ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2007 > August > 20 > Entry
Is your career love life on the rocks?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you find yourself going through the motions day in and day out without the old spark that used to make every moment worthwhile? Are you staying in this ‘career relationship’ with your employer for the sake of the kids, sacrificing your innermost desires to provide them the best life you can? Or are you feeling insecure, afraid that another employer might reject you?
I’ve always seen our professional life as strikingly similar to our love life. When it’s time to break up, getting out of a bad relationship can be just as hard as finding a good one… sometimes harder. In every relationship, it’s important to constantly assess whether your needs are being met.
Rest assured your employer get their needs met and when they don’t you’ll find a ‘Dear John’ letter on your desk in a heart beat. One way to stay in love with your career long after the honeymoon is over is to venture into the right one from the start. However, finding the right match is like gambling if you don’t know who you are and what you want most out of your career?
In the dating game, people have no problem taking personality assessments that help match them up with the right partner. Since you will probably spend as much time in your job as you do in your relationship, doesn’t it make sense to give it at least as much consideration?
As a career coach, I highly recommend you use objective tools to assess what type of personality you have and what careers best suit you. Recently, I coached a mid-career professional who was ready to make a change. His options seemed limitless and he casually mentioned he would love to move out West and own a ranch some day. I encouraged him to take the Strong Interest Inventory career assessment and the results showed the ideal career for him was ranching/farming, closely followed by entrepreneurship. What a perfect match!
Why should he get suckered into an office job when he has all the attributes to be in love with his career life for years to come? Although Career Assessments are not quite like looking into a crystal ball, it can help you discover what you need most to be happy at work and give you the motivation to pursue your professional passions. Invest in yourself and dare to love your job.
Is your job your boyfriend? Ever feel like your personal life comes second to you career?
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