Choosing the Perfect Career!

As a career coach and senior executive, I can’t tell you how often I hear people say “I just don’t know what to do with my life.” It is a very tough question, and I am here to tell you that that question is not always coming from high school seniors either. Many of my clients, men and women in the 40′s and 50′s still express the same concern. Their dilemma is very understandable since we really receive little or no actual guidance on this subject in our youth. High school guidance counselors are geared more to making sure you get into college if that is what you want to do.

Most people simply seem to either trip into their careers, or have their careers chosen for them by their parents. Choosing a job is not that hard. Anyone can do it. Just look around you and say “I want to be that when I grow up.” But, choosing a career that you will enjoy for a long time, if not the rest of your life is a true challenge. It does take a little planning on your part though. The plan will also take on a different form depending upon your age and current financial needs.

I love the beach!
The first advice I give anyone when choosing a career or considering a career change is to take some time to write down the three great passions in their life. I want them to actually sit down and consider what it is they love to do. Do they love music, sports, children, golf, or sewing? Do they love the theater, the beach, the outdoors, boating or cooking? What are your three passions? What just made you smile thinking about it?

What is interesting about that question is that most people can write down one passion pretty quickly, but they have more difficulty coming up with number two and three. As you work on your list, you will start to realize that you have one really great passion that you could do every day if you had the time. That one thing makes your pulse race a little bit. That one thing that gets you excited and has gotten you excited at the very thought of doing it for most of your life whether you are 18 or 80.

Yeah, but I can’t make a living doing that!
Now, it absolutely does not matter what that thing is that you love to do. But, doing it, and making money at it is now the basis for the career you will choose. What is your passion? Is it music? Is it art? Is it writing? Do you love to cook and experiment with food? Do you love sports and just love the feeling of being the gym, the game, the outdoors? Maybe you love music, but you can’t sing, what then?

Once you decide what your passion is, the next thing you have to do is research that field and creatively think about what jobs are available. We will stay with music for this example. Maybe you can’t sing or play an instrument, but love listening to and knowing about music. Are you the person everyone wants to talk about music with? If so, what are some of the careers that in and around music other than singing? Are you a writer and could write about music? Are you good with your hands and could learn to make guitars or tune pianos? Are you a talented computer technician and could learn to mix music tracks or create samplings? There are hundreds of jobs in the music industry that you might be able to use your second or third passion to combine into a career. You see where I am going now?

Don’t chase it
Now let’s discuss money for minute. If you start out looking for jobs that make a lot of money, you will end up becoming a slave to a job that you will absolutely hate some day. I know many doctors that are rich, and so miserable. I mean miserable. Unless your true passion is making money, if you actually only work for the money, you will live for weekends and vacations, but hate Monday through Friday. That is not the way to live. If you are starting out, don’t worry about the compensation. As you gain more experience, you will figure out how to make more money. The money will come to you – don’t chase it. If you are already experienced, then you may have to downsize to make a career change, and take a pay cut. Sorry, but if you really need to do this, that is your sacrifice. Or, you can think about trying something part-time to learn the field and then branch out on your own. Either way it will be tough, but at the risk of being repetitive, do you want to be happy doing what you love, or trudging down a path of professional misery?

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Whether you love healthcare, children, tennis or cars, all you have to do is say to yourself “I love that. I really love that.” Then, you can start looking for the great jobs that support it and decided what your career will be. So here is the bottom line, work at something you love and you will never work a day in your life.

Have a great day!

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