APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions and meets an inspirational CEO.
Here she gives a reader advice on what she should do if she's unsatisfied with her graduate job and wants to try something different.
Q) I graduated in June with a degree in business management with accounting and finance.
I secured a graduate job in auditing and have been studying
for the ACA qualification.
However, I’ve realised that this job is not for me.
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I don’t enjoy the role or the studying – and now I have no idea what to do.
My dream is to own my own business, but at 21 I know this is something I am going to have to work hard for in the future and, in the meantime, I need to apply for a new job.
I’m not sure where to start and what to tell potential employers. Do you have any advice?
Jessica, via email
A) Don’t give yourself a hard time about deciding that this is not the industry for you.
At 21, you have a lifetime of work ahead of you, so it’s important that you choose the career that will make you happy.
While a specific degree can be important, so are the skills that studying teaches you.
Start by asking yourself what you are passionate about.
Join LinkedIn and follow companies you admire and business leaders you respect.
Look at jobs within their businesses and what the requirements are.
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As for what to say to employers: be honest. If I was interviewing a 21 year old, I wouldn’t expect to see someone who has their whole career trajectory mapped out, but I would hope to see their ambition, tenacity and work ethic.
I would also be impressed if they told me their dream was to
have their own company, but they knew they needed to gain a lot of experience.
Look into Barclays LifeSkills, which works with people to build a job-hunting “toolbox”.
Time you spend investing in yourself is important – so don’t rush it.
- Got a careers question for Karren? Email bossingit@fabulousmag.co.uk