Find out more about the jobs you like

What to keep in mind when doing your research about jobs:

• How do I get into the job?
• Do I need to do any study or training to get into this job?
• What are the job opportunities and pay like?
• Are there training or geographical limitations? For example, can the job only be done in certain regions of New Zealand, or is there only one education provider that trains people for the job?

• Learn more about your training options

Use our jobs database to research jobs

Our site has detailed descriptions of more than 600 jobs. Each job description includes information on:

• how to enter the job – qualifications, training and experience needed to do the job, plus links to specific courses
• pay and progression opportunities – how much you can earn and what other jobs and roles each job could lead to
• what people who do the job think of it – what the good and bad parts of the job are like, and what they think you need to do the job well
• the job outlook – covers your chances of getting a job in that area, what types of employers you can work for and regions where you can do the job
  
• tasks, duties and personal requirements – the day-to-day work involved in the job and what type of person would be suited to it.

• Jobs database - find job information for jobs that interest you
• Compare jobs from our jobs database
  

Once you've looked at each job in detail, you find that some seem to suit you more than others. You also be able to cross off some possibilities.

Learn about the New Zealand job market - it may affect your decision

Understanding where different jobs fit within the New Zealand job market is a useful thing to research before deciding on any change in career. Use our job summaries, industry information and news reports to help you answer these questions:

• How easy is it to find the kind of job you want?
• Are there jobs available in your region?
• Can you progress within this job and develop your skills?

• What's happening in the job market in New Zealand? - learn more

Your research may show you that there is a much greater demand for workers in some industries than in others. Or maybe there are better long-term prospects to progress in some industries than in others.

Talk to people working in the job, industry or related organisations

• Talk to people who are doing the jobs that you're interested in. Ask them how they find  the work or industry, and if they have any advice or suggestions for you.
• Contact professional associations. They’ll be able to give you a good idea of what is involved in their field of expertise.
• If you're currently working, talk to your current employer about your options to learn new skills or advance in the organisation.
• If you're still at school, talk to your careers adviser about your options.
• Go to career expos to meet training providers, industry representatives and prospective employers. They can answer any questions you have.

See if you can try out the job

• Voluntary work is one way to try out a job, and get experience in that area that you can include in your CV.
• Do you know anybody working in the area you're interested in? Maybe they will let you visit their workplace and see what the job is like.
  
• Do some work experience in the job you are interested in. You may be able to do this along with your school work, so talk to your careers adviser or Gateway co-ordinator.

• Find out more about voluntary work
• How work experience can help with career choices

Once you've done your research, revise your list

By doing some research, you should be able to remove some jobs from your list. You may have discovered some jobs that you want to add, so you'll need to add those in.

You may have narrowed your possibilities down to just one, but you're more likely to have two or three options that you really like. Now's the time to figure out what's best for you

• Make a career decision - get help with making a decision about your career options
• Compare jobs from our jobs database
  
• Job research summary - keep track of jobs you're interested in and what you've learned about each (MS Word - 39KB)