Question: How can I tell if I need a new job or a whole new career?
Dear Ellis,
The reviews for In Search of the Fun-Forever Job were so good, they talked me into buying it. But I haven’t read it yet. Before I do, my question is this: The reviews mention how great your book is at giving job seekers strategies they can use, but are the strategies different if I’m looking for a new job in the same field than they would be if I want to change careers completely? I still haven’t figured out if I’m in a bad job or in the wrong career. Any advice on that one? I do plan to read the book, just thought I’d get some extra advice. Thank you.
Joel S.
Answer
Hi Joel,
Of course I'm trying to sell some books and will advise you that In Search of the Fun-Forever Job will successfully address every issue in your professional life. Maybe even personal ones, too.
Seriously, it's a great question. It gets to the heart of all career issues, and that is targeting. I always contend there are really only two major issues in any kind of career planning, which are smart targeting, and developing marketing strategies that are addressed to those targets. Most other career transition techniques support those two lynchpins.
Your issue is determining whether you have what I call "burn factor," which means figuring out whether it's the profession, or the particular job that's creating the issue. My best suggestion is to set up a due diligence/fact gathering about both your current profession and maybe two other options that may interest you at this point. That means research, reading, and building a few personal networks to figure out whether (1) you have interest, (2) there is a market out there at this moment and for the foreseeable future, and (3) whether your skill sets are validated in those professions. During this process, you'll figure out whether your current job is just a terrible job in the wrong place, or if the actual field itself is not for you.
This is the basis for getting started. To do a smart transition, you need to figure things out first, rather than the other way around. Unfortunately, many people initially think, "Hey that sounds cool," get a job in that area, and then find out this is not what they were really interested in. That's doing it backwards.
Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work
Dear Ellis,
The reviews for In Search of the Fun-Forever Job were so good, they talked me into buying it. But I haven’t read it yet. Before I do, my question is this: The reviews mention how great your book is at giving job seekers strategies they can use, but are the strategies different if I’m looking for a new job in the same field than they would be if I want to change careers completely? I still haven’t figured out if I’m in a bad job or in the wrong career. Any advice on that one? I do plan to read the book, just thought I’d get some extra advice. Thank you.
Joel S.
Answer
Hi Joel,
Of course I'm trying to sell some books and will advise you that In Search of the Fun-Forever Job will successfully address every issue in your professional life. Maybe even personal ones, too.
Seriously, it's a great question. It gets to the heart of all career issues, and that is targeting. I always contend there are really only two major issues in any kind of career planning, which are smart targeting, and developing marketing strategies that are addressed to those targets. Most other career transition techniques support those two lynchpins.
Your issue is determining whether you have what I call "burn factor," which means figuring out whether it's the profession, or the particular job that's creating the issue. My best suggestion is to set up a due diligence/fact gathering about both your current profession and maybe two other options that may interest you at this point. That means research, reading, and building a few personal networks to figure out whether (1) you have interest, (2) there is a market out there at this moment and for the foreseeable future, and (3) whether your skill sets are validated in those professions. During this process, you'll figure out whether your current job is just a terrible job in the wrong place, or if the actual field itself is not for you.
This is the basis for getting started. To do a smart transition, you need to figure things out first, rather than the other way around. Unfortunately, many people initially think, "Hey that sounds cool," get a job in that area, and then find out this is not what they were really interested in. That's doing it backwards.
Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work
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