I’m a firm believer that you don’t just need to have one career. I graduated from college thinking that I wanted to be Editor in Chief of a teen magazine. Three years after I worked in the magazine world I decided to give marketing a go. Then I decided that I wanted to go back to school and now, at the age of 28, I am an entrepreneur.
There was a time when I thought I was floundering, but now I truly believe that I was following my heart and finding my strengths.
So how do you figure out what you want to do? I recently interviewed a 30-year old HR manager and owner of her own networking business and here are some tips she gave:
Listen. Your friends are your best critics, so if they tell you how brilliant you are at throwing parties, giving speeches or whatever, listen to them. They might be onto something.
Journal. Journal. Journal. I could not stress this enough. This is for your eyes only, so don’t worry about grammar or what you put down. Some things to think about: what was fun that happened that day? What do you look forward to? What was the worst part of your day?
What makes you glow? A lot of people believe they have to have a 9-5 job, but there are a lot of successful women out there who set their own hours. Ahem, most entrepreneurs. Is that what you want? Or do you crave the structure of a 9-5? Think about the times when you’re the happiest.
What do you think about switching careers?
What is your advice for women who feel like they’re floundering?
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for sharing Rachel! I’ve been journaling since I was in the 4th grade and it has always been a saving grace for me. Nothing clears your mind like putting thoughts to paper. It really helps you sort out where your head is at and what matters the most to you, which is important to understand when considering a big career change.
Sarah- I completly agree. Blogging is my version of a jounral. It has become very therapeutic for me and I’ve seen a lot of personal growth since I started this blog a year and a half ago. Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
Nicole
Definitely an interesting article. I think far too many people go into careers and even college majors because they think that’s what will make them financially stable and happy. Yet, we end up on so many different paths. AT the age of 32, I can relate to much of what you’ve been through. I think we don’t often solicit the advice of our friends out of fear, but the reality is they know us pretty well and can setu us up to be truly successful.
The journaling thing is something I did on and off before blogging, but now with a blog it’s almost a form of a journal. That’s why I always encourage people to start a blog, even if it’s a simple one because it’s a great way to keep track of everything. It’s been a such a great tool for self exploration.
As far as the 9 to 5 goes, I think I was doomed never to succeed in the 9 to 5
. Truly, just a blessing in disguise. I think that too many people are caught in the trap of fear when it comes to letting go of the 9 to 5, so they don’t even take small steps in the direction of leaving. Really interesting article.
I definitely went into finance because I thought it was stable and financially secure. I wanted a marketable degree in case the economy crashed because it’s important to me that I am always able to support myself and my family. Looking back, I realize this choice was not the best fit for me and I don’t love it. I would NOT advise picking a major/field solely on your belief that it will be more financially stable.
I tell my two younger sisters (one is now graduated from college) to do what they love in college even if people question “what they are going to do with it.” Ignore those people! I don’t think a career/job is always going to be butterflies and sunshine, but I think you can get paid for something you enjoy doing.
The more you like the field, the more you are going to excel at it. Therefore, you probably end up making more money anyways.
Srini- we should schedule a Skype so I can talk to you about the whole story here. Not ready to go public yet.
I believe that you should do what makes your the happiest, even if it involves changing your career. If not, you’ll just get the life sucked out of you and what was once enjoyable becomes torture.
I’m in that area right now, of where I just don’t like my job. It’s not what I want to do, never has been, just I’m stuck here until I find a different job.
Emily,
I can totally relate. I think people get scared of pursuing the career path they really want. What these people forget to ask themselves is, “Where would you be in 5 years if you stayed in the job you hate?” and then, “Where would you be in 5 years if you made a switch?” It’s an overly simple concept but one we often forget- without action and risk, you will wake up Groundhog’s Day-style and still be living what you’ve always disliked.
Nicole
Very interesting, and relevant for our generation. we somehow feel like failures when we change career paths because we were taught that our resumes should transition smoothly and we should somehow know what we want from an early age. But in these times when we have so many options open to us, there is no reason not to try a few things to find out what you are really good at/ what you enjoy.
