| If you dream about having a different career, but | | | | to look beyond the obvious.Career Myth #6: Asking |
| don't act on that dream, you may be operating under | | | | "What's the best thing for me to do?" is the right |
| the assumption of a career myth. In this article, I | | | | questionThis is one of the most common questions |
| expose 10 myths, sayings you've heard before that | | | | asked when considering a career change or a career |
| simply are not true. Let's explore them.Career Myth | | | | move. It seems like a logical analysis - weigh the pros |
| #1: You can't make a living doing something you | | | | and cons and evaluate the balance.Do not ask |
| really, truly loveThis is the grand-daddy of career | | | | yourself this question!! It rarely leads you to the |
| myths, the belief that you can't have a "practical" | | | | answers you're seeking. It will lead you to feeling |
| career doing something that you were passionate | | | | overwhelmed with options (sound familiar?), or feeling |
| about. It has to be one or the other.This myth is | | | | like you have to choose what's practical over what |
| rooted in fear. Fear that we have to sacrifice our | | | | seems to be impractical.The question that will lead |
| happiness to make a living. Don't buy the myth that | | | | you to answers is simple (but not easy!!) It is "What |
| you can't earn a living by doing what you love.When I | | | | do I really want to do?" This is a very different |
| first started coaching, I heard from plenty of people | | | | question than "what's best?"Career Myth #7: If you |
| that it would be very difficult to make a living doing | | | | don't like your job, you're probably in the wrong |
| this work. I just decided to find coaches who were | | | | careerCause and effect, right? One way to tell if |
| successful, and to learn from them (simple, eh?).If | | | | you're in the right career is whether or not you like |
| you find yourself buying into this myth, consider this | | | | your job. If you're dissatisfied with your job, it's |
| question - As you look back on your life, what will | | | | probably a sign that you need to re-examine your |
| you regret more? Following your passion or following | | | | whole career choice. This is frequently what I hear |
| your fears?Career Myth #2: It's a tough job market | | | | from new clients who have decided to work with a |
| economyEven when the newspapers and other news | | | | career coach. They know something isn't right |
| sources say that unemployment numbers remain | | | | because they don't like their jobs. Their natural |
| steady, that job growth is at a standstill, or that | | | | assumption is that their dissatisfaction is a symptom |
| we're experiencing slow economic recovery, not to | | | | of a larger underlying issue - their career choice.This is |
| mention downsizing and outsourcing, don't believe | | | | an example of false logic. Not liking your job might be |
| it.It's a myth because it doesn't reflect the whole | | | | telling you you're in the wrong job. It doesn't |
| story, the fact that that it's a different job market | | | | necessarily mean you're in the wrong career. It |
| today. It's a changing economy. How we transition | | | | doesn't even mean you're in the wrong job. You |
| from job-to-job is different. Hiring practices have | | | | could just be working for the wrong person or the |
| shifted. So the job market has changed, but that | | | | wrong company. It takes a skillful approach to discern |
| doesn't necessarily make it tougher. What makes it | | | | the source of discontent, and I think it's very hard to |
| tougher is that we've been slower to change. We've | | | | do it on your own (shameless plug for career |
| held on to old practices and old behaviors. That's not | | | | coaches here!)Career Myth #8: Everyone needs a |
| to say that old ways still don't work, but they're just | | | | mission statementDo you know what your mission |
| not as effective.So I challenge you to just believe | | | | is? Mission statements are supposed to guide us, |
| that it's a perfect job market for you to find work. | | | | keep us on track, and help us move forward. But |
| I've had my college students try this, just for a | | | | what if you don't have one? Does that mean you're |
| week, and, more times than not, several of them | | | | destined to never fulfill your potential career-wise?A |
| find job leads or make important connections during | | | | client who was a successful professional contacted |
| the week.Career Myth #3: Changing careers is | | | | me because she was at a career crossroads. She felt |
| riskyWhat's riskier than leaving what you know to | | | | that if only she could find her mission in life, she |
| pursue the unknown? Changing careers means leaving | | | | would know which career path to take.She had a |
| behind a piece of your identity - your "I'm a lawyer" | | | | clear goal for coaching - find her mission! Instead, the |
| response to the "what-do-you-do?" question. It might | | | | most amazing thing happened. She decided that she |
| mean admitting to yourself that you made a mistake | | | | didn't need a mission. She chose to trust that she |
| with an initial career choice. Or it might mean | | | | was already fulfilling her mission statement, even |
