Here is the 5th part in the series from Paul Mullan of Measurability.ie. Measurability offers career coaching to individuals looking to change careers as well as companies looking to train their staff for better things. If you have a question you can either leave it here or send Paul an email at paul@measurability.ie. The other articles can be found here at Why most CV’s Fail / Lying in Interviews / Job Hunting Tips / Interview Techniques.
I read an article once that stated 70% of people were unhappy with their career. From my experience I would dare to say it is probably a lot higher than this. Most people don’t know where they are going with their career and as a result any road is taking them there. You often hear of people at a career crossroads but for many it is more like spaghetti junction. There are those who are very successful at what they do but do they get fulfillment. Many spend their lives climbing corporate ladders only to find when they reach the top it was leaning against the wrong wall.
Living the Dream
It is Big Brother season so I thought I would be topical and quote Chantelle when she exited Celebrity Big Brother. She said she was “living the dream”. So why are most people not living the dream in relation to their jobs and careers. Well a lot of us are living the dream but unfortunately it is not our dream but that of our parents or other influences. I always ask my clients what would be their dream job. Some can’t answer but many can. When asked what they have done to achieve their dream job the consistent answer is “nothing”.
So what is stopping us?
For those who don’t know what they want well the lack of understanding and clarity is stopping them. But for those who do know what they want there are a number of factors acting as a red light. Fear plays a big part - fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection or fear of success. Also many people don’t take 100% responsibility for their lives and decisions and therefore have no control of their live or careers. We put blame on everything and everyone except ourselves. A big factor though is that most don’t believe that it is possible.
Where to start?
This next bit borders on the obvious but often it is the obvious that we don’t see. For those who don’t know what the want - research, look inside yourself and decide what you want. You can do this yourself, with friends or with the help of a professional. For those who know what they want take action, doing something, anything but just start. Believe it is possible.
Credits
Article by Paul Mullan of Measurability.ie. Measurability offers Career Coaching to individuals (Career Direction, CV Design & Interview Coaching) and Assessment Solutions for businesses to improve their recruitment decisions. They are also holding a CV & Interview Skills workshop on Saturday September 29th, more details [here].