And I think listening to friends advice about what they perceive you as being good at is spot on. They truly know you best.
Only wish it was longer!
Laura,
Isn’t it a shame that changing career paths is considered a “failure”? I really hope this belief starts to fade as Gen Y starts raising their own kids differently.
You’re absolutely right though, what makes our generation different is that we have SO many options. Information is easily acccesible and at our finger tips. We have more options than any generation before us did. This is a great thing, but sometimes a confusing thing!
I think finding the right career is like finding the right life partner/husband/wife- it takes a lot of “frogs” before you find your prince. This is normal and probably a blessing. Imagine if we all married the first person we ever dated- whoa!
Nicole
These are 3 great, to-the-point tips!
I never understood how a person can choose one career, and at the tender age of 18 as you go into college. Your interests may be varied, but you can probably find common skill sets to support a jump into a new area. Definitely look towards your friends and colleagues for feedback. Listen carefully, and you might just hear a trend around a certain strength that you haven’t acknowledged before!
And if you have a true passion for something, that’s going to be your motivation to make it through the tough times and days when, as Rachel mentioned, you might feel like you’re floundering. Just know that a career switch will most likely take a lot of work, and it’s not always the right time in a person’s life to do so. Think it through, do your research, make a plan, then execute it – don’t be afraid of failure!
Nicole,
I totally agree- 18 is crazy young! A lot of career paths look like one thing on TV, but are actually quite different in reality.
Another thing I’ve accepted in my twenties is that nothing is going to happen at “the right time” so we might as well embrace things as they come and accept that timing is always going to be off.
Thanks so much for commenting!
Nicole
Great tips! I think I am going to take up the journaling idea and see where it gets me. Changing career paths seems to get harder and harder as time goes by. People get locked into making X amount of money and job-specific fringe benefits and to jump to a different path sometimes means taking a hard hit in the pocket book and in flexibility. I guess just another reason to be fiscally and socially responsible!
Hey Amber!
I agree, making career changes is REALLY tough. This is especially tricky if you have a big mortgage, a family and lots of bills. Even so, I think it’s important to always consider the big picture- like Suzy Welch says the “10-10-10″ rule: how will this decision affect me in 10 days, 10 months and 10 years.
I think journaling and taking random notes is really important for someone who knows they need a change but they aren’t sure what that change (or new career path) is. Seeing yourself on paper and looking at trends is often quite revealing!
Nicole
I completely agree. Since college I’ve been a veterinary hospital manager, violin teacher, and cake decorator, in addition to my current corporate career position. I’ve definitely found my interests and – more importantly – my disinterests along the way. Blogging has played a roll in that, but so has experience and time. Sometimes that’s all it takes.
Right now the corporate position is helping me save money and gain experience, but I’m mentally getting closer to the end of it, and am working on two business venture on the weekends and evenings. I know now I am not going to be happy spending my career sitting in a cubicle in a suit!
Jane,
Loving all of your comments lately! Thanks for being a regular!
You brought up another thing I think is interesting. A lot of Gen Y’ers I know have something on the side of their day job: freelancing, moonlighting, passion projects. I don’t have statistics to back it up, but my guess is that freelancing and moonlighting wasn’t all that common for Gen X and Boomers. I wonder why our generation is more likely to do this. Is it that we seek flexibility and indepence more than other generations did?
Nicole
I love the conversation this article has sparked! I remember when I wanted to leave my first job because I was just sitting behind a cubicle ALL DAY and running errands for my boss. I was totally uninspired. When I told my dad I wanted to quit he said, “They don’t call it work for nothing. A job is a job.” I was so let down by that comment. While we should be thankful for having a job, health insurance, etc that doesn’t mean we can’t pursue other things on the side. Here is to all of us who may not be in the job of our dreams, but are pursuing our passions on the side!
Rachel
This was a great article, did you know that one way to figure out what career is right of you is to see a career counselor. They can do career assessments to point you in the right career direction.
Great article, did you know that entrepreneur’s average salary is between 60,000 and 150,000 a year depending on location and specialization.