Comments on: How to Find the Right Career For YOU http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/ Helping you find your purpose and navigate your quarter-life crisis in style Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:06:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Getting to Know Me… | Semi-Charmed Wife http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-2174 Getting to Know Me… | Semi-Charmed Wife Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:19:18 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-2174 [...] or spinning their proverbial wheels trying to figure out their purpose in life–or at least what they should be doing to bring home the bacon! In my opinion, part of the reason this process–finding our message and medium–is so [...] […] or spinning their proverbial wheels trying to figure out their purpose in life–or at least what they should be doing to bring home the bacon! In my opinion, part of the reason this process–finding our message and medium–is so […]

]]> By: Career Anchors http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-1798 Career Anchors Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:08:35 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-1798 I've had some success in using Prof Ed Schein's (MIT) 'career anchors' approach. Of course, this is only a model but it's based on research and has been around for some decades. I took the online assessment for $40 - this also includes a 6 page test result report and 60+ page pdf "Participants Workbook". The overall concept is that each person has a dominant "career anchor" which they will tend to be pulled towards (or back to!) over time and working experience. (I think the model's usefulness also depends on your willingness to self-reflect and take active steps to "manage your career". Not everyone does, or even can.) There's a brief summary of the 8 anchors here: http://changingminds.org/explanations/values/career_anchors.htm (I just discovered Dave's site today. Highly recommended) Also, the url for the online career anchors test is: http://www.careeranchorsonline.com/SCA/startPage.do I wrote a couple of blog posts on using career anchors as part of a career change strategy. Click on my name link above to read the latest. regards Mark McClure tokyo I’ve had some success in using Prof Ed Schein’s (MIT) ‘career anchors’ approach.

Of course, this is only a model but it’s based on research and has been around for some decades.

I took the online assessment for $40 - this also includes a 6 page test result report and 60+ page pdf “Participants Workbook”.

The overall concept is that each person has a dominant “career anchor” which they will tend to be pulled towards (or back to!) over time and working experience. (I think the model’s usefulness also depends on your willingness to self-reflect and take active steps to “manage your career”. Not everyone does, or even can.)

There’s a brief summary of the 8 anchors here:
http://changingminds.org/explanations/values/career_anchors.htm
(I just discovered Dave’s site today. Highly recommended)

Also, the url for the online career anchors test is:
http://www.careeranchorsonline.com/SCA/startPage.do

I wrote a couple of blog posts on using career anchors as part of a career change strategy. Click on my name link above to read the latest.

regards
Mark McClure
tokyo

]]> By: MizFit http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-390 MizFit Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:06:50 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-390 Id never thought of having people ask their friends and family to answer these questions (when I was career coaching). such a good idea. Id never thought of having people ask their friends and family to answer these questions (when I was career coaching).

such a good idea.

]]> By: Charlotte http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-388 Charlotte Sun, 06 Apr 2008 05:07:51 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-388 Great idea to use the five Ws and one H to frame the answer to this question. When I remember, I use them for writing and its a great tool. Really wonderful post, full of helpful ideas. Great idea to use the five Ws and one H to frame the answer to this question. When I remember, I use them for writing and its a great tool.

Really wonderful post, full of helpful ideas.

]]> By: Leah http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-381 Leah Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:43:51 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-381 Frugal Dad, Why not join the forum on this blog and start setting some early and small goals around your writing? Frugal Dad,

Why not join the forum on this blog and start setting some early and small goals around your writing?

]]> By: verybadcat http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-380 verybadcat Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:35:07 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-380 I honestly feel like I've found my calling in my current work. My dream of dreams would be a writing career, but I don't really think I have enough consistency and talent in my writing to support a career. Maybe that's what I tell myself to welch out of trying, maybe it's reality. I do know that even though I hate managing people 4 out of 5 days a week, it's because I need to develop my leadership skills, and I don't like acknowledging my weaknesses deeply enough to overcome them. I love the work, though. Love. Numbers don't lie. Numbers are always real. They mean something. You can look at numbers, relate them to other numbers, and find powerful trends, interesting correlations, important patterns. When the numbers are all junked up, I hate life, but when I've put every red cent where it goes, and all those credits and debits line up and even out, life is sweet! I honestly feel like I’ve found my calling in my current work. My dream of dreams would be a writing career, but I don’t really think I have enough consistency and talent in my writing to support a career. Maybe that’s what I tell myself to welch out of trying, maybe it’s reality.

