Computational/Mathematical Accountant Actuary Agronomist Air Traffic Controller Aircraft Surveyor Auditor Bank Officer Biostatistician Cartographer Civil Engineer Development Engineer Electronics Engineer Engineer Scientist Estates Administrator Farm Consultant Financial Analyst/Adviser Financial Secretary Investment Administrator Land Surveyor Landscape Market Research Officer Marketing Manager Mathematics Teacher Operations Research/ Work Study & Methods Physicist Sharebroker/ Dealer Statistician Systems Analyst Town Clerk Urban Valuer Water and Soil Scientist Literary/Information/Analytical Advisory Officer Announcer Archaeologist Archivist Author Copywriter Curator Desktop Publisher Diplomat Editor Education Officer Farm Forest Manager Guidance Counsellor Historian Human Resources Officer Information Officer Intelligence Officer Journalist Lawyer Legal Researcher Librarian/Library Assistant Linguist Market Research Analyst Minister of Religion Policy Analyst/Adviser Press Secretary Public Relations Officer Publicity Secretary Publisher Research Officer School Teacher Second Language Teacher Social Science Researcher Social Worker Technical Writer Television Script Editor Translator/Interpreter University Lecturer Mechanical Aeronautical Engineer Agricultural Engineer Airline Pilot ural Draughtsperson Audiologist Cardiologist Cartographer Ceramics Technologist Chemical Engineer Civil Engineer Communications Engineer Computer Service Technician/Engineer Computer Software Developer Electrical Engineer Electronics Engineer Engineering Lecturer Flying Instructor Food Technologist Geophysicist Heating and Ventilating Engineer Hydraulic Engineer Hydrographic Surveyor Hydrologist Landscape Marine Engineer Mechanical Engineer Metallurgist Mines Surveyor Mining Engineer Optician Patent Examiner Radiologist Refrigeration Engineer Roading Engineer Seismologist Systems Engineer Traffic Engineer Job Knowledge 3
Musical Actor/Entertainer Conductor Film Producer Music Arranger/ Composer Music Critic Music Journalist Music Lecturer Music Librarian Music Publisher Orchestral Performer Private Music Teacher Professional Musician Radio Announcer Recording Engineer Secondary Music Teacher Sound Operator/Engineer Stage Manager TV Producer Outdoors Aeronautical Engineer Agricultural Adviser Agricultural Engineer Anthropologist Archaeologist Biologist Botanist Environmental Analyst Food Technologist Forest Scientist Geophysicist Horticultural Researcher Hydrographic Surveyor Landscape Mechanical Engineer Mining Engineer Nature Conservationist Oceanographer Physical Education Teacher Plant Ecologist Quarantine Officer Recreation Administrator Resource Planner Soil Conservator Sports Coach Surveyor Tourist Guide Traffic Examiner Veterinary Scientist Zoo Keeper Zoologist Persuasive Advertising Manager Agricultural Adviser Customer Services Officer Dietitian Diplomat Disability Education Officer Drama Teacher EEO Practitioner Farm Consultant Fundraising Officer Health Promoter Human Resources Manager Industrial Relations Officer Information Officer Insurance Representative Investigating Officer Journalist Labour Relations Negotiator Lawyer/Barrister/ Solicitor Management Consultant Marketing Officer Media Officer Policy Adviser Prison Officer Production Engineer Programme Production (Broadcasting) Property Manager Psychiatrist Public Relations Officer Real Estate Consultant Retail/Sales Manager Sales Representative Security Officer Social Worker Statistician Teacher Telemarketer Trade Commissioner Training Officer Union Organiser University Lecturer Job Knowledge 4
Scientific/Research Agricultural Agricultural Engineer Agronomist Anaesthetist Astronomer Bacteriologist Biochemist Biologist Biotechnologist Botanist Chemical Engineer Chiropractor Civil Engineer Conservator Dental Surgeon Ecologist Electrical Engineer Environmental Engineer Epidemiologist Farm Adviser Fire Prevention Officer Food Technologist Forest Scientist Geneticist Geographer Health Services Administrator Horticulturalist Hydrographic Surveyor Hydrologist Industrial Chemist Land Surveyor Landscape Designer Mechanical Engineer Medical Laboratory Technologist Metallurgist Microbiologist Mines Surveyor Nature Conservationist Nutritionist Optometrist Patent Examiner Pathologist Pharmacist Physicist Pollution Consultant Psychiatrist Radiologist Research Officer/ Technician Roading Engineer Science Teacher Scientific Editor/ Journalist Seismologist Structural Engineer Textile