Career choices and planning for your career

The starting point for career planning is to assess your interests. Think about what hopes and wishes you have for your future career and how your values may influence your choice of profession. It’s also important to identify your personal strengths and limitations. After that, you can begin thinking about different professions and which options may suit you best. Find out what types of education and training are required to access the tasks that interest you. You should also familiarise yourself with the future prospects of your chosen field and profession.

You can receive help and assistance from the psychologist's service for career choices and career-related guidance. You can also participate in career coaching, where you will have the opportunity to reflect on your career path together with a career coach and other individuals who are in a similar situation. And if you feel like talking to a professional who can help you weigh your educational options, don't hesitate to contact the TE Services’ Education Advisory Services. Those under the age of 30 are also eligible for free help and support from the One-Stop Guidance Centers, which can help you with a variety of issues, such as your studies, employment, or housing.

How can I find a profession that suits me?

There are many different professions, and finding a suitable profession or position may seem difficult at first. You can watch the following short videos to reflect on your ideas and choices.

After watching the videos, you can learn more about different career planning tools and information resources.

Job Market Finland’s Professional information service

You can find out more about different fields and professions in Job Market Finland’s Professional Information section. The job descriptions in this section contain information on the competence and educational requirements and salaries for each profession. You can also read interviews with people who represent different fields to discover handy tips for your career planning.

Job Market Finland’s career stories

You can read the career stories in Job Market Finland's Current Topics section to learn about the career paths of different people and the knowledge and experiences they have to share.

The AVO career choice program

You can use the AVO career choice programme to consider your personal areas of interest and what wishes you have for the content of your future career. Based on your answers, the programme can offer you suggestions for suitable professions.

Career Skills tool

Career Skills is a digital tool that helps you assess and develop your career management skills.

Töissä.fi

The Töissä.fi website provides information on the careers of those who have graduated from a university or university of applied sciences. You can also read what different graduates have to say about the tasks and positions they have worked in.

Labour Force Barometer

The Labour Force Barometer allows you to examine the employment opportunities that are available in your field of choice in different regions. The Labour Force Barometer contains useful information on the employment prospects and development trends of over 200 different occupations.

Skills Needs Compass

The Skills Needs Compass contains information on what kind of competence is needed in our society and what changes can be observed in our competence-related needs. The Compass also contains information on various professional fields.

Abiliator

The Abilitator service allows you to assess your work-related abilities and capabilities and examine your strengths and development areas.

Training for a profession

Once you have discovered a profession that interests you, find out if it requires any specific education or training. You will typically have a lot of different options at your disposal, as you can develop your competence and vocational skills at a wide range of educational institutions and in many different ways, such as through contact teaching or distance learning.

Studyinfo

Studyinfo is a national education information service that contains important facts and figures on the degrees, professions and studies offered by Finnish educational institutions. You can use the service to find and apply for different educational paths and options.

Interested in entrepreneurship?

Many people also choose to work for themselves as entrepreneurs. Find out what it takes to become an entrepreneur and whether entrepreneurship could be a good fit for you. If you are interested in entrepreneurship, remember that you can also participate in entrepreneurship training or career coaching.