Career Happiness

Ask most people how they got into what they are doing and they’ll tell you – "I either fell into it, or my father or mother works in the industry." It’s this reason alone why so many people dislike their jobs. The job chose them, they didn’t choose it. But this is what happens when you’re not quite sure what kind of career or job you’re looking for.

How do you decide what job or career best suits you?

• At a young age, don’t be afraid to try different things. When you first get out of school, it’s hard to know what you like, because you have so little experience.
• If you’re already established in the work place, but working at a job that you hate, you might need to make a career change even though it’s scary.
  • You’ll never be as successful as you’re capable of being if you don’t like the job, because you won’t put in the time energy and effort to be successful.
  • Figure out what it is that you like to do. Don’t be afraid to invest in professional help, like a career counselor. It’s worth it and so are you.
• Formulate a criteria of your perfect job. List everything you want in a job or career.

What should you be looking for in a career?

• A future
• Training, knowledge, experience. This is crucial, whether you’re a recent grad just starting out in the workplace, or a career changer looking to start anew.
• Think Long Term. Remember, money is the last thing to come. If you’re changing careers, you know you’ll have to take a salary hit in the short term. However, you can’t possibly believe that if you find a career you love, you won’t be motivated to work harder and, eventually, you’ll earn more than you ever would have in your old career.
• If you’re going to make a career change, plan for it financially. This is one of the biggest reasons people stay in careers they hate. Start your career change plan a year in advance. This gives you time to lower your overhead and sock away some extra money in preparation for the upcoming income hit. Don’t worry about staying an extra year at a job you dislike. Besides, you don’t want to go from one thing you fell into to another. The mere action of planning this big change will energize you. Successful people love new challenges.
• Your 1st and most important sale is at home. When starting out on any new venture or career, there will be an adjustment period. Things could be rough at the beginning. You’ll probably be working longer hours than you used to. If it’s a new sales job, you’ll get your brains beat in with rejection at the beginning. The last thing you need is to get your brains beat in when you get home. You need a place where there will always be positive feedback, no matter what. Unless you have total support from your spouse, I would recommend not making the change.