The Career Book - current version | Page 20

the career book the labour market and you How to be prepared for the labour market of today and the labour market of tomorrow… be prepared and informed on latest trends, predictions and key employment information. YOU are in the driving seat. YOU choose how proactive you will be on your career journey. Just as you wouldn’t travel on a bus without knowing where it was going, choosing which direction to take when starting your career also needs preparation and prior research. This will not usually be a straight line, and although some choices may lead to dead ends, the experience you gain will never be a waste. Knowledge gained is always useful in informing your next move. It’s your mistakes you will learn most from. Managing these challenges and keeping them small is the key. Understanding your interests and skills, and considering them in relation to what is available in the current job market is an essential starting point for your career decision-making. Understanding what employers are looking for is equally important. You need to know that your interest in a particular field or area will lead to employment or business opportunity in the future. Investigating the current job market statistics and projections for the future will give you a good idea as to where the jobs will be in the future. USQ 2.16 Job Outlook This site tells you how many people are employed, what hours they work, how much they are paid, the States and industries in which they work and future job prospects. 18 RWP 2.15 The Department of Employment’s annual publication providing up-to-date and forward-looking information about jobs. USQ 2.17 Labour market information myfuture