What do you want to do as a career? It may surprise you to know people who have been working for decades cannot answer this question. But sometimes we’ve known all along what we want, it’s just that ambitions we had from an early age have become clouded over and forgotten.

I was leaving work one evening a few years ago, and was chatting with another colleague, who was likewise going home.

“Another day, another dollar?” I joked. He shook his head in despair, and wryly said that while he didn’t mind working for just a dollar, he would much rather have spent the day doing something more fulfilling.

“Oh? You don’t like being a sales analyst?” I enquired. He shook his head. “No, and nor the other dozen or so things I’ve done before this either.” He summed up his working life to date by saying, “I’ve done this, and I’ve done that, but I still don’t know what I really want to do!”

Although I could partially relate to his situation, his admission did surprise me. He would have been in his late forties, and while some people can take time to work out “what they want to do”, I’d have thought by his stage in his life he would have found a career that satisfied him.

I remember in my final years at high school being asked to give thought to what I’d like to do for a living when I left school. I could think of nothing. Even for my first few years in the working world, I was just “taking” jobs, thinking that I’d have a career epiphany sooner or later. And preferably sooner, if possible.

Whatever the case though, I thought I would find my desired career within “five or so years”, but certainly never be in the position of my former colleague, who was still trying to find his niche, almost 30 years after leaving school!

So how do we find that desired career? While some people seemingly know their career ambitions from the time they are “knee high to a grasshopper”, why are others struggling to find the merest hint of career direction decades later?

Ironically part of the answer could lie in those childhood dreams. When we are younger, we tend to be bolder in our thinking, and believe all manner of things are possible. It’s as we become older, and more cautious, that we start to discount our options and possibilities. We also tend to be more receptive to the comments, particularly the negative opinions, of those close to us.

How many times would you have someone say, “What? You want to be a… photographer? Well that’s a very hard field to get into, you’d be better off choosing something else!”

And so it goes. We hear disparaging thoughts like that, and begin to believe that we are wasting our time pursuing such “lofty” ambitions. Pretty soon we have narrowed the field down to a few “safe” career choices, and think we have made the “right” decision.

But what happened to those people, who as children, wanted to be entrepreneurs, photographers, film producers, journalists, or whatever it was they set their hearts on? And by the way, I’m not talking about the people who had the movie, and rock star ambitions, although one or two would have succeeded I’m sure!

I talking about the people who, at a young age, had a very clear, and shall we say, “down to earth”, career goal in their mind. Chances are they went on to do what they dreamed of. Why? Because they believed in their dream, and themselves, and were able to see passed the detracting comments of others. If they even listened to those comments in the first place!

So what was your dream growing up, and why are you not doing that now, today? For my part I knew I wanted to be a free agent of some sort, working in a field that was somehow creative. I used to read the Tintin books (don’t laugh, now!) as a boy, and thought Tintin, as a freelance reporter, had a pretty cool job, and lifestyle.

While Tintin embarked on all sorts of weird and wonderful adventures along the way, I realised early on, that aspect of his “career” may have been slightly far fetched, but being a freelance journalist, or writer, or content producer, wasn’t exactly that unrealistic an expectation.

That dream however just seemed to get lost somewhere for many years. Perhaps when I was younger, and spoke of this future possible career, I didn’t word myself carefully enough, and took too seriously the jibes that I was setting myself up for failure by trying to be the next Tintin! It was a comic book, not real life after all, how you base any career dreams on something like that?!

I wonder what my former colleague had dreamed of doing when he was a child? Despite declaring that he had “no idea” what he wanted to do, I’ll bet he did once. It’s just that he’s forgotten it, or let himself dismiss the thought long ago, after hearing a few ill-conceived and negative thoughts.

Of course not all childhood career dreams are achievable. And this can sometimes be due to reasons beyond an individual’s control. An old school friend for years had wanted to be a commercial pilot. Again, not an especially unrealistic ambition, but eye tests revealed he was colour blind, which at the time, was enough to rule that out as a career option.

And assuming a situation like that doesn’t apply to you, as a first step in finding yourself a new career direction, think back, and recall your childhood dreams and thoughts. And remember not all of these ambitions are necessarily naive or far fetched, and even at a young age, you may have known more about yourself than you thought!

As I say, regard this as only a first step, and see what options or ideas it produces. I know it won’t work for everyone, and in the second part of this article, next Monday, we will examine some more methods of identifying career direction.

Having a career change plan, and knowing exactly what you are doing, and where you are going, not only makes the process a whole lot easier, it also keeps you motivated and focussed, especially during the inevitable periods of doubt and uncertainty that are bound to occur along the way.

