Career Change: Finding a Career You Love

How to Find a Career You Love

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

Mary Oliver

Have you been considering a career change? Sometimes, the first and hardest step is getting clear about what it is that you want to do. Even with that clarity, there can be other obstacles that need to be worked through before you can find a career that you love.

Here at Growing Self, we have career coaching clients from all over the world and Denver career clients who often begin their work with us because they are searching for answers to questions like these:

Should I go back to school?

How will changing careers impact my family?

What career is congruent with who I really am?

What should I do with my life?

What am I truly capable of?

Should I take a leap or should I make an incremental change?

Should I just focus on improving the career I’m currently in?

How — Or If — To Change Careers

If you’re asking these questions too, this episode on career change and finding a career you love is for you.

In this Episode: Career Change, Finding a Career You Love…we will be discussing:

• How to figure out if you’re having “escape fantasies” and, if so, how to avoid making mistakes in your career.
• The myth of the perfect career vs what a realistic “career experience” should be.
• Escape fantasies vs making slight shifts.
• Differences around career changes between men and women.
• The utility of taking a career assessment test or career placement test.
• How to use your dark emotions to illuminate your career truth.
• How to manage career challenges unique to different stages of life.

No matter if you’re a recent graduate looking to get clarity about what you want to do with your life, in an established career that you’re feeling dissatisfied and discouraged with, or if you’re getting back into the workforce after taking a break or dealing with a layoff, you’ll want to hear this great career advice.

Career Change Resources:

• Designing Your Life, by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
• Glassdoor
• Career Info and Career Assessment Test Options (self-assessment)

How Do I Find a Career I Love?

It is said, “when you have a job that you love, you won’t have to work a day in your life.” Although loving every second of every hour of your job is unrealistic, it is still possible to work in a profession that is fulfilling. Many ask the question, “where do I start?” There are steps you can take that can move you forward on your journey to creating a career that you love. 

I’ve invited Maggie on this episode of the podcast to share some insight on the subject. Maggie, who has been career coaching since 2011, said one of the first questions people need to ask themselves is, “do they really want to change careers?” or “are they just burnt out?” 

Maggie shares that if there are no boundaries at work, this can not only lead to burnout, but it can also affect the qualities of a person’s relationships. To change the circumstances, Maggie states, “Ask yourself; where is your power in this? So you can set limits in your profession.”

Another important question people need to ask themselves is, “Who am I?” When you discover and hone in on your characteristics and passions, this can set a strong foundation for finding a career you love. 

How to Figure Out a Career Change

When you finally have recognized and solidified that indeed you are looking to change jobs or careers, you cannot simply throw caution to the wind. Creating a game plan will be advantageous for a change in your career path. Having a strategy or self-reflective process that includes the following will be beneficial for figuring out what career will best meet your needs.

Job Shifting: On the podcast, Maggie says that starting from scratch can be tempting, but people should take the skills they have already and see if there is just a different position in the company they should try out. Can you shift into a role that is more rewarding within your department or organization?

Burnout or Time for Change: According to the Mayo Clinic, “Job burnout is a special type of work-related stress — a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” Burnout can feel like you have a lack of support at work, there is not a healthy work/life balance, or there is a dysfunctional work dynamic. If you love what you do, but are not comfortable with the work environment or workload, is there a way you can take the power that you do have and collaborate with your supervisor to create a healthy workspace for you? 

Symptoms that you may be experiencing burnout involve:

• Boredom
• No room for growth
• The “magic is gone.”

Self Doubt: Employee burnout can be one symptom of dissatisfaction at your current workplace, but sometimes job dissatisfaction stems from something deeper within yourself. Maggie shares that “people can have a sense of inadequacy…an inner critic within themselves. What is important is that they have to be able to work with that inner critic. We have to have the ability to assert ourselves at work.” 

What to Do When You Are Stuck On the Job Search

When changing careers at any age, it can be easy to find yourself at a dead end. After filling out countless applications and attending a few interviews, it is natural to become discouraged. What is the solution for being unstuck?

When finding yourself in a challenging place when applying to jobs, try:

• Following up with places that you applied to,
• Review your resume and add any keywords that you have seen repeated on job adds to your resume,
• Contacting several job recruiters to aid in your job search, 
• Reach out to a career coach for advice.

It is imperative not to give up and stay motivated during your job hunt. How do you stay motivated during a job search? One simple way is to remind yourself why you are job searching in the first place and surround yourself with a supportive group of friends. Remember you are not alone in your job hunt, and the people closest to you will always be rooting for you!

Real Help for Finding a Career You Love

At Growing Self, we do not just want you to find a job to obtain a sustainable income, we want you to find your life’s purpose. Our career development coaches provide clients the confidence they need to go after the career they want, strategize how to have their dream job, and work with the skill set that they have so they may fulfill that role successfully.