Where is your CAREER going? Ask yourself these questions…
You spend at least a third of your 24-hour day working, putting time and energy in; day after day.
As a society, our jobs are one of the most important things in our lives; so it makes sense you are working in a job or career that you enjoy, don’t you think?
Jobs and our careers provide for us financially and enable us to do what we love outside of work, or look after others. They’re also a great source of fulfilment, purpose and happiness for those who enjoy their work, but for those who don’t, work can be a real source of unhappiness and even dread!
The amount of people who come to us saying that their weekends were only a day, because they spent the entirety of Sunday panicking about Monday…life is too short to feel this way, really.
That doesn’t mean it’s time to quit however. When we are talking to candidates, or people who approach us because they find themselves at a career crossroads, we ask them to consider some basic questions. They are the only ones who can answer these questions, but they need to think about them. If you’ve been finding yourself unhappy with your job lately, consider asking yourself these too…
What are your career goals?
What is your ‘why’? Why are you doing what you’re doing, what is your ultimate aim or goals? Are you set up to achieve these at your current job, or can you see them slipping away? If your future plans are getting derailed by your work, it might be time to rethink things; you’re not chained to your desk.
Are you doing something that is aligned with your natural talents and dispositions?
There’s a cynicism that surrounds the idea ‘do what you love…’ in that, can you“make any money” doing it? Well let us offer up an example of someone who was very talented at drawing and drama, but instead, and because everyone said that wouldn’t make any money, decided to move into the field of science instead; going through education and gaining qualifications in this field. 20 years on, this person hasn’t held down a sustainable job in that industry and might have been happier in the long run working in areas that came more easily to them.
When selecting a career, we recommend you select one that allows you to play to your strengths. If you don’t know what your natural talent is or what your dispositions and inclinations happen to be, take some time to figure it out.
What are you willing to do?
Reaching career goals means you need to take responsibility. This goes back to the point that if you’re where, or on the road to what you want, you think to rethink things; and this might mean looking elsewhere. Do you want to go back to school and learn a new set of skills, or just develop an area you’re already in? Are you willing to take it upon yourself to turn your work around and make some extra effort at the office? Change other things in your life? Search for a new job? It’s ultimately up to you and if you want things enough. You are the only one who can decide if you can be happy with your work or not. While others can help, no one knows better than you do.
Are you stretching yourself and growing?
We need to stretch ourselves in order to grow and develop; both personally and intellectually. We know we just said that your work should be in alignment with your talents and dispositions, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t also involve challenging you a bit too. Are you learning new skills or developing your current ones? People often fall out of love with a workplace as they feel they are stagnating. Some of this onus needs be on yourself, but equally, if they are no development opportunities, you may need to look elsewhere.
Can you see yourself doing this same work 5 years from now?
This is the BIG ONE and one you need to ask yourself frequently. Time flies and your work should be fulfilling and provide purpose to your time; you will not get that time back. If you are winging it and have no idea where you’ll be in a years time, then it’s time to approach your career with a different mindset and start creating a plan. When do you see yourself retiring? It sounds extreme but knowing your end goal helps you map out the time between.
Remember, you deserve to be working at a career that makes you happy! Pop over to our Vacancies Page on our website and take a look at other potential job opportunities. Or, give us a call, drop us an email and let’s see if together, we can find something that will make you happy or happier!
Career Development, Experience, Job Search, New Jobs, Qualifications, Quitting