Before I continue, the intention of this article is to briefly outline a career change plan. I have already covered some of the steps (which I will link to here), while more detailed articles covering other points will follow at a later time.

As with any itinerary or plan, it is a good idea to have it written out, for both reference and review, as you progress.

Step One. Having realised you want or need a change, you first need to seek the backing of your family and friends. This is especially important when a career change could entail some temporary lifestyle adjustments, as a result of reduced income, or less family time due to study requirements.

It will also be reassuring to know you can call on some moral support from time to time as well!

Step Two. Work out what you want to do. This step can, and in-fact should, take some time. The last thing you want to do, for instance, is sign up for expensive courses of study (particularly where full payment is required upfront), only to realise you made the wrong choice.

I know some people have difficulty with this step, and I will take a closer look at some of the methods of identifying new career direction in upcoming articles.

Step Three. Start researching your proposed new career. Leave no stone unturned! Read books, magazines and websites, ask others for their impressions, or seek out a good careers advisor knowledgeable in your field of interest.

If possible, find a Career Insider, that is, someone already doing what you would like to, and arrange an information gathering meeting, or interview, with them.

Step Four. Now that you some clear direction, carefully take stock of your existing qualifications and assess your transferable skills. Compare your current skill-set with what your new career requires.

Would some short study courses be sufficient to make up any skills “short fall”, or is formal study, that is a degree, necessary? This question is important because the answer could have a bearing on your career change ambitions.

For example, an accountant wishing to become a journalist could do so with only a good portfolio of well written articles, rather than needing any additional qualifications. An accountant wishing to become a dentist however, would require the appropriate professional qualifications, requiring a sizable investment of time and money.

Step Five. Having worked out what skills and knowledge you have, against what you require, it is now time to create, and set in place, a career transfer strategy. This step could take some time, especially if long term study is required.

If however you are able to redeploy much of your existing knowledge and experience, and only require minimal re-skilling or short term study, you can start planning a pathway into, or looking for work in, your new career field.

In other words, you can start thinking about how to find work. For instance, will you apply for advertised roles? Or make direct approaches to employers? Or perhaps locate, and tap into, an industry network?

Step Six. Look forward to your first day of work in a brand new career!

To quickly summarise the plan:

• 1. Enlist the support of family and friends.
• 2. Find a new career direction.
• 3. Research and gather information, and ask is the change feasible?
• 4. Assess current qualifications and transferable skills - is further study needed?
• 5. Plan and execute a career transfer strategy.
• 6. Start work in your new career!

Remember this isn’t an attempt to overly simplify the career change process, but rather set out the major steps involved. How long the plan takes to complete depends on a large, and varying, number of factors, and may take anything from several months, to several years.

Some people may find certain parts of the plan easier to step through than others. While some may enjoy the learning and studying stages, they may have trouble finding the work they want. Others may have trouble gaining family support. These difficulties will vary from person to person.

Finally, ensure that you set reasonable time frames to achieve goals, and carry out regular reviews of the plan as you progress. If things are not working, look closely at the reasons why. Also be prepared to make adjustments for any changes in your personal or family circumstances, should the need arise.

I am in the process of compiling a Links page that will feature some of the resources that are included in the Check List posts, but as there are so many career change resources on-line, it will take sometime to arrange.

In the meantime here are a few more things worth checking out:

• The JobHuntersBible is the companion website to that career change “bible”, What Color Is Your Parachute?, which by the way, I will be reviewing here shortly. Although the book’s author, Richard Bolles calls the “JobHuntersBible” a supplement to “What Color Is Your Parachute?”, it is still brimming with career change and job hunting resources.
• Career changers in Australia will be interested in this. The Australian Government is offering a variety of packages to assist people over 25 who are considering a career change. This includes “Work Skills Vouchers” worth up to AUD$3000, so people can study new qualifications, and can be used at a number of Australian educational institutions. More information is available at the Skills for the Future website.
• Time for another quiz! This Career Change Quiz from About, features 12 questions, and offers a short commentary on each of your answers as you progress. Although the quiz prompts you stop taking it all together at various stages, depending on how you answer some questions, I’d nevertheless recommend answering all 12 questions. You leave no stone unturned that way!
• And another one. This time the question is Could you cut it as a creative? Do you have dreams or ambitions of say being an artist, web designer, or maybe a film director? Take the first step to finding out! You’ll need pen and paper for this one, as it’s not interactive. I scored 21, so hopefully by starting a blog called The InterChange Desk I am fulfilling my destiny!
• And finally I wanted to comment on this article that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald last week. Seven biggest self-help myths takes a swipe at self help books, and while the article presents a number of very good, and very valid points, I take exception with the writer’s opinion that your job should NOT make you happy. Michael Lallo writes, “often it’s unpleasant, difficult and tiring. But that’s why it’s called ‘work’.” He suggests work is to be tolerated, not enjoyed. I think there’d be a number of people who disagree with that stance. Perhaps he has not held down a job he didn’t like?

