The first thing to do is think of as many career ideas as you can and note them down - if you are stuck for ideas why not head to the jobs pages here at friday-ad.co.uk and look at all of the categories. It is clearly important to be realistic with this process but don't be afraid to include some of the more fanciful ideas. Then start by eliminating the career paths which are less appealing or simply not feasible and whittle down your list until you have a shortlist of potential career ideas. Think about the type of work you want to do - do you want to work in a big company, or a small one and what working environment do you thrive in? Don't dismiss those career paths for which you don't currently have the qualifications - if you want a career enough there are plenty of ways to gain the right credentials.

Instead of writing your own list, you could do a 'career test' on the internet or with a careers advisor - these ask you a set of questions and come up with a list of potential career paths. These tests vary in their reliability, though, and you would be ill-advised to go for a career solely on the outcome of an internet test.

When you have narrowed it down to just a few potential candidate careers, do some thorough research into each one to discover more about what you would be expected to achieve in such a job, the types of tasks you would be doing on a day-to-day basis and, of course, what you could typically expect to be paid. Then look at the qualifications you would need to have to be a viable candidate for the career path in that area. If you don't yet fit the bill, don't worry - there are plenty of ways to gain new skills and qualifications. Once you have the necessary credentials there is nothing stopping you from applying for the job and getting on the road to the perfect career.

For more advice on careers why not read out choosing the right job guide.

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