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How to Know if You Are in the Right
Career
By Kathleen Gage
Ever wonder if you are in the right career? If you are like most people you
have. Did you know that 80% of people are currently misemployed? They are
either underemployed, not happy with their current position or not fairly
compensated for their skill and/or function set. If so many people are
misemployed, why do they stay in their current situation? Why do they not
take the necessary steps to move into something that will be fulfilling and
something they can look forward to doing every day - a situation they can
truly be proud of?
The following are some of the most common reasons:
•Complacency
•Fear of the unknown
•Fear of change
•Not knowing what their options are
•Don’t want to give up the familiar, no matter how uncomfortable the
familiar is
•Staying within their comfort zone
•No time to search for something new
•They just don’t know how to make a change
•Fear of failure
•Fear of success (they may actually get what they dreamed of)
•They fear the job search is more frustrating than their current
unsatisfactory job
•Not knowing where to begin
How often have we heard others give these reasons for not moving out of an
unpleasant situation? How often have we said this to ourselves if we are
actually misemployed? Imagine looking back over your life and saying, “I
wish I would have done it differently.”
So often in life, it is not what we do that we regret, rather what we don’t
do that we regret the most. Things like not making a change when we knew a
change was in order, or not taking the appropriate steps to move into a
situation that would lend itself to a more fulfilling life both personally
and professionally.
If you or anyone you know are looking to make a career change, the following
steps will help to make a smoother transition and find the courage to make
that shift:
1. Evaluate your current
situation.
2. Decide you are ready to
change.
3. Give yourself a timeframe
for making the change.
4. Get excited about the
change.
5. Become enlightened about
your own values and realize you are worth a great situation.
6. Decide what kind of
career would truly make you happy.
7. Determine what would
bring you fulfillment.
8. Believe you deserve it.
9. Be willing to put time and
effort into you transition.
10. Have a plan of action.
11. Take action on a daily basis.
12. Consult with people who have been
successful in their own career shift.
13. Be willing to invest in yourself.
14. Work with a coach to keep you
motivated.
15. Go after what you want.
Most of all - be willing to acknowledge that life is not a dress rehearsal,
this is the real thing. When you look back over your life are you going to
wish you had it to do all over and you had taken risks to move you into
situation that would bring a deep level of satisfaction to you and your
loved ones? The reality is that when we are in a career that brings us a
deep sense of satisfaction, all those around us benefit from the fact that
we are more fully present in life rather than constantly talking about
wishing things would change. The truly successful people in life are the
ones who are willing to create their happiness on a daily basis with the
minute-by-minute actions they take and the thoughts they entertain.
About the author:
About the Author Kathleen Gage is a keynote speaker and business advisor
based out of Draper, Utah. She is the author of several books including
Street Smarts Marketing and Promotions. To sign up for Gage’s free Marketing
and Promotions Ezine visit
www.kathleengage.com
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Karen Porter, The Administrative Professional Job Performance and Career Success Coach™