| acknowledging that you're unsure of what's next. | | | | though she didn't know what it was. After the client |
| And smart people always know what's next, | | | | shifted her focus from finding her mission to living her |
| right?Nope. Successful career changers often don't | | | | life, an amazing opportunity came her way and she |
| have a plan. In Working Identity: How Successful | | | | pursued it.Here's a little tip: If your mission statement |
| Career Changers Turn Fantasy into Reality by | | | | is elusive, stop chasing it. Be still and let it find you. |
| Herminia Ibarra, she provided evidence that waiting | | | | And in the meantime, keep living your life and see |
| until you have a plan is actually riskier than just doing | | | | what happens.Career Myth #9: Expect a career |
| and experimenting.Nothing, absolutely nothing, is | | | | epiphanyWhen you see a link to "Find Your Dream |
| riskier than not changing careers if you're longing to | | | | Job," do you immediately click on it to see what's |
| do so. Here's why: The longing won't go away. It will | | | | there? Do you look at every "Top Ten Career" list |
| always be there, under the surface, waiting for you | | | | out there to see if anything catches your interest? |
| to do something about it.Career Myth #4: Always | | | | Do you know your MBTI type? If you do, you might |
| have a back-up planSometimes having a back-up plan | | | | be falling prey to the career epiphany myth.I'd love, |
| is the smart and prudent course of action. Back-up | | | | love, love it if most of my clients had a career |
| plans are so grown-up and responsible. But what | | | | epiphany that indicated to them, in crystal-clear |
| happens when you're standing with one foot in and | | | | terms, their next step. Instead, I see career |
| one foot out? In my experience, we usually close the | | | | "unfoldings" or a journey of discovery much more |
| door and retreat. We are reluctant to commit to | | | | regularly. That is, being willing to not ignore the |
| ourselves, and we end up denying ourselves the | | | | obvious, the pokes, the prods, and listen carefully to |
| satisfaction of playing full-out, getting dirty and | | | | the whisper within. Yep, forget harp music and |
| sweaty. We end up with feelings of regret and the | | | | angels, for most of us, the career epiphany is a quiet |
| nagging "What if?" question.Back-up plans diffuse our | | | | whisper.Career Myth #10: Ignoring your career |
| energy. Diffused energy equals diffused results. Give | | | | dissatisfaction will make it go awayOh, if only this |
| all that you've got to your dream/passion/risk and | | | | worked in the long run!! Granted, it does work at |
| you've got a better chance of being | | | | first. When you find yourself beginning to question |
| successful.Career Myth #5: There's a perfect job out | | | | your career, you'll find it's rather easy to push the |
| there for everyoneHow long have you been | | | | thoughts aside and pretend they aren't there. You |
| searching for yours? You just know, deep inside, that | | | | know what I'm talking about: the "what ifs" and the |
| there's an ideal job that's perfect for you out there. | | | | list of regrets.Over time, the random thoughts |
| It matches your personality, skills, and interests to a | | | | become nagging thoughts. You spend more and more |
| tee. And it pays well. If only you could figure it out. If | | | | time daydreaming about options. You build your list of |
| only you knew what it was.Is there a perfect job | | | | reasons to ignore your growing career |
| out there for you? No. And here's the good news - | | | | dissatisfaction:You're too old.You don't want to take |
| there are more jobs than you can imagine that would | | | | a pay cut. You don't want to go back to school. You |
| be "perfect" for you. Chances are you've even come | | | | missed your opportunity 5, 10, 15 years ago. With |
| very, very close to a few of those perfect jobs | | | | clients in this situation, we work on identifying and |
| already. So what happened? And how do you | | | | challenging these fears. Sometimes the fear of |
| recognize one of these so-called "perfect jobs"?Ever | | | | change remains, but there becomes a greater |
| see the perfect gift for someone, but it was months | | | | commitment to living than to feeling the |
| till his or her birthday? Then when you go to find the | | | | fear.Challenge So now that you know that one or all |
| item later, you can't. Another lost opportunity and | | | | of these myths have been holding you back, what |
| you, once again, berate yourself for not buying it | | | | are you waiting for?Stacey Lane, MS, CPCC, loves |
| when you first saw it.So maybe you've run into a | | | | the challenges of working with bright and talented |
| perfect job in the past, but because of the timing, | | | | professionals who are struggling with their career |
| you passed by the opportunity. Or maybe you were | | | | direction and reaching their potential. Using an |
| so focused on something else, that you missed an | | | | innovative four step process, Stacey specializes in |
| obvious clue. Instead of dwelling on the past, which | | | | helping clients develop smart career strategies. |
| you can't change, vow to keep your eyes open and | | | | |