QUESTION: Are you in the wrong occupation?
ANSWER: Most likely, yes.
WHY: With over 10,000 documented career options, odds are small you picked the right occupation!
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Here are a few of the top reasons you are likely to be in the wrong occupation:
– There are over 10,000 standardized occupations and you have not even considered 9,990+ of them
– You would consider it a waste of your education to go into another field
– You are not happy in your current occupation, but don’t have an idea of what you would prefer more
– You “fell into” your current occupation when you were younger and never thought about it any further
– You are financially comfortable in your current occupation and afraid to change
In fact, most people will spend more time planning their next vacation than they spend in their entire lifetime planning their career.
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Take a moment now and consider these five important questions:
1) Do you enjoy the part of your work that is directly related to your occupation?
2) Does your occupation pay at or above what your desire?
3) Are you proud of what you do?
4) Do you feel you are building the kind of career you desire?
5) Is the demand for your occupation growing and the outlook promising?
Your answers to these five questions will tell you a lot about whether you are in the right occupation or not.
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If you think you could be part of the majority … people who are in the wrong occupations … then finding a better one could be just what you need to kick-start your career happiness. As I mention in Chapter 3 of Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!), which is available as an eBook at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com:
“Experience, education, certifications, or other historical realities can be potential barriers to your entry into new professions and industries. In most instances, however, they are not absolute barriers.”
You don’t have to stay stuck in an unfulfilling occupation. Especially if you are smart and/or a hard worker. Choosing an occupation that matches well with your unique needs and desires will pay off in the long run. I should know. I’m 20 years into my fourth occupation (first three were engineering, corporate training, and sales) and I’m enjoying coaching/consulting more than any of my first four. I made a conscious choice each time to change careers, and you can too!
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There are dozens and dozens of occupations you could choose. You deserve an occupation and career that is fulfilling and rewarding. I’m not saying it will be easy, but a career change may be a lot easier than you imagine.
Is it time for you to start exploring? There’s no time to lose. You deserve more and I’m sure it is out there and available to you. If you don’t believe it is out there and available to you, then you need to consider how your beliefs and attitudes (Chapter 1 in my book) are holding you back!
If you are committed to making things better, then start today so you will have what you want sooner… rather than later or never.