Are You a Career Explorer?
Everyone has their own career journey, and are at different points along that path. Some people have found the sweet spot and are perfectly happy with what they do, but numerous studies over recent years have put that number at only slightly more than half of the workforce. If you are in that category then that’s awesome, but since you are reading this blog chances are you are thinking about a change. For some, they simply need a small shift or pivot in what they do or where they work. Others are looking for a career change, which typically means moving into a different industry as well as using a different set of skills. Still others want more out of life and their career and feel that they are being pulled in a completely different direction. They may not know where and how to get there but they know that there is something more and better out there for them. If that’s you then consider yourself a Career Explorer! In this 4-part series I’ll talk about Career Explorers, the challenges they face and the gold at the end of the rainbow when you really find your vocation!
Explorers are brave souls. It takes courage to look in the mirror and realize that what you are doing just isn’t working out. Like many of us you may have jumped into a career just out of school and stayed with it because it was the easy thing to do. Or maybe you found yourself in a career that made sense at the time but something changed. We want different things as we get older and our priorities are different. Maybe now, helping people and contributing to society means a lot, whereas making money and climbing the corporate ladder was what mattered in the past. Yes, it takes courage to make a big change and open your mind to possibilities, but Career Explorers know that it’s even scarier to get stuck in a rut and just go through the motions. You deserve better, and you deserve to be doing work that brings fulfillment and speaks to your true nature!
Start With Self-Assessment
So, how do you get to career nirvana? The best starting point is taking a series of career assessments. These assessments can provide a tremendous insight into not only which career options might be a good fit for you, but also what values are important to you, not only in terms of career and also in your personal life. Looking at your own interests is also key, as is taking into account your personality and your preferred lifestyle as well. This holistic approach recognizes that career satisfaction does not exist in a vacuum. It’s part of your life and should complement those things that are important to you. I believe, and I’m sure you would agree, that a career should serve your life, not the other way around. For many of us, our career is our identity but we encourage you to look at the big picture and to see how career choice fits into your whole life picture. After all, it’s life satisfaction that is the end goal!
Beyond these assessments I mentioned, another key part of being a career explorer is understanding what got you into your current situation. This is the part for many people where real courage is needed. Looking into a mirror and seeing what has been holding you back from real career satisfaction takes effort and understanding. Maybe you don’t think you are good enough to land that big job, or maybe you are afraid of failing or sounding stupid by telling people what you really want to do for a living. It’s OK, and we’ve all gone down that road before. This is where working with a career coach can really pay dividends. We’ll talk more about this in a later blog post on this subject but the idea is to get through these issues of fear, or lack of motivation, or procrastination or whatever else has held you back. That way you can be open to career possibilities and have the courage to take the steps you need to get that dream job!