I do know that even though I hate managing people 4 out of 5 days a week, it’s because I need to develop my leadership skills, and I don’t like acknowledging my weaknesses deeply enough to overcome them. I love the work, though. Love.

Numbers don’t lie. Numbers are always real. They mean something. You can look at numbers, relate them to other numbers, and find powerful trends, interesting correlations, important patterns. When the numbers are all junked up, I hate life, but when I’ve put every red cent where it goes, and all those credits and debits line up and even out, life is sweet!

]]> By: Frugal Dad http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-378 Frugal Dad Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:53:24 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-378 I struggle with this one a bit because I honestly feel my purpose and my passion lies in a career around writing. However, to support my family I am working in a less than fulfilling career. My plan is to stick it out long enough to get a freelance writing career off the ground and then I can focus on my true passion. Your article presents some very relevant questions for anyone considering a career change, or just trying to follow their hearts. Great job! I struggle with this one a bit because I honestly feel my purpose and my passion lies in a career around writing. However, to support my family I am working in a less than fulfilling career. My plan is to stick it out long enough to get a freelance writing career off the ground and then I can focus on my true passion. Your article presents some very relevant questions for anyone considering a career change, or just trying to follow their hearts. Great job!

]]> By: JJ Loch http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-377 JJ Loch Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:35:19 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-377 I love that you say to ask a significant other about what you like to do. They do see you more clearly, past our musings that may have some daydreaming with it. Hugs, JJ I love that you say to ask a significant other about what you like to do. They do see you more clearly, past our musings that may have some daydreaming with it.

Hugs, JJ

]]> By: Leah http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-373 Leah Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:45:49 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-373 Another WHAT question is: When you are at your happiest, what are you doing? Like Kel said, this brings your actual interests into play and helps you consider them. For instance, if you are at your happiest when you are planning and executing birthday/anniversary/homecoming parties, volunteering at your kids' school for dance and fundraiser committees, etc, then maybe you should look into event planning. That's simplified, but it does work. I struggle with this one when I have my "just in case (coaching doesn't happen full time)" moments. I graduated with a darn high GPA, but I floundered a lot out of college, ended up in restaurants for a long time (I was in management at some points, not always just serving or bartending), and found myself wanting a real job but having no real qualifications anymore. At this point, I look around, and I still feel like I'm not qualified for anything other than my administrative position because of my actual job experience. This frustrates me to no end, because I really am extremely smart, so I am totally overqualified for what I do in my brain, but not so much on paper. This is one reason that coaching really must happen for me. I am qualified for it, I am passionate about it, and it really meets all those questions above. Another WHAT question is: When you are at your happiest, what are you doing?

Like Kel said, this brings your actual interests into play and helps you consider them. For instance, if you are at your happiest when you are planning and executing birthday/anniversary/homecoming parties, volunteering at your kids’ school for dance and fundraiser committees, etc, then maybe you should look into event planning. That’s simplified, but it does work.

I struggle with this one when I have my “just in case (coaching doesn’t happen full time)” moments. I graduated with a darn high GPA, but I floundered a lot out of college, ended up in restaurants for a long time (I was in management at some points, not always just serving or bartending), and found myself wanting a real job but having no real qualifications anymore.

At this point, I look around, and I still feel like I’m not qualified for anything other than my administrative position because of my actual job experience. This frustrates me to no end, because I really am extremely smart, so I am totally overqualified for what I do in my brain, but not so much on paper.

This is one reason that coaching really must happen for me. I am qualified for it, I am passionate about it, and it really meets all those questions above.

]]> By: kel http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-372 kel Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:26:18 +0000 http://semicharmedwife.com/2008/04/04/how-to-find-the-right-career-for-you/#comment-372 Interesting insight and good ideas. I think it's easy to say I don't like my job and I want a change but it's hard to get out of that rut when "what we do" becomes "what we know." Often I forget that my hobbies and other interests count too. ~K Interesting insight and good ideas. I think it’s easy to say I don’t like my job and I want a change but it’s hard to get out of that rut when “what we do” becomes “what we know.” Often I forget that my hobbies and other interests count too.

~K

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