Researcher Veterinarian Water and Soil Engineer Zoologist Social Science Actuary Auditor Careers Adviser Chiropractor Criminologist Dietitian Early Childhood Teacher Ecologist Education Officer Employment Adviser Environmental Officer Events Manager Funeral Director Guidance Counsellor Gynaecologist Horticultural Adviser Hotel Management Immigration Consultant Interpreter Journalist Labour Relations Negotiator Lawyer Librarian Minister of Religion Nanny Nurse Nutritionist Ombudsman Personnel Manager Pharmacist Physiotherapist Police Officer Press Officer Psychiatrist Recreation Planner Secondary Teacher Sociologist Speech Therapist Sports Coach Travel Consultant Urban Valuer Veterinarian Volunteer Co-ordinator Welfare Officer Youth Worker Job Knowledge 5
What next? The next step is to spend some time in your careers library. In the Careers & Employment office, start off by browsing through the general occupational literature. Then access the computer-assisted careers information programmes. This will give you a better idea of the duties that make up specific jobs. If you have made a note of jobs from the main list, read up as much as possible about them. Think back to the lists you made about yourself, and think about the type of satisfactions that each job may give. Think also about the personal qualities necessary to enjoy the job and perform it well. On Victoria CareerHub you can read up about different firms, see the type of activities they are involved in and check out some previous job descriptions. Most employers are happy to talk with you to give you further information about their operations. It is a great way to get first-hand job information and lets you get the feel of a variety of work environments. Just ring the employer (Careers & Employment has some contact names) and arrange to go along to see them. You don't have to be asking about specific vacancies; it can be a purely informational visit. (Read Career Essentials: Looking for Work). The majority of employers will be helpful if you are prepared to go along at a time that is convenient to them. When visiting employers, take a copy of your curriculum vitae with you, if you are looking for work. Whether there are vacancies or not, it is something you can leave with the employer and tells them something about you. Many people find jobs this way. If an employer is impressed by your initiative it is more likely that they will contact you later. To look totally professional, you may want to get a folder to carry your curriculum vitae, references, exam results and any certificates you may have for other activities. This helps you to appear organised and gives you something to refer to if necessary. Other Resources available in the careers office are: Careers/Occupational Literature 'Career View' leaflets look at how degrees and courses relate to employment opportunities Computer-assisted careers / course information programmes: Future Selves, CareerQuest Database, Careers NZ Directories and listings from Professional Bodies, Institutes, Associations eg. Government Sector Directory, Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce Directory of Members Information on courses and training guides Reference books on career planning, CV writing and interview techniques Job vacancies noticeboard Prepared by: Victoria University of Wellington Careers and Employment, PO Box 600, Room 120, Hunter Building, Wellington Tel: 04-463 5393 www.victoria.ac.nz/careers RP0714 Assistance with career planning and job searching techniques is available from Careers & Employment staff. Employers are people. Don't be apprehensive about approaching them! Careers & Employment can help you to get in touch with employers who will be supportive and co-operative. Try to timetable a couple of hours each week for employer visits when you get to this stage. If you followed through the suggestions given, you should now be making some headway. Hopefully, you will have looked at a variety of job possibilities and have found out a lot of information to help in making some decisions. This is a good time to talk with a careers adviser if you have not already done so. It isn't easy to clarify your ideas alone and the knowledge you have already gained will help considerably. Exploring career possibilities and researching occupations is one of the best investments of time that you can make. The decisions you make now will probably influence your future for a number of years. Job Knowledge 6