Free Career and Job Search Advice

jmf123

Im 22, I graduated from college a year ago and have been working in the field I majored in (geography) for 3 years..two different jobs. The first job I had got old after about a year but it did give me some good experience, and I just got my second job in the same field and Im 3 months into it and its horrible, Im doing data entry all day long!! I cant do this much longer. Is it wrong to hate a job after only 3 months?? and is it too late to go back to school for something else?

Randy · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:22 pm Post subject:

Amazing, ain't it, how two diametrically opposed paths can have the same results? I didn't go to college simply because I couldn't "back then," nor even now, answer that stupid question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" So here I am at employer fifty-something and, looking back, I can say that I liked them all and hated them with every breath I took.

And you've followed all the "career advice" and blah blah blah and already you're sensing that there's far more to it that the "right" degree and finding the "right" employer.

As always, all I can tell you is this: You have the one thing going for you that no one can take away from you. Sure, you can piss it away if you wish, but no one can take it. That's your youth....you have your whole life ahead of you and these are the annoying, albeit necessary, details of everyday life that, when accepted as that, always work themselves out but will suck the very life out of you if you let them.

You see, there really is NOT "more to life than working and making money". There's ONLY life, period, and that's it. All that "labor" and "employment" is for humans what building dams is for beavers and somehow they seem to get along very well....unless of course there's a beavers' version of the local paper and they cover stories of workplace violence in beaverville. Hell, I don't know...

Relax and stopping beating yourself up. Give life, the universe, and everything else a chance to "talk" to you, to "show" you want might be best for you. It's amazing how these things work, you know.

Be safe and be well.

halliecrawford · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject:

I recently saw a statistic (I can't remember where at the moment) that said 80% or more of Americans do not like their jobs.

So, you are not alone! As a career coach, I try to help others through the process of finding a career they can be passionate about.

Here's what I would recommend:

First, take a deep breath to take some pressure off. I know what happens when I am tense and tight - nothing flows. When you're tight, your thoughts tend to be restrictive, limited and self-defeating. So release some of this tension of not enjoying your job. Permit your mind to consider new possibilities.

Because our jobs are vitally important to us, we tend to take them so seriously that we can end up becoming totally stressed out. Remember: there are unlimited options out there, and income can be achieved in so many creative and fulfilling ways!

So breathe, and realize that you can do and be anything. As you feel yourself letting go of that nervous, negative energy, allow your mind to open up to new alternatives. Acknowledge your career situation; how did you get where you are today? Is it possible to recreate that process and go in an entirely new direction for yourself, your life? Of course it is. You did it before. You can do it again!

Once you're aligned with the possibilities, trust that you will figure this out and believe in yourself. You can find a career you truly enjoy. I've helped many people do it and I've done it myself. I have faith that you can do the same!

Who better than you knows what YOU excel at, and what type of career you're ideally suited for? Have faith in the choices you make. YOU can do it, YOUR way!

Next, realize this is a process. Because you're probably relying on your current job to support yourself, you can make the move gradually if you need to. Because you're learning, the course of your path may change along the way. You'll figure it out.

Also realize that it can take time to find this ideal career. Remember to set goals that are realistic yet also a stretch, so that you can step out of your comfort zone (geography etc).

Spend quality time answering these questions:

* What do you enjoy most about the work you do now?
* What are your greatest strengths?
* What areas would you prefer to steer clear of in the future?
* Who are the key people and resources you'll need to help make your dream career manifest itself?
* What about finances - will you be borrowing money, or dipping into your savings as a way to get the plan off the ground?
* How can you manage your expenses to successfully make the transition without hurting your bank account?

Because this is a process that usually takes time, I encourage you to start now. Take action while you are feeling more stable, and not reckless or impulsive. Spend time thinking about the above and allow the flow of energy.

Let us know how it goes!

jmf123 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:48 pm Post subject:

Thank you for the tips and advice. Im definately not taking my age for granted. I understand Im still young and not exactly sure what I want to do. Right now I would be interested in maybe even a temporary internship, or a job out of my home state (I like to travel). Im almost looking for more of an experience rather than a 'career' right now. Money isnt really a huge issuue right now... My main concern is I dont want to look back when Im 30 and say "why didnt I travel, or have fun". I jsut dont want to be stuck in a cubicle when now is the age when i can try new things. I think i tend to dwell on things like that. Thank you for the responses!

Randy · Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:33 am Post subject:

quote="halliecrawford"

YOU can do it, YOUR way!

I get what you're saying, I really do, but with all due respect, that's the BIG lie I'm sick of hearing.

You leave people with the impression that we all live in a vacuum, in "the best of all possible worlds," and that's simply not the case.

Every single person's failures, as well as their success, involves "external" forces, be it other people or the benevolence or capricious acts of the gods, the kindness of strangers or the vindictiveness of a petty, spiteful employer.

For every single person who is successful at "creating" his "perfect" career and "perfect" life, you're going to find a thousand who tried the same things, followed the same path, put into practice the same advice, and probably had even more heart and determination than those who did succeed. And they don't get even a spirit stick for all their "faith" and "affirmations" and planning and "strategizing" and all the rest.

I.E., it's the oldest of lies that may well indeed carry with it the most noble of intentions, but it remains a lie nonetheless, and it's any of the endless variations on the same theme of "if it worked for me, it'll work for you". It's simply not true whether you're talking about weight loss or finding/creating that "perfect" career.....

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