Over the years of working with thousands of people and helping them to move into their dream job I’ve come across a great many unfortunate people who have either been given bad careers advice in their youth, or made massive compromises and ended up trapped in a career that they can’t see a way out of.
It’s truly heart breaking to see someone who feels that they have no alternative but to continue along a career that offers little in the way of satisfaction other than the pay cheque at the end of the month. So here’s some advice that may either help you avoid this pitfall or help you if you are one of those people that feel trapped.
Just entering the Jobs market? Get your career started the right way!
Unfortunately getting trapped in an unfulfilling job is not uncommon. Many people receive poor advice when they were young or just take the first job that comes their way.
So if you are just out of school, College or University and about to look for a job then take my advice and try to find a job that plays to your strengths in a sector that you are genuinely interested in – it’s the only way you will ever be consistently fulfilled at work. That sounds easier said than done but it’s worth you putting every effort into pursuing your dream job now than leaving it until you feel stuck in a rut.
Obviously this is not always easy to do. The pressures of meeting living costs etc. often force us into having to make hard decisions but that doesn’t mean you have to give up! If you do have to take a less rewarding role to pay the bills then NEVER GIVE UP trying to crack the job of your dreams. Consider taking *any *job in the right sector/organisation to get your foot in the door – this is especially important for people at the beginning of their career and people seeking career changes.
Don’t lose your dinosaur!
I’ve had so many clients sit in front of me hands in head and declare something along the lines of ‘how did I end up here Charlotte? I never ever wanted to be an ‘accountant’ I wanted to be an artist. My parents and careers advisors told me to get a ‘proper job’ now I am miserable, middle aged, redundant and I still want to be an artist. Help!’
This reminds me of a scene from the film ‘Step Brothers’ where the two main characters two middle aged men – choose to make ‘safe’ career choices rather than pursuing their dream jobs.
I’ve had this type of conversation so many times; most recently I worked with a manager who has climbed the corporate ladder of a leading global aviation company. She was told not to be an ‘Artist’ by her careers advisor at school. She found success in her job, but never satisfaction and now aged 46, she wants to start her career again as a designer. I’m working with her now; she‘s doing creative projects on the side and developing skills in specialist painting and interior design and I am creating a ‘Design CV’ to help her move into a junior design position.
Stories of Success
It’s never too late to find fulfilment and change career. My customer Mark in his 50s- had had a successful senior management career in Housing Estate Management. However, his real passion in life is cycling and he set up and coaches a regional special Olympic cycling team. I did his CV and geared it towards a Cycling role and he’s now finally got a rewarding, managerial job in London heading up an innovative Cycling project for young adults in inner city London.
Another customer Josh, graduated in 3D Product Design last year but couldn’t find a job so was working in a restaurant and was just at the point of giving up on his dream of becoming a designer when he came to see me. I did his CV for Product Design and he started his new job last week as a Product Designer!
So wherever you are in your career whether it’s right at the beginning or half way through, there is still time to find job fulfilment and with the right help you may just find your inner dinosaur!