Ghosts of Careers Future

At the start of a new year, many people are re-energised, raring to go and keen to put new career plans in to place.  However, without being ‘bah humbug’, it pays to be realistic. 

In simple terms, it becomes a trade-off between the things that you want - to satisfy your own needs, ambitions, values and personal preferences - and the capabilities you have that an employer will pay for. The trick is to sell your skills and experience into an environment where you can use them and where you want to be. 

Career vs. Job
At the start of a career, and with limited track record, you may be hired for your potential and enthusiasm, although relevant studies and qualifications are increasingly important as selection factors.  In later life, it is relevant skills, experience and evidence of achievement that count.

A career is something that you develop and build over time - a lifetime even.  It requires a sense of direction - a longer term vision and commitment to see it through - as well as energy and discretionary effort.  It might involve building an organisation, a professional practice or a company and perhaps contributing to the development of an entire business sector or academic discipline.  It usually involves personal and intellectual growth as well as specialised knowledge and experience.  It has intrinsic rewards as well as recognition and remuneration.

Making a break
All the same, a high flying career is not the be all and end all.  For perhaps most people a job is a means to an end - a way of making a living to support a family or a way of life.  Nevertheless, we want it to be as rewarding as possible.

So, if you have had a ‘Eureka’ moment and decided that your real passion in life is to be a scuba diving instructor rather than working another twenty years as an accountant, in reality, how employable are you?

Transferable skills are often the route in to a new sector and may be the key to any change of direction.

Rather than trying to persuade an employer to take you on with no experience and basic qualifications, a more realistic route would be to use your existing skills - say, as an accountant - to get a job in the sector that attracts you - say, in a scuba diving/adventure holiday company - and once there get the training, experience and contacts to get you to where you want to go.

Changing tack
Changing career direction doesn’t always need to involve such dramatic changes.  A change of context - a sideways move in a current organisation or a similar role in a different organisation more aligned with our values and preferences - may be all that is required.

And remember, your real vocation in life doesn’t have to form the basis of your job.  Thousands of people are passionate about things that they don’t get paid for and keep this separate from their working life.  You might choose to take a manual or service job that is ‘work and finish’ – for example, in a bar or restaurant – so that you have time and means to follow your real passion for volunteering, writing your novel or creating music.

Preparing the way ahead
Most of us have a tendency to undersell ourselves.  Before we first meet a potential new employer we need to do our homework – revisit the ‘ghosts of careers past’ and the ‘ghosts of careers present’ to assess our values and preferences and to get feedback from others on the talents and strengths that we may overlook and the potential we have but cannot see ourselves. 

At the end of the day we do best what we enjoy the most.  Whether pursuing a long-term career or working in a job, we can do better by understanding our 'ghosts' and taking account of them as we move forward into the future.

Jo Ouston
January 2012