What is a Career?

A career is the progress and actions taken by a person throughout their lifetime, related to their occupations. It is often made up of the jobs held, titles earned and work accomplished over a long period of time.

How do I Choose a Career?

Have no idea what career you want to get into? Use the steps below to help guide you to make a decision.

Assess Yourself

Before you can choose the right career, you need to know yourself. Your values, skills, interests and personality type can help narrow down what careers are best suited for you.

Make a List of Potential Jobs

After doing some self-assessment, you should be able to tell which career fields to pursue. Choose 5 or 10 careers that interest you and matches your personality and skill set.

Explore the Options

Learn about each career option after narrowing it down. Find out about educational or training requirements, job duties and salary. If possible, speak to someone who has the same job.

Narrow Down Your List

After reviewing each career in detail, remove the ones that no longer appeal to you. Try to narrow it down to one or two careers.

Set Goals

Once your list has been narrowed, set attainable goals. You should know enough to set long term and short term goals. Be prepared to work hard and make adjustments where needed.

Get Training

This is the part that will take up most of your time and effort as you pursue your career. Depending on the job, you may need to earn a degree, complete an internship or learn new skills.

What Careers are Popular in South Africa?

There is a wide range of careers in South Africa that are popular and in demand. They include some of the following:

Accounting Careers

Are you a logical thinker who’s good with numbers? A career in accounting would be ideal for you.

Top Job Titles:

• Bookkeeper
• Accountant
• Financial Manager
• Debtors Clerk

IT Careers

Interested in a computer or software-related job? Why not consider a career in IT? This is one of the most highly paid careers in the country.

Top Job Titles:

• Software Developer
• Software Engineer
• Web Developer
• IT Technician

Office Careers

Want to run the day-to-day activities of an office? An office career would be the perfect choice for you!

Top Job Titles:

• Secretary
• Office Administrator
• Assistant
• Accounts Manager

Management Careers

Consider yourself a born leader? Then, choose a career in management! You can work in almost any field.

Top Job Titles:

• Project Manager
• Sales Manager
• Business Manager
• Supply Chain Manager

Marketing Careers

Want to see your ideas come to life? Put your creativity to good use by choosing a career in marketing.

Top Job Titles:

• Marketing Manager
• Brand Manager
• Product Manager
• Digital Marketer

Tourism Careers

Are you a people’s person with a love for travel and tourism? A career in this field would suit you perfectly.

Top Job Titles:

• Tour Guide
• Travel Agent
• Tourism Manager
• Travel Consultant

Beauty Careers

Think you have what it takes to make it in the beauty industry? Then a career as a beauty expert would be ideal for you!

Top Job Titles:

• Nail Technician
• Salon Manager
• Makeup Artist
• Massage Therapist

Photography Careers

Love capturing those unforgettable moments on camera? A career in photography would be the perfect option for you.

Top Job Titles:

• Photographer
• Art Director
• Camera Operator
• Photojournalist

HR Careers

Are you an organised person who enjoys helping others? Consider choosing a career in the HR field.

Top Job Titles:

• HR Manager
• HR Administrator
• Recruiter
• HR Consultant

Child Care Careers

Want to work with children and help in their development? A career in Child Care would be the perfect match for you!

Top Job Titles:

• Au Pair
• Nanny
• Babysitter
• Creche Teacher

Why Choose to Study With Skills Academy?

Here at Skills Academy, we offer a unique way of furthering your education. All our courses are offered through distance learning, so you can decide where and when you want to study. Our dedicated support staff are always available to assist when needed. All your study material gets delivered straight to you, so no need to wait in long queues. If you finish your course early, you only pay for the months you studied. Why not take advantage of these benefits and more?

Last Updated: February 18, 2020