Anyway that’s another week here at The InterChange Desk, thanks for taking the time to visit, and we’ll see you again on Monday. Have a great weekend! :)

An illusion many career changers fall under all too quickly is the belief that the grass will be greener on the other side.

You’ve already decided you want out of your current, dead end career. You’ve seen the signs and symptoms of a career rut, and know that it is time to move on.

And already you can see light at the end of the tunnel! After a doing a few tests and quizzes to identify your skills and competencies, and reading a few books, you already have what you believe is a great a new career alternative in your sights.

And you’ve been doing your homework. Not only have you identified a batch of transferable skills, but you’ve also been considering various courses and study programs, that will bring your qualifications up to par, and propel you into that new dream career.

Well about now would be a very good time to put the brakes on your career change ambitions, and slow down, especially if you are considering spending any sort of money studying, or taking courses.

While taking a few aptitude and competency tests is one thing, you certainly should not view their results as being absolutely definitive. While they may provide a very good indication of the direction you should go in, you still need to gather far more information before committing yourself.

Suppose it is your new found desire to be a journalist. You’ve decided you like researching and writing, and would enjoy meeting and talking to people as part of the job. And you know journalists also work to some very tight deadlines, but that’s fine also. This is your dream after all.

But what else is involved in being a journalist, beyond seeing your name in the newspaper bylines everyday?

At this point in your career change planning, it would be a very good idea to speak to someone already working in the career field you are interested in. Lets call them “Career Insiders”. People already making careers out of what you dream of doing, and who can tell you exactly what to expect from such a career.

They will be able to tell what a day on the job is like. From the time they arrive for work, to the time they leave. They’ll be able to speak first hand of the ups and, more importantly, the downs, of the the job.

And up to this point, you would have been looking at a potential career based on its positives, so hearing about the not-so-glamourous aspects is exactly the sort of counter balance you need. If you can see your way through those, then you can be far more confident you are on the right path.

You’ll probably also learn a few other things from your “insider”, such as insights on the profession’s culture, and other things you may not have thought about.

An “insider” may be able to tell you more though. They may even be able to make an assessment of your suitability for such a career. Remember you are talking to someone who is in the know!

So how do you locate, or find, a “career insider”? What if you would like to speak with a journalist about their work? If you don’t know anyone directly, first ask around friends, neighbours, or other associates, for some leads. If that doesn’t yield results try contacting a local newspaper. Often newspapers print journalist’s email addresses with their articles, so you may be able to make an initial approach that way.

In my experience most people are happy to respond to requests for information, particularly if your tone is polite, and you are prepared to be flexible. And that can mean going the distance sometimes.

If someone can offer you 30 minutes of their time, and it means you have to be on the other side of town at eight o’clock in the morning, so be it. You need to remember someone is giving up their time to assist you, so the least you can do is fit in with their schedule.

Before you meet your career insider, make sure you are properly prepared. Ensure you have listed, that is written down, all your questions and be ready to take notes when they are answered. Be sure to offer your thanks at the end of the meeting. It may even be a nice gesture to follow this up with an email thank you as well.

Remember an “insider” may be more than just a source of valuable information, they could become a potential contact, and possibly even play some part in assisting you find work in your new career field.

Friday’s are always good for reading and research I think. You don’t want to be getting yourself in too deep so close to the weekend now do you?

With that in mind I’ve prepared a list of articles and quizzes to kick start your career change research.

