Unlike being married, one need not feel wedlock-ed to one's job. Marriage may be a fine institution, but your job certainly isn't. The era of lifetime employment has long past, and all thinking career-seekers should seriously and constantly reassess what they're doing and why

Out of University? Start Right, Think Wide
For graduates fresh out of university, remember to think beyond the "the done thing". Ask yourself what do you feel passionate about? Something which gives you a chance to travel? Something which incorporates a hobby of yours? At this stage in life particularly, when you may be relatively commitment-free, the possibilities are endless!

Don't feel that you have to justify the course you studied by choosing a job in that field only. University is about training your mind to think. It's about preparing you for working life, not preparing you for a particular job. So take this opportunity to start off the blocks onto the track which you want to be on. Free your mind, the rest will follow.

Ladies & Gentlemen, It's Time For Your Mid Career Close Up
For those who have worked for a few years, and to whom the "work scene" isn't so new anymore, it really is an opportune time to review your direction. You've given what you're currently doing a fair shot, so is it time to move on?

It may no longer be about having a certain degree of latitude financially- about having a car and a nice little place of your own. It may be more about finding the "meaning" to your career journey. It may be that you're looking for that "mission in life" – you don't know what it is, but it sure isn't what you're doing now! Or maybe what used to stretch you doesn't hold the challenge it once did.

Been There, Done That. Now what?br>

As that lyrical soliloquy goes, "Most interesting 40-year olds I know don't know what they want to do". Do you? Even for those who have worked for many years, there may still be some who continue to search, and to explore. Those who feel that it's time for themselves now.

Explore Your Options. What Suits You?
Finding a career you can't wait to get up in the morning for deserves the time it takes to get it right. Ask yourself:

1. Recognise your unique talents and skills – e.g.
   • Do you relate well to people and like, say, interviewing them?
   • Do numbers make sense to you?
2. Discover your favourite subjects – e.g.
   • Does the business and financial world fascinate you?
   • Are you an IT genius or gadget freak?
3. What sort of people would you like to surround yourself with?
   • Are you more of a team player, e.g. need to find the right creative team?
   • Do particular leaders inspire you in your chosen field?
4. What kind of environment do you thrive in? – e.g.
   • Are you more of an analytical person who prefers uninterrupted think-time?
   • Does chaotic hustle and bustle arouse the work animal in you?
5. Do your goals align with that of the employer? –e.g.

   • You want the ability to change the way the world of business works, the company should have that mission in their corporate agenda – i.e. E-commerce sites like Amazon.com, which changes the way the world buys and sells.

   • You believe in the cause of a particular organisation and can see yourself being a part of that

6. Your lifestyle choice

   • If your envisage a future of cigars and a yacht, then a job which allows for great accumulation of wealth may possibly be your best means to that end

   • If it's not just about the money but the intangible satisfaction of fulfilling individual needs within a comfortable salary range, look for that which motivates you

Richard Bolles, author of the best selling career change guide " What color is your parachute?" espouses the method of first inventorising your past to decide on your future. Answering the questions above helps you do just that. When you find out who you are, what you want to become comes naturally.