Meet Mark, one of our Get Career Confident Careers Advisors
To celebrate upcoming National Careers Week (6-11 March), we sat down with Mark Anderson, one of our Get Career Confident Careers Advisors, to find out what his role involves and what he believes is the most valuable advice you can give to young people…
Have you always worked in this area Mark?
No! My degree was in Food Technology and I worked for the council after leaving university. But before I went to university I volunteered at a homeless shelter and was inspired by the work a careers advisor did there. I saw how he helped young people to re-evaluate their options and get their lives back on track and I guess I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to do the same.
That’s quite a change! Did you find it daunting?
I’m living proof of what I tell young people. You don’t just have to have one career. The jobs landscape is changing so rapidly that most young people going into the jobs market today will have multiple roles across the course of their career. The key to success is keep an open mind and to be willing to constantly learn.
What does a typical week in your role involve?
There’s no such thing as a typical week and that’s one of the things I love about my role. I might spend a couple of mornings doing one-to-one careers interviews with young people, be answering questions on the Get Career Confident Live Chat facility for a few hours, co-host a career development webinar for professionals and be helping to develop content for the BBC Bitesize website. It’s varied work but very rewarding.
What do you find most rewarding about your role?
I love it when you see that lightbulb moment when a young person comes across a pathway that really inspires them. I’m also passionate about helping young people to realise that they can always find their purpose, no matter how they are performing academically. That’s such an important message as young people can write themselves off before they’ve even begun.
What are the biggest barriers young people face when they are considering their future careers options?
The single biggest barrier is lack of awareness. Many young peoples’ careers knowledge is limited to what they see in their day to day lives – their parents’ jobs and the jobs they see in the world around them. But so many interesting jobs are hidden and of course with the fast growing digital and green economies there are jobs emerging all the time that didn’t even exist a few years ago.
My job, and the job of any adult wanting to support young people, is to open their eyes to the exciting breadth of options open to them. Luckily, there are so many fantastic free resources out there to help you do that. Get Career Confident’s 'See To Be’ videos and ‘How To’ videos are a great place to start and the BBC Bitesize Careers content is also a perfect springboard.
What advice do you give that surprises young people?
Young people who aren’t as strong academically are surprised to hear that academic success isn’t the be all and end all. There are so many ways other ways to prove to employers that you’ve got a great contribution to make. Learning new skills, volunteering, mentoring – doing anything that shows that you’re motivated, committed and happy to go above and beyond will make you more attractive to future employers.
What one thing would you advise teachers to do in preparation for Careers Week?
I’d say think laterally. Help young people ask the big questions and to relate their careers search to the world around them. If you look at the UN Sustainable Development Goals for instance you can start to see just how important environmental roles and sustainability qualifications will become in the future.
National Careers Week is also a great chance to also help young people to see that the skills they’re learning in the classroom – listening, communicating, thinking creatively, problem solving – are all valuable in the world of work. It helps give them a new perspective on their school work and their future.
Finally, what one piece of advice would you give your younger self?
I’d tell myself “Mark, you’ve got a range of skills, qualities and abilities that no one else has and nobody ever will. You are unique and you can make a significant difference in the world. Follow your heart, but don't forget to take your mind with you!"
Head to our Get Career Confident site today and encourage young people you support to log onto the GCC Live Chat facility so that they can talk to experts like Mark to gain expert advice and support.