• What’s Your True Talent? Try this on-line quiz from Tickle that tests your talents in five categories, Abstract Reasoning, Mechanical, Numerical, Spatial, or Verbal ability, and challenges you to answer a blend of logical and metaphorical questions. While free to take an email address is required to view the test’s summary results. A more in depth analysis of your test score is also available for a small cost.
• On Cruise Control is an inspirational and insightful article at Jugglezine offering strategies to avoid, or get out of, life ruts. It’s not an article that focuses on changing careers as such, but certainly some of the suggestions for getting out of life ruts make food for thought for those looking to change careers.
• Groper is on-line career assessment tool developed by Australian company Groper International and assesses your level of interest in over 170 occupations to determine the career, and area of study, that best suits you. The test costs AUD$29.95 and takes about 30 minutes to complete, after which results are emailed to you. Take a tour to learn more.
• Starting your own business is a sure fire of making a career change and doing the sort of work you enjoy. If only there were a way to overcome the anxiety and uncertainty that taking such a big step invokes. Yet “fear is not the problem… the problem is how we respond to our fear,” writes Life and Business Coach Linda Anderson in Overcoming fear of running your own business, an article that shows us how to come to allay the fears that may be holding us back.
• I very much doubt that any career, no much how we may love it, is completely free of stress. Reducing stress requires a scientific approach and the boffins at New Scientist have obliqued with an article that suggests Six steps to a stress-free career. Maybe this would make better reading on a Monday!

Here’s something we’ll be discussing in more depth later, but I thought I’d touch on the topic today since this little promotional gimmick from Sydney plumbing company, Chiswick Plumbing, arrived in my letter box this morning.

So let’s open it up and have a look. The “letter-box drop” essentially comes in two parts. First up there is a “cash back” offer if you use this particular company’s plumbing services.

While that is an enticement in itself, what for me makes this particular gimmick eye catching is the inclusion of a “lucky penny”. By the way, the term “gimmick” is used in its most positive connotation here.

The lucky penny is something that definitely makes this promotional campaign all the more unique, and most importantly, memorable.

And finally, that staple of all letter-box drop campaigns, the “fridge magnet”.

But what a simple, yet effective, way to make an impression! Out of all the fridge magnets that arrive in my letter box, vying for attention, this one wins it hands down!

To me this stresses the importance of self marketing and promotion, during the career change process, especially while searching for work in a new field. Particularly a field, or industry, where you have little or no experience.

If the proverb “first impressions last” holds true, promoting or marketing yourself in a unique and specialised manner may work wonders. Doing something that draws attention to yourself could very well tip the scales in your favour, and lead to the opportunity you are looking for.

In summary, don’t worry so much about who to impress, but rather how to impress.

What do you want to do?

To “Sea Change” is to do something uniquely Australian. It refers to a desire to leave the big city, the cluttered lifestyle and, in many cases, a high powered career, to find a simpler life most often in a small town somewhere along the coast, or near the sea. Hence the term, Sea Change.

By doing so, “Sea Changers” feel they can achieve greater “life balance” away from the congested and noisy city streets, and the endless hours demanded by their high paying jobs. So they quit their jobs, sell their houses, pack up the car, and effectively drive to a far away beach to start a new life. (And when put that way, no wonder so many people are talking about it!)

It is also referred to as “downshifting” since Sea Changers, on giving up their high powered careers and, more significantly, the accompanying high powered salary, are often living on a greatly reduced income doing whatever work they can find in their new environs.

For Sea Changers though, the end justifies the means. Not only are they finding what they consider a better place to be, they also have more time to spend with their families, and the pursuit of interests they didn’t previously have time for. And although the change has come at some cost, in the end it is all worthwhile.

In a way Career Changers are a little like Sea Changers. Walking away from a situation they don’t like, and looking for something more fulfilling. Perhaps we could coin a new phrase here, and give ourselves a name: “C Changers”!

But while Sea Changers only have to open an atlas to find somewhere new to go, Career Changers usually face more of a challenge when it comes to searching for direction.

And finding a new direction to go in, is undoubtedly, the single most important aspect of the career change process. Once we find that direction, let’s call it a will, finding a way to reach our destination becomes that much easier. And as well all know, where there’s a will there’s a way.

So like our Sea Change friends, we know we want a change. We want a new career. We want our our own “C Change”. But where do we want to go, and what do we want to do next?

Well let us follow the Sea Changers’ example. Just as they dream of a better life before making it happen, let us dream also. If Sea Changers can find direction in that way, so can we.

So imagine, or dream for a moment, that money is not a problem. In other words, picture a situation where you have an unlimited supply of cash, and don’t need to earn to a single cent to support you or your family.

In that ideal state, what would you do? What dream business, or enterprise, would you establish? What “perfect” job would you apply for?

And whatever answer you have there, is the beginning, or the first step, of the career change process.

And I stress beginning, because frankly some dreams are just a little unrealistic or next to impossible to achieve! But we’ll return to that point, and explore in more detail, at a later time. The most important step, however is finding that new direction.

So start, or keep, dreaming. After all nothing is worse than being stuck in a job that makes you unhappy. Change is possible, and as with the Sea Changers, it comes at cost, but in the end it is all worthwhile.