This is a question that we have often asked each other as children.

The YT asked Natalie Kershaw of Affective Solutions for her answer.

The usual answers are "I want to be a Doctor, a Nurse, a Vet, a Policeman or a Fire Fighter." These careers just seem to denote excitement, bravery, adventure and yes, heroism. We coveted these qualities as children. We played dress-up and read the stories and wanted to be the heroes.

Letīs move forward 10 years and we are at school. Do we still have the dream to become one of these heroes? Not often. Some will but we grow up. Our games are no longer real. We become interested in other things. Our subject choices, our motivation at school reflects this. Some will go on to university and some will leave school and get a job.

From the age of 17, I started my "career" working in my local McDonaldīs. Did I like it? No I didnīt! But there were many who did. It wasnīt for me. I had a plan! I was one of those kids who knew what she wanted to be and worked towards it - an archaeologist - I got my GCSEs, I got my A-Levels, I got my archaeology degree and then I started a job in that field. In between times, I had done loads of temporary and part-time work working as admin assistant, shop assistant, Tesco cashier, receptionist, waitress and more. I did find out that having a degree didnīt guarantee a job.

So, I went back to college and did courses that I thought would help me in the field I was in. I did management courses, business courses, teaching qualifications; and it was through this that I realised that I enjoyed the idea of having my own business and I really enjoyed teaching. So while I applied these new skills to archaeology, I even started an archaeology business; it didnīt sit well in this profession - it was too narrow a field. I decided after that to leave archaeology - but what do I do? Since I was 6, I wanted to be an archaeologist. I was really stuck and needed to reinvent myself and what I wanted to do.

What am I good at?
What can I make a living from that I will enjoy and want to do for many years?

I got a job as a business adviser at my local Chamber of Commerce. This was an accident! I hadnīt received a letter for an interview date and I was called the day before the interview and told about it. I prepared a presentation and was told the following day that I had been successful! And to think I nearly missed it!

Despite my age, it was my first "proper" job. Iīd either been self-employed, part-time employed or I had a temporary contract and this job offered me a permanent full-time role. This role saw me using my qualifications in business, management, training and different skills that I never recognised I had - listening, counselling, motivating........all skills that I started to learn from being a part-time and temporary worker.

In June 2010 I said good-bye to this job and in July 2010 started Affective Solutions. Iīd grown, Iīd changed and I liked it.

Questions

These are the questions we all have to ask ourselves:

What have you done that you have really enjoyed?
What have you done that you havenīt enjoyed?
What did you learn from both experiences?

While I really didnīt like working in McDonalds - looking back, I learnt a lot. I was blinded by my annoyance at being there to really see what I was learning at the time. The office admin - yes I made tea, I did the mundane jobs and I did the photocopying...what did I learn?

Organisational skills to name one. And, sometimes, itīs all about learning how not to do it. I still teach music because I enjoy it - I have a high pass rate and success rate from my students and Iīve had them for several years now - why? Because I donīt do what my music teachers did to me! Itīs simple.

If youīve been made redundant you can feel anger, resentment, even victimisation - but there is a positive in everything - what did you learn from that? Simply it could be that the job wasnīt for you. Or it could be that you learnt enough in that job to move on to another bigger, better job. There is always a positive.

You will hear different terms - transferable skills, qualifications, experience - this is what I want you to do....

Get a blank piece of paper and some different coloured pens or pencils
Turn the paper to landscape and write your name in the middle
Mind Map - DONīT think too much - first thing - think of what you like,write it down, you may think of other things because of that word.... just keep going...

What are your skills? Listening? Presenting? Supporting? Communicating?
What are your qualifications?

What roles have you played? Job Titles, Personal Titles, Volunteering
What experiences have you got?

Do you have any interests? What are they?

This is organic - it will grow and your understanding of your skills, your interests and so on will come to light.

You may be surprised!

Did I think I would be doing what I do now? No of course not! Did it all just happen - really, no it didnīt! I worked and continue to work hard. From starting out as an archaeologist to ending up owning Affective Solutions which specialises in training, coaching and well being ...... I like people. I like to know what motivates them. I like helping them get the best out of themselves and their business. So, thatīs my career now - who knows, it may change again!

I know that you know you know what to do..................think about it.

Natalie D Kershaw
BA (Hons) PGCE DipCMI ABNLP ABH TLTA FInstCPD