Career change – Discern what you are cut out for

 

“The self is not something that one finds. It's something one creates.”

---- Thomas Szasz

There are many people who, given an opportunity would do a career change. But they are unable to do so because of one singular reason – they have no idea of how to go about it. People also want to change careers and do something else, something special. But again, they do not know what exactly they want to do.  Why?

The predicament of not knowing what or how to do is widespread. It stems from a rigid mindset and inability to think unconventionally. Resultantly, the plethora of prospects that are there remains unexplored. Here are some aspects that you must ponder about and help you come out of your shell to engender an assortment of novel career initiatives:

·   Designations don’t matter at all. Do they restrict your thought process? If you were asked to write down all the jobs that cross your mind, perhaps you would be able to catalogue only a couple of scores of them and miss out on many. If you cannot identify them, it goes to show that appointments and designations are of little consequence. Therefore, you should concentrate on various prime ideas that hold out significance for you and your job.   

·   Formulate a ‘not-to-do’ list. This is not a very difficult exercise, particularly if you happen to be in a job that you do not like. Besides helping you to concentrate efforts on satisfying tasks, you are able to identify bothersome assignments that you would be able to deal with in dissimilar circumstances. This will assist you to reject a job offer on account of resemblance with your present one.

·   Prepare a ‘like-to-do’ list. How do you envision your new career? Are there any yardsticks related to remunerations, position or status that you have set for yourself to attain? You must look within to find out if you are adhering to any tenets and following somebody else’s ideas. This will help you discern what you aspire for or what others would like you to be?

·   If wishes were horses, where would you be galloping to? You are all set to take off. And your imagination should not have any ceiling. If you were to see a shooting star and make a wish for your career, what would it be? You must hitch your wagon to a star, aspire to do great things and not have any pessimistic goals.

·   What is that you would like to get your hands on? We do not let ourselves obtain something that we want. For example, you may aspire to bring in bagsful of money but since it may portray you as a materialistic person, you shelve the idea. Likewise, you want a relaxed job, but are afraid of being branded as non-enterprising and hence do not look for it. It is also likely that you want to establish your own venture, but do not do so because you do not want to take risks. You need to discern what you need yourself to be permitted to get hold of.

·   If you were given a chance to re-author your life, how would you like it to be? You need to discover your life’s destination and not be reined in by any factor. If you were to be transformed into an absolutely new personality, how would you like to be? The work that this ‘new you’ would like to do should be found out. Obviously, all these things would inspire you and you should find out where such motivation will lead you.

·   Be free to make dreams your master. The new career that you envision for yourself need not be anything extraordinarily splendid. Little alterations can serve to change your life and career momentously. Therefore, it is essential that you think that achieving success in a career change is all about discovering what is apt for you.

The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them. You have to deal with the fact that your life is your life. A career transition of any sort could be an unsettling experience alright, but its decision, being gigantic should be arrived at it after weighing all considerations.  

Brush up on your interview etiquette

The job market will always be abuzz. You will receive offer letters and you will have to undergo interviews that could make or mar you. Interviews are events wherein your awareness and homework get together with opportunity; and when that happens, Lady Luck smiles on you.

Wouldn’t you like Lady Luck to smile on you? If yes, you need to brush up your interview etiquette – something that should function like a navigation system so that you go on the correct course and engage yourself in correct activities.

Here are some areas where people err and plummet in an interview:

·   Punctuality:  If you think that being a couple of minutes late makes no difference, you are sadly mistaken. You must expect that you will get held up and may have to seek help to reach the interview venue. Remember that time can be quantified in terms of money and that to keep someone waiting is wrong. Your unpunctuality will make the interviewer believe that you do no planning for unforeseen occurrences and that you will be perennially late at arriving at work.

·   Mobile phones:  All telephones ring at the wrong time. When you go for an interview, keep your mobile phone on the switch off mode. You have a very short period of time to impress the interviewer and any interruptions can be very expensive. The interviewer can get distracted, besides taking the buzz as rudeness and being forced to believe that the job is not being accorded due importance by you.

