Ten years and nine jobs later, and I'm still no nearer to my dream career

ShiftDoctor answer

By Sonia Lakshman on 3 June 2007 at 11:06

Not knowing quite what to do is one of the most common reasons for finding yourself in a career fog. The good news is that you are probably closer to the answer than you think. Consistently recurring options usually recur consistently for a reason. Ask yourself what has stopped you from taking forward any of your potential ideas above. Is it that you have not checked them out sufficiently to proceed with conviction, could it be fear of how to get there, or instinctively feeling that it's not the right choice? What is it for you?

The fact is, that there is probably not just one career that is right for us - instead a few that we would potentially really enjoy and be good at. It is often a question of establishing what would be a great choice for you at the time. Making a career decision can seem so momentous (making a choice for life, not just for Christmas) that we are literally paralysed by fear of making the wrong one and so end up doing nothing. Taking the pressure of ‘perfection' off yourself and establishing what feels right for now, brings clarity and exhilarating action. Not to mention the considerable relief of not having to think about it all the time.

That said you will likely still want to make an educated decision and be as certain as you can.

So:

First, ask yourself one very important question - what is it that you want? Establish exactly what it is you want your work to give you. You say its challenging, interesting work, finding your niche. That's a great start. What else? Some commonly expressed needs are flexibility, creativity and intellectual stimulation, for example. Think about other things that are important to you. Use them as clues and navigators.

Once you have established these important drivers, you can start to break them down. Using the three you mention, consider the following:

Challenge

You wrote that you have changed jobs several times always in an admin capacity, so that regardless of the setting you were doing a role that did not stretch you. Use this experience to gain rich insights into yourself. Looking at what's missing can give you important clues to what you need. What must be present for you to be feeling challenged and using your potential? Is it using your brain in a particular way or within a particular subject area? Is it expressing your creativity or resourcefulness?

Interest

What do you find fascinating? Think about subjects that you are naturally drawn to: hobbies, causes or values that you feel passionate about. What (if anything) attracted you to the different sectors you chose to work in? Were there other roles within these organisations that seemed attractive to you?

Finding your niche

Another way to look at this is to consider the part of you that is currently seeking expression. What are your natural talents that you would like to develop that have perhaps been underused or even ignored professionally until now? Where could they potentially fit? What work environments would suit your personality?

Use your findings to expand (or equally to narrow) your canvas of attractive career options. Then, do something about it. Follow through on ideas that seem to consistently appeal. If you haven't already, research them thoroughly. Talk to people in the industry. Ask questions that address your concerns. Shadow people on the job if you can. They will also be able to advise you on whether courses or further training are actually necessary to get into these fields. Sometimes doing courses can be a way of postponing actually getting out there and doing it.

Then BEGIN. No matter how small a step, take it. See where it takes you. There is tremendous energy in action. Remember you are always at liberty to change your mind. As the saying goes ‘We miss 100 per cent of the shots we never take'.