College Being

Do you wake up every morning and get ready for work wondering how you got here? You want to be doing something else, something you’ve always dreamed about. There’s a feeling that something doesn’t fit right – the ‘stuck in a rut’ feeling.

If you have a job that means you spend at least 70% of your conscious waking hours doing it, thinking about it or preparing for it. That’s a lot of time! And if it’s not giving you any satisfaction at all then it’s time for a self-analysis. Some lucky few breeze through life knowing they’re in the right place. The rest of us lesser mortals have to search – find out where we fit.

Ghost of Career Present

The trick is in trying to figure out exactly what doesn’t fit. You don’t change a whole outfit just because the socks have thick inseams. Find out what part of your present situation is unsatisfactory.

1. Are you happy with your financial situation? This does not just mean how much you’re getting paid but also your future security. There’s always a small part of you wondering how you’ll survive in your old age!

2. Are you unhappy because you have been stuck with the same job in the same company for a long time?

3. Are your educational qualifications (or lack of) a hindrance in moving ahead?

4. Is it you or is it the people around you? More specifically, are you down because of lack of support?

5. What is your skill set? Is there something you can add to make things better in your current job?

Answer these questions truthfully. If you lie, you’re only cheating yourself. The answers to these questions will determine whether you need a new career/vocation or just need to switch jobs.

Ghost of Career Past

After all the above (which should take at least 2 weeks, not necessarily alone and definitely with lots of comfort food) if you still feel you need a complete change of career then its time to turn the wheel of fortune. If you’re lucky there is something you have always wanted to do but the old guts wouldn’t cooperate. The timing was wrong, the finances were wrong, nothing was adding up. Fear not, the hard part is over! Once you have made a conscious decision to finally pursue your dream career, the rest is peanuts. It might be a good idea to do a trial run before you commit yourself completely. An internship program or volunteer work might be available for your choice of career.

If, however, you decide to take the hard road it’s time for more self-analysis! And this time, quit with the comfort food and take a trip down memory lane.

1. List your hobbies. You’d be surprised at how many times a favorite hobby can be turned into a profitable business or career.

2. Take note of projects you have been involved in that you found more engaging.

3. 3. Ask your old school teachers, friends or parents what subjects or topics you always showed a passion for.

Once you have a basic idea of which industry/line of work you are interested in, find out where you fit in with regards to qualifications and skill set and what the best entry points are.

Ghost of Career Future

Where will you be 5 or 10 years from now? Plan for the future. See if the career move will provide more than just mental and emotional stability. You gotta eat somewhere! Financials and future job security are just as important as a dream job.

Good hunting!

Author Biography: Ali Jan Qadir is passionate about art, food and fitness. He loves to shares things he has learned by experience. He is a contributor for Best Mattress Reviews. If you want to learn more about him visit his twitter profile @alijanness.