I am now working for almost 20 years and I still can remember how big the decision was to find a career path after finishing school. There are so many options for career planning and certainly it is scary to choose a path for what it seems to be the rest of your life. Additionally in 2021 I was also Coach in a 7 weeks-workshop in which we support people in starting into the first steps of work life. Some of them had a clear picture and some of them struggled, because they added a lot of pressure to themselves: this decision will stick with me my whole life.
I told them do not worry, you can experience and if you do not like it, it is totally fine to switch careers. Eventually in five years you will be a different person and need something else. From my point of view I can assure you that there are lot of factors which will influence you. As a matter of fact I evolved into a multi-skilled professional in many areas like HR, Marketing, Sales, Logistic, Purchasing, Accounting and much more. But furthermore I developed myself into a very good leader. This was never part my career planning, I just love to support others and take over responsibility.
For me a career is more to do things you are passionated about, rather than earning a title. A title will not give you meaning or purpose in life.
Why I am talking about meaning and job? Because you will spend a big share of your lifetime at work. Certainly this time shall not be wasted! You should enjoy it most of the time. For keeping you mentally healthy! Actually I have seen so many (former) colleagues thrive when they had the opportunity to bring their strengths into action and being authentic.
My learnings out of the above mentioned workshop and my career influenced our Vision Board Step-By-Step book when it comes to the career section. Let me give you some hints for career planning.
Creating the career you desire starts with looking deep into you! Every journey has a well-build starting point, our harbour, from which we explore new paths. Basically a strong foundation will make it less likely that you will struggle in stormy times. Often we do not spend enough time in knowing ourselves. This leads eventually that we act on autopilot and unconsciously. In other words mindfulness and self-awareness are key skills for a meaningful life.
Let’s prepare the foundation for your career journey!
From my experience we struggle in jobs when we have to act inauthentic, i.e. our values are not corresponding with our jobs / environment. In reality this can be based on the corporate culture in general and / or behaviour of business owners, superiors or colleagues. Therefore write down which values matter most for you! Additionally think what exactly do they mean to you, e.g. what behaviour do you associate with them to be fulfilled. When are they not fulfilled? In the event that you need some support with the identification of your values I recommend using the self-coaching exercises in the Vision Board Step-by-Step Book.
A meaningful career is more likely if you can use your strengths and do tasks which bring you energy instead of taking energy away from you. You do not know what your strenghts are? No problem, the American Psychologist Martin Seligman shaped the concept of positive psychology and developed a generic strength system. The free online test you can do here. After finishing the VIA strength test you will get a good idea which strengths your should highlight in your future career. In summary the more you use them the more likely it will be that you find meaning and purpose.
In fact I learned about that concept last year and like it, because I experienced doing tasks which are taking away energy from me whilst doing less tasks which bring me energy. Eventually I learned my lessons and adjusted my career path to include more tasks where I can be more creative and learn new things. Give that I advise you to take your strengths into consideration when it comes to career planning.
Furthermore think also about your personality, are you more introvert or extrovert? As introvert is may not be the best choice to have direct customer-contact all day. Do you prefer working on your own or in a team? You want more clear and strict rules than an administrative job obviously can be your thing. If you want to be more free, creative and flexible a career in Marketing can be better.
From my perspective the kind of business you are working in plays a big role. You should identify with the products or services to find some purpose in your career. Do you like physical or digital products? Which industry attracts you? If there is not a particular interest in a specific industry or you do not have a preference for products or services you can also reflect on the higher purpose.
In that sense do you like helping people? Then a career in HR, in a hospital or a NGO can be what you should look into. Or is that you like to work with your hands and can not sit still for a longer time? Yes, maybe do not choose an office job.
You want to creative? What about being a craftsman, photographer or journalist?
When you have a more clear picture about a possible career it is time to take action. If you are still not totally sure about your future, do not worry. Make some research on Social Media (e.g. LinkedIn) to find people who work in a profession you are interested. Ask them about their daily life in their career. You will get a clearer picture for your career planning. Maybe an internship can be good for you.
If you are clear about your career planning and path: Go out and search for job openings. Prepare your CV and let it check from a friend or family member. Put some effort into it and create a picture why you are the right one for that job / career. Talk about your strengths and how they show up in your behaviour. Tell them what to expect from you. What are your skills? Your experiences? Even experiences in a total different field can be useful!
And finally when you got invited to an interview: Talk about your values and ask the company what are their values. How do they show in the daily business?
Let me give you one final advice: A career is not solely defining who you are! It is worth in having a broader vision of the life you desire! Workaholics often face the risk of burnout. Your will mentally more healthy if you have other parts in life where you can craft positive energy.
Also distance from work will help you being creative and finding new perspectives or solutions.
A career will probably not fulfil all your needs! Read more about WHY a Vision Board can help you to create the life you want.
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For me a career is more to do things you are passionated about and enjoy, rather than earning a title. A title will not give you meaning or purpose in life. Read more about 4 easy steps to create the career you desire. Furthermore you will learn why a Vision Board can help you creating your perfect career!
© Self-Love Harbour 2024
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