Where Do I Want to Go?

You now have a clearer picture of where your skills and interests lie.

The next thing to do is to chart possible professional fields (Professions and Careers) in which your resources are best exploited and in which you feel motivated to work. After all, working with passion leads to satisfaction and the ability to make an impact.

Don’t forget that realizing your own professional visions and dreams is a process that needs time and cannot always be planned and implemented smoothly, one step at a time. It sometimes takes experimental phases, detours, and a bit of luck to reach your goal. 

At www.berufsberatung.chyou will find plenty of information (D/F/I) on the opportunities open to you after graduation organized according to field of study. The website is run by the SDBB (Swiss Service Center For Vocational, Professional, Studies, and Careers Advice)

which also issues publications on career choices for university graduates. These publications are available from us to view or borrow (Library).

Jobagent is a job search engine that can find most job ads published online in Switzerland, enabling you to see which jobs are currently being advertised based on academic subject areas. Look at the published ads, read the requirements profiles, and see which jobs appeal to you. Remember, however, that there are more jobs available than listed and that with your qualifications you could fill more than just those listed under one particular field of study.

Overview of jobs for academics

Jobs in the Humanities

Jobs in Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Jobs in Medicine

Jobs for Sociologists

Jobs for Linguists

Jobs for Theologists

Jobs for Veterinarians

Jobs in Business and Economics

Job ads provide a good overview of the employment market and reflect the wide range of potential employers and positions open to job seekers. With so many options available, one proven method to establish which is the right profession for you is the job ad mosaic.

Over a period of a few weeks, study the job ads in the appropriate print and online media (including specialist press):

1. Cut out/print all the ads that interest you (irrespective of the place of work).
2. Mark the activities, functions, working conditions, and employers that appeal to you (or who definitely do not appeal).
3. After two to three weeks, make an overall analysis: Order the ads according to the above-mentioned criteria and draw up a ranking list: What would you like most, what is in second position, etc.?
4. Then group the job specifications (in terms of professional field, methodology, etc.) and tick which requirements you fulfill.
5. Finally compose the ideal job ad to which you would want to apply. 

Many professions however do not appear in newspaper ads, leading to what is known as the hidden job market. This is where informational interviews (link to film) come into their own. These are interviews with people in the profession that offer an easy chance to get a first-hand insight into jobs, functions, and fields of activity, as well as to expand your own network. 

Create a picture of your dream profession: In which sector, profession, and companies would you like to be hired? Surf the Internet to find a vast range of sector and company lists with associated information (Professions and Careers) or use the job ad mosaic.

It may also help to imagine what you would do in your professional and private life after a lottery win or how you would like your life to look in 5 or 10 years’ time. Let your dreams run free!

In the end, it is often a question of reaching your goal step by step, and tackling obstacles as they arise. We wish you good luck and every success.