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Mark:

One key thing to remember is that what you do next doesn't have to define you forever. It's just one step in a long career that you're going to have.

The first question to ask yourself is: "what difference do I want to make?" When you know you're making a difference in the work that you do, you're much more likely to be content and happy in that work. So, in what way do you want to make a difference? You can make a difference to individual lives, to businesses, to your local community or maybe even the world.

The second question to ask yourself is: "what's important to me when it comes to work?" If you can find work that's in line with your own personal values, then you're much more likely to be happy and content in that work. So, what do you want your future work to give you a sense of? It could be fun, creativity, independence, status, power or something else.

The third question to ask yourself is: "what skills do I want to be using in my future work?" Now they could be skills related to dealing with people – so maybe helping, caring, teaching, advising – or it could be skills related to dealing with information – words or numbers or data – or perhaps you want to be using skills where you're doing something physical, hands on. What skills do you want to be using in your future work?

The fourth question to ask yourself is: "what are the job prospects like in the industry that I'm looking to work in?" The world of work is changing constantly and quickly, so it's really important that you're aware of what the prospects are like both now and also in the future for the industry that you're looking to work within. And once you know that, then you can make the necessary adjustments. You might need to improve on certain skills, you might need to improve on certain qualifications to get into that sector or you might need to think of a plan B where you look at an alternative sector where there are more likely to be job opportunities, even if that's just for a temporary amount of time.

The fifth question to ask yourself is: "who can give me more information or advice?" Once you know the kind of work you want to do, it's important to get information about the job, the company or the industry that you're looking to work in so that you can have a greater understanding of the expectations and also so that you can prepare well for any future job applications. In addition, you can get help with your job applications from a parent, a carer or a careers advisor. You don't have to do it all alone.

It's never easy starting out in the world of work and there are going to be highs and lows along the way, but keep in mind that you have a blend of skills and qualities that nobody else has so you have so much to offer. So, stay positive and be confident that things can get better.