The Ever Changing World of Careers
By Terje Ellingsen
You can choose Your career
Are you one of the many people who don't feel pleasant with your current job or career? Have you worked in one career for many years, and found yourself burned out? Or do you feel that your life is not what it could be, because you can't take out your full potential in the job or career you are in? Changing careers and jobs is indeed an issue that concerns many of us. What's really amazing me is the fact that many people - myself included - are continuing in the same job or career year after year, even though they are sick and tired of it and really want to quit their jobs and start up with something else. I think this grounding is a part of human nature: it's a comfort zone that is difficult to climb out of, using arguments as "I know the job I have, but not which job I'll get."
Before I finally took the step that I had considered for years; quit my job and starting a new career I did like most people; I waited so long that I was almost forced out of my job because of sickness and tiredness. But when I first took this step and started in my new career, more and more I realized that this job change should have been done much earlier. Like many other people who are establishing work at home careers or jobs, I had to admit that this was my dream job.
Even if you're forced to start a new career, you decide which
I was one of the lucky guys who chosed to change my career. But not every worker is that lucky. In this ever changing world, and especially after the internet came - the job market has changed tremendously. Now the rule is change and stability is an exception. Many work tasks are obsolete because automation has taken over, which means that many jobs are not needed any longer. This forces many working people to find another job or career. Sometimes the alternative to a career change is welfare, and who wants that? The turmoil of the 'new economy' job market creates new jobs every day, while old jobs are falling into abandonment. What you can choose however, is which career or job you want to change to.
Values impact career choices
Another trend in the job market is that the need of self realization and prioritizing soft values seem to be knocking out the importance of money as a measurement of life quality. This can be preferences of staying home more with partner and kids, more leisure time, etc. As people grow older they often choose to focus on other things in life than job and career, such as time to spend at home with spouse, kids and more leisure time.
Follow your career dreams
Everybody should be able to pick the career or job they want, thus taking out their fullest potential for the benefit of themselves and others. Everybody should follow their inner voice and do what they always have wanted to do in their lives. To jump info a new job or career is a challenge - at least in the beginning. You have to go through a period of uncertainty or insecurity. You have no guarantees for anything in life, however. And the fact is that you have no guarantee to keep a job or career either, so why not look upon this fantastic opportunity to start a new career as an exciting and joyful challenge? There are many sources ready to support you during the career transmission, like career coaches, outplacement services and career counselling in general. Get yourself a career or job mentor, this person can be the most valuable person you ever get in touch with.
When I quit my job as a business consultant and started to work at home as an internet publisher, it didn't take me much time to realize that I had made the best choice ever. I think the separation of job and private life is artificial; there is only one life. Work is a part of it, and joy is a part of it too. For me, my work is a joy and joy is what life should be for all of us.
Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet publisher. He runs the website 1st-Self_Improvement.net. Terje is a Sociologist who enjoys contributing to the personal growth and happiness of others. He tries to accomplish this by writing about self improvement issues from his own experience and knowledge. For example, development of careers for self realization and work at home careers for achieving financial independency.