Career Search – Quest or Curse

by Nina Ham

Jobs Vacancy, Employment, Employment Jobs

If you’re in the midst of a career search, undecided about the next direction for your work life, you may be struggling to keep your self-esteem strong at the same time that you’re trying to answer the all-important question about what you want to do. People often seem to be aching for a sympathetic outlook on their stories of career dissatisfaction. They tend to be their own harshest critics, often riddled with self-doubt and embarrassment about not getting this "career thing" right. Maintaining a constructive attitude is challenging.

In spite of contrary statistics - such as, the average American changes jobs eight times over the course of his/her lifetime - we still tend to harbor the expectation that we "should" decide by our late 20’s/early 30’s what we want to do and follow that path for the remainder of our working lives. As T. puts it, "My search for work I’m passionate about is regarded by my friends like a child’s drawing that’s put up on the refrigerator...isn’t that cute!" In this context, career dissatisfaction can feel like a curse.

It’s often the case, when facing a challenging transition, that there’s some subtle – or not so subtle – finger-pointing at yourself going on. Does any of these sound familiar?

• I must be crazy to contemplate embarking on a new venture in this economy.
• Maybe I should stop worrying about my calling and get a job.
• If it doesn’t look good on my resume, it doesn’t count.
• I’ve never been happy in a job...I need to look elsewhere for fulfillment.
• I have responsibilities. I can’t afford to look for work I love.
• What if I find my dream job and I’m still dissatisfied?
• How will I explain to people...?

Whether you’re considering moving from one industry to another or into self-employment, you’ll probably agree that support systems for people in career transition are lagging woefully behind the sea changes that are occurring in the way we do work. As evidence of this, ask yourself the following:

• What did you learn in your formal education about making a good career choice?
• When were you encouraged to match your abilities, values, and personality to career options, and shown how to do it?
• Would you ever consider marrying someone you hadn’t dated first?
• Were you ever told that what you’re qualified to do, even if it earns a decent wage, is not sufficient reason to keep doing it?
• Do you know where to go for support and reinforcement to continue the search for work you’re passionate about?
• Do you have models for matching changes in life stages or circumstances with changes in values or priorities concerning work?
• Did you know that having an identity crisis or upheaval every 10 years is considered normal and healthy? Experts agree that adult identity is largely shaped by love and work.

Chances are, your answers to these questions point out how poorly you’ve been prepared for the transition you’re engaged in. Imagine how different it would be if we lived in a culture in which the longing to work well – to have work that fulfills and stretches us – was recognized as one of adulthood’s quests, as human and dignified as the longing to love well or parent well. As the poet David Whyte tells us so eloquently, creating meaningful work is how we forge our place in the world, how we create belonging. Many of us find belonging where personal meets personal, in friendship or intimacy; in work, where personal meets public, a larger sense of belonging can be claimed. To forge our place we must be fully engaged both with who we are and who we want to become. Through working we express our unique natures – our values, our skills, our creativity - and we challenge ourselves to become even more fully what we’re capable of. Given this perspective on working well, not only should it take exactly as long as it takes – with no self-reproach – to do the necessary inner and outer research, but it may be an on-going, lifelong process. Just as personal change and growth distinguish aliveness from death, so must we require our work to keep pace with those changes.

The next important question to address, for those of you committed to the quest for good work, is how to sustain yourself during the process, both practically and emotionally. Meeting the daily ups and downs of a career search can be a formidable challenge. Here are some suggestions:

Prepare financially.

Consider either reducing debt to cut monthly payments or borrowing, to repay when you’re reemployed. Also consider making a temporary job move, to give yourself more time with less financial pressure. This can be a good opportunity to explore some career ideas.

Fortify a positive attitude.

The territory between your ears can be a bad neighborhood to hang out in alone at times, specially if there’s excessive worry, confusion or self-criticism. Make a point to talk with someone, a friend or a professional, on a regular basis. That person is likely to be more objective about you and your abilities than you are.

If you haven’t already, read Po Bronson’s What Should I Do With My Life? And check out his chatroom: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/life_goals. You’ll realize with relief that you’re not alone.

Maintain perspective.

Find a hero or heroine, in your personal life or in the media, someone who has drawn on courage and persistence to continue the search until finding his or her right work.

Don’t overlook the value of intuition for this process. Trying to "figure out" what to do may not be the best way. Let some insights/hunches/visions come to you.

Remember: You’re learning