· Handshake:  Your handshake simply cannot be wilted; it portrays an image of being overawed. Handshaking is an art and you need to be perfect at it. Your right hand should be extended straight with the thumb erect and fingers out joint. The shake per se should not be soft, but you should ensure that you do not squeeze too hard. A maximum of two or three pumps are adequate. A point to note is that the offer of the handshake should come from the interviewer.   

·   Conversation:  It is a common phenomenon for nervous people to rush through their spoken words. You should guard against this tendency. The means to being a good talker is to possess the ability to lend ears and make kind inquiries. If you have to do this, you must prepare yourself in advance.

·  Posture:  It is a known fact that people who sit and stand erect transmit positive signals about their personality. You should remember this point and ensure that you do not have a drooping posture.

·   Familiarity: You cannot presume that your interviewer is your friend, his affable approach notwithstanding. You must uphold a professional distance and refrain from getting excessively personal. As a matter of practice, snooping questions should not be asked. 

·  Body language:  Body language is a very powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently, 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words. Therefore you need to guard against fidgeting, foot tapping, limb movement and unwarranted gesturing.

·  Exuberance:  If you intend to convey your seriousness, you cannot afford to have a staid look on your face. Your face should radiate happiness and confidence; and this is best portrayed by a smile. Remember that your clothes may not be noticed, but your smile will. And a smile will even confuse an approaching frown.

·  Expectations:  You should make it known to the employer your suitability for the post you are being interviewed for. Anything to do with your past employment has no relevance; look at what is being offered to you and either accept it or forego it.

·   Reciprocation:  After an interview is over, people tend to forget about it and the interviewer. You will be displaying a high sense of professionalism if send a note of thanks to the interviewer. Doing so will also portray a positive image. The opportunity should also be seen as one to highlight your eagerness and also show up any aspect that you missed out during the interview.

You may or may not get through the interview. If you fail, it does not mean that you are a failure; it means that you have not succeeded yet. Your good luck will happen when your preparedness will meet an opportunity. Take a cue from what transpired and use it to succeed the next time. After all, failures are stepping stones to success.

Take initiative & walk your way to success

Do you feel unchallenged at work? Do you have problems identifying new ventures? Do you find it difficult to discover new responsibilities that you would like to shoulder? Do you remain perplexed at having your boss make the best use of you and your expertise?

The above bewilderments are quite common and manifest your keen desire to work for your company in a more consequential manner. However, the important issue is how to give such a wish shape and direction.

You must acknowledge the truth that if you have problems in trying to contribute more to your organization, your boss would perhaps be in a similar quandary. Remember that your boss has more responsibilities and accountability; and hence looking for means to make better use of you, though in his or her charter, is something easily shelved.

At all workplaces, there are a number of people who tend to grumble about under-utilization of their skills. But regrettably, the initiative that ought to be displayed by them in this context is rather low. The fact is that such people simply keep reiterating that their capabilities are under-estimated and that they have the potential to put in more; whether or not they put in sustained hard work to reveal that is a million dollar question. 

The above thus raises serious doubt about their contentions. As a matter of fact, they are a jaded lot who are not contested at all; and this gives them reason to grumble. It is not that everybody who feels underutilized or under-worked is not more endowed or more capable; and authentically seeks to find genuine and concrete methods to put their skills perceived to be overlooked to better use.

The first and foremost step that you should take is to take the onus of the dilemma. It is pointless to hold others responsible for whatever is transpiring. You simply cannot look forward to others finding ways and means to utilize you optimally. It may appear that the circumstances are not favourable to you or things cannot be dominated by you. However, you must get on to take control of the situation and take all necessary actions to find a remedy to your dilemma. Here is how you can do so:

·   Assess how you are faring:  Your maiden task should be to ensure that you are not found wanting in your current job profile; all assigned tasks should be excellently executed. It is only then that you should seek varied and additional responsibilities. If you are a run of the mill type vis-à-vis your current job, it does not stand to logic exploring higher responsibilities. Your efforts should be directed at where they are primarily supposed to be; it is subsequently that you should contemplate looking at other prospects.

