Article
Career Conundrum
Do you ever find yourself questioning your choice of job, occupation, or work environment? Does it sometimes feel like you made a wrong turn, or two, along your career path? Have you ever thought about how things might have been had you made a different decision? Do you worry that you might not make the “right” decision moving forward?
You are not alone. These questions and concerns can be paralyzing for some and liberating for others, prompting them to take action in a new direction. It is not out of the ordinary for employees, contractors, consultants, professionals, executives, or entrepreneurs to feel that something isn’t quite right with their work situation, regardless of their industry or occupation, from time to time. It is also not out of the ordinary for these same individuals to search out a better fit job or occupation. Fit is a bit of a catch all phrase for all sorts of things – it can be about work environment; work hours; pay; benefits; work duties and responsibilities; values, skills, abilities, or interests match; workplace personalities; personal or career satisfaction; fulfillment; or a combination of these things among others. What makes a job or an occupation a good fit for you? Do you know what you need to be satisfied and fulfilled with your work?
There is a lot of judgment about what a good job is and what a bad job is despite the fact that every job has value and that not every job is a good fit for every individual. Remember that what is a good fit for you might not be a good fit for someone else. When you focus on what is a good job and a bad job for you, rather than what is a good job and a bad job, you are more likely to find something that is going to work for you and that will meet your needs.
Change is always tough. Even for those who see themselves as agents of change, the process of starting a new thing can cause times of disorientation, uncertainty and insecurity.
– Joyce Meyer
Taking action doesn’t necessarily mean jumping ship and making a 180 degree change but it should involve careful self-assessment. What is the nature of your career conundrum and what are you prepared to do to resolve it? Examining your interests, skills, abilities, values, work environment preferences, and earnings / schedule / lifestyle / family requirements will help you to search out and secure the best fit for you at this particular time in your life. Because your career evolves and changes throughout your life this evaluation process will undoubtedly occur numerous times and your career conundrum might be different each time. With an open mind, a positive attitude, patience, perseverance, and a healthy amount of self-awareness you can overcome your career conundrums and find the career satisfaction you are looking for. In a previous article I presented the Six Thinking Hats decision making model which you might want to consider as a way of addressing your career conundrum.
Exploring the unknown requires tolerating uncertainty. – Brian Greene
There are no guarantees that the occupation you pursue or the job you choose will be everything you imagined it to be but there are also no guarantees that it won’t. A Career Development Practitioner, Counsellor, or Coach won’t be able to solve your career conundrum for you but they will be able to help you work through what it is that is behind your conundrum and help you strategize ways to overcome it. There are a number of ways to connect with a qualified Career Development Practitioner. The following links will direct you to both free and paid service providers who can assist you:
Career Development Association of Alberta
Career Professionals of Canada
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
Alberta Learning Information Service
Think beyond what the world of work can do for you to what you can do for the world of work!
Best wishes,
For a FREE 30 minute job search consultation please feel free to contact Paula directly at paula@careerdesignsforlife.com or 780.589.2245.
