The first thing to remember is not to give up! You will need to understand the market place, which means understanding the variety of places where people work, what jobs they do and that those jobs are changing and evolving all the time. 

Remember too that the first job you choose to take or are given may lead you to the second and then to the third job – it may be the third job that you discover is your ‘thing’. This may mean that you need to do some extra study or training. To prepare you need to:

·        Discuss ideas and thoughts with your mentor and those around you; and

·        Talk to people 5-10 years older, asking them about their experience in looking for work and the expectations of employers.

Explore the market place:

·        Approaching a company that interests you to find out more about what they do and what kinds of jobs and careers are part of their industry;

Ring the company and ask to speak to personnel or reception. Tell them you are looking for work and would appreciate them posting you information on the company. Alternatively, write to the company, requesting information on their industry and the company and the opportunities that you seek with them.

·        Talking to school contacts, such as careers teachers.

·        Looking at career information in Human Resources web sites.

·        Contacting professional associations and employer or industry organizations for career and industry information.