·   Identify what you seek:  It is next to impossible laying hands on what you are not clear about. You need to visibly and unmistakably characterize what you want to do. To do so, you have to understand specific skills possessed by you that could be better made use of or those that you need to sharpen; and reflect on what the final picture should appear as. In other words, you must identify particular assignments that you would prefer to take on and summarize issues that you would like to be involved with and contribute to.

·   Find out how your boss can help:  Bosses can be forgetful and need to be reminded about what is to be done including specific projects that can be undertaken by you. While approaching them, you have to be specific in your requests and be able to justify them. The boss will thus evaluate you and your requests in the light of larger company interests.

·   Be enterprising & have an upper hand:  There is nothing wrong in displaying initiative and taking on additional responsibilities. You should try to infuse greater efficiency, introduce interior economy measures and boost productivity. You could well devise ways and means to come up with ingenuous ideas and implement them. This will boost your image in the perception of your boss and co-workers alike. It is likely that seeing this, you may get to be in charge of a greater program.

They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. Remember that your wisdom is the ultimate tool for forging your future.

The falsehood about dream jobs

Prompted by our ambitions and aspirations, we tend to contemplate very seriously on dream jobs. And when we are into it, no time is lost in embarking on a deceptive hunt for another. What is the reason behind this? Is a dream job a reality; if yes, then why search for another one? Or is the perception of a dream job hazy and weird? Why is it an allegoric idea or a figment of your imagination?

Every individual has a different perception of a dream job; they know fully well that none of them can ever satisfy all your requirements and make life a comfortable ride. Remunerative factors and job profile are two major factors for consideration, however, in case if happiness is not there, it does not remain a dream job.

Dream jobs exist only in minds and are dreams so long as there is nothing adverse about them. Should tough working conditions, low salaries and greater responsibilities be imposed, dream jobs cease to be so. Consequently, the deceptive hunt for a new dream job takes off.

Professionals and wise men opine that dream jobs are always just around the corner, provided you recognize and believe in truth. The truths are:

·   Happiness at job is not forever:  You can only derive happiness from your job only if you have a happy disposition. Your dream job cannot guarantee it and may impose agitating moments. Remember that happiness is your discretion – if you want to be happy, you will be so. In fact, it is a state that you would like to be in a couple of years hence and thus is a natural corollary to your desire and anmitions. 

·   Dream job will not be there for grabs:  You can well be satisfied doing a number of jobs. Hence the term ‘dream job’ is not apt. It is quite likely that you will be happy if you give wings to your zeal and fervour. But when your passion gets transformed into regular work, the zeal gradually die down and so doe the happiness that you were experiencing. Opting for unbeaten paths is a trend of current times, but once you walking on it, it is no more a dream. If you blend a job with a leisure pursuit, the result will be a exhilarating cocktail of sorts alright, but will make you feel miserable after some time. You should get into a job that you are at ease with to graduate further to your dream job.  

·   No dream job offers handsome salary:  You may be paid handsomely in your dream job, but this will be an exception rather than a rule. If you have vim in you that attaches a high importance to money, you will eventually have diminished earnings, despite your fondness for the job. There are many people who are passionate about their work and yet make decent amount for their living. The essential point is to draw satisfaction and happiness from work and not bother much about remuneration.  

·   Dream job is a matter of perception:  Yes, it is so; there is no such thing as a dream job because a dream is not an actuality. It is all about how you visualize your job; the discernment varies from person to person. A low-paid employee working in a small setup may also regard his job as a dream job because it helps him to make his both ends meet. At the end of the day, it is all a matter of how you psychologically and emotionally recognize a job. 

·   No job is a dream job:  The belief that an ideal job is a dream job is wrong. A perfect job is one where you have time for various other pursuits too; remaining bogged down with the job routine does not qualify to be called one. Your job conditions should offer you opportunities to be happy, contented and rejuvenated. Simply facilitating meeting all personal obligations is not a yardstick of a dream job; you should also be able to walk around and see the sights your life. You should not have excessive hopes from a job; you have to strike a good balance between your work and personal obligations to live life truly king size.

Facts highlighted above notwithstanding, people still let their imagination run riot about dream jobs. There are numerous contributory causes that make a job a dream job and which, needs to pragmatically considered, before actually taking a plunge.