ATTENTION YEAR 12 STUDENTS!!!

Sydney Morning Herald - Weekend Edition December 2003
By Bill Bennett

1. What are my favourite subjects?
You will get more out of higher education and your following career if you operate in an area you enjoy.

2. What are my academic strengths?
Where did you consistently get good marks at school?
Was there a subject you excelled at?

3. What else motivates me?
What really excites you?
In many cases these activities can form the basis of a career.

4. Am I creative?
There’s more to creativity than creative arts: the best scientists, engineers and mathematicians generally have a strong creative streak.

5. Do I have good communication skills?
How good are you at expressing those brilliant thoughts in your head?
It’s also important to listen to others and to use feedback.

6. How do I rate my people skills?
If you’re a good communicator you can relay or receive ideas. If you have good people skills, you can pick up on moods and feelings. You need to understand what motivates people and be able to deal with conflict.

7. Is money important to me?
If you’re not motivated by money, you’ll have a lot of interesting career options.

8. Do I need structure?
Ask yourself if you feel safer on a highly structured course or if you’re ready to cut loose.

9. Am I internally or externally driven?
You’ll need some self motivation to get through university, but this quality is absolutely essential if you plan to work for yourself.

10. Can I put off my career decisions?
You don’t have to make a firm commitment yet. Many university departments offer generalized degree programs and in most cases you can wait until the end of the first year before selecting
a major subject.