Finding a New Career? Do What You Like Doing
Seeking a new career? Changing jobs? Searching? Find a job and company where you can do what you like and you’re 80% there.
While this may sound simple or naive, many career seekers in the frenzy of finding a job don’t consider their hobbies and recreational activities when searching for new careers.
You’ve probably attended parties or other social events where people ask you “what do you do“? Clearly, they’re asking you about your job or career. Whether you’re gainfully employed, looking for work or changing careers, your stomach immediately starts churning as you struggle with the question. What do you say?
“Let’s see, should I mention that I like gardening” or say the usual “well, I’m in between jobs and careers? Maybe I should tell them ‘I’m a botanical consultant’ or ‘I raise Kangaroos’” to sidestep the question.
What if you said instead: “Well, I’m discovering new careers that interest me. I want to do what I like to do.” Now that should spark a lively conversation leading to new career ideas, employer suggestions, maybe even referrals to companies that are hiring.
By taking this approach, you’ve redirected the question away from “I’m looking for a job” to “I’m exploring exciting new things to do in my life.” Everyone wants to talk about interests, hobbies and occupations. Plus it’s a lot more fun than listening to someone drone on about the nitty-gritty details about manufacturing silicon chips or repairing appliances.
As Deepak Chopra writes, we’re constantly “doing things.” People who are employed or attend school “do jobs” or “do school.” In our spare time, we ride a bike, read a book or bake a cake. We’re constantly doing things. In fact, many of us are so obsessed with doing things that we rarely take time to think about finding satisfying careers and jobs. Searching for new careers frequently ends up on the back burner of our lives.
How to Discover New Careers
Imagine asking Albert Einstein what he liked doing. He probably wouldn’t have said “I like creating theories of the Universe.” More likely, he might have said “I like working with numbers” or “I like thinking about the cosmos.” Einstein’s theory of relativity and the equation E=mc2 were outcomes resulting from doing what he enjoyed doing as he considered his career options.
Let’s say you’re a painter but you’re turned on by playing guitars. Ask yourself what you like about guitars. Do you enjoy writing songs ? Are you adept at tuning guitars? Like singing when you play? Have you trained others to play the instrument? In other words, what skills and knowledge do you possess about guitars? What turns you on about guitars?
Once you know, it makes finding a new career much easier. Now search for companies that manufacture, market, service or train people how to play guitars. In the process, you’ll discover jobs you’ve never considered, people who share your passion, companies that are looking for someone like you and, yes, satisfying new careers. You get to do what you like.
That’s the first step in a successful career search.
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