Trapped in a Job You Hate? Here’s How You Can Get Rid of It
The Importance of Finding the Right Job for Your Career
Most of our time is spent either at work or thinking about work and before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, commuting to and from work. Hence work is a huge and inevitable part of life.
If an individual isn’t satisfied and feels bored with how he/she spends a huge chunk of their day can seriously take a toll on their mental as well as physical health. Just by knowing that another workday lies ahead they may feel exhausted, frustrated, depressed and anxious and burned out while being incapable of enjoying time with family and friends.
Forcing yourself to concentrate on tasks that seem mundane, tedious, monotonous and unsatisfying to you can be highly stressful. If your work isn’t meaningful and gratifying then it gets hard to put in the efforts and enthusiasm essential for further successful advancement in the job and career. You are more likely to accomplish success in a job or career that you are passionate about and the work makes you feel satisfied and happy.
Unfortunately, “Perfect Job” doesn’t exist. And this isn’t a disturbingly pessimistic perspective but quite a very real one. Each and every individual -be it a male or a female have there their own unique strengths, weaknesses, perceptions, personality and an immeasurable quantity of various other characteristics that if and when collectively pooled and utilized can be very helpful in looking at out for jobs that are a good fit.
Whether you are someone who is graduating or someone who is looking out for opportunities are relevant and limited to your current job or are unemployed like many in this economy. You may want to reconsider your current career choices and decisions.
A career path that you think is right for you can be discovered by learning and acquiring new skills, evaluating your strengths while researching career and job options and also mustering up all the courage to make the career change.
5 Tips for Finding the Right Career
1- Identify Jobs That Match Your Interest
How to convert interests into a new career? Research! A little research can surprise you with many career opportunities that are relevant to your interests and you are passionate about.
Take a career test in order to discover yourself. Various online tools are available on the internet that can guide you through the process of self-discovery. Although quizzes, questions or personality assessments can’t tell what career exactly would be perfect for you but can help you in determining what is important to you in a career, what areas you excel in and what your passions are.
After narrowing down a list of specific careers and jobs relevant to interests, research on them. A wealth of information can be obtained from the internet such as job description to average salary package to probable future progression.
Other than this you can consider career counseling or mentoring in case you are planning a major career move.
2- Develop Your Experience
Develop new skills while gaining experience relevant to the career or job you want to switch to. Keep a lookout for opportunities and training at your current job. Build connections with the professionals already working in the field of your dream job.
Many online courses are available to learn and enhance skillsets. Register to any online course you feel that is relevant to your dream job and can truly help you in making the move. Explore various programs that are being offered in your various communities such as community colleges and even libraries provide low-cost programs for enhancing skillsets.
Also not only you gain and develop skills and experience by volunteering or working as an intern in your dream job field but also you get the opportunity to make connections in your desired field.
3- Attain Relevant Career Skills
Once you have decided on the career path you want to switch to. Sit back, relax and evaluate and reevaluate your pre-existing skill set that needs to improve and enhanced and what new skills are essential and required in your desired career path that you need to learn and develop.
Don’t restrict yourself to your job experience. Consider all your activities such as hobbies, volunteer work, life experiences, etc. List down all your skills and develop new ones and put them where they matter the most. This approach can also boost your self — confidence enormously.
Ask people around you, your family, friends, coworkers and mentors about yourself and your positive and negative attributes. Converse with them and discuss in-depth and value their positive and negative criticism as it will help you in identifying skills that you might have overlooked and help to articulate the skills in a better and enhanced way in the future.
4- Consider Becoming an Entrepreneur
Being worn out either due to a long commute to work or by a demanding boss can be stressful and in that scenario becoming your own boss can be a very pleasing thought. Find your niche. In a slower economy, it gets easier for you to determine your perfect niche.
Many organizations and firms prefer to outsource their work from independent freelancers. However, it’s essential that before getting involved in your own business it’s best to thoroughly research and understand how freelancing works and what are the realities of owning a business.
Initially, you’ll be spending long hours working and the business may take some time to pay off. Therefore, it’s important that you remain patiently passionate as well as committed to the business idea.
Research and analyze the area of interest. Research is crucial for setting up an online business. Ask yourself whether you are satisfying an unmet prerequisite or not. Determine the culture and habits of the area you have decided to work as a contractor. Devise a strong business plan along with a market and competitor analysis while determining prospective consumers.
Make sure you have enough savings and finances as in the initial days your business would not be making a lot of profit. Hence it’s important for you to have a backup plan for rainy days.
5- Go Slow With the Job Transition
Making career switches at times can take some time as major career moves don’t happen overnight. Keep yourself calm and at peace. Making such major career moves can get really overwhelming. Be confident that slowly and steady with dedication and hard work you will accomplish what you desire. Break larger complex goals into simpler tasks and try accomplishing one small task a day to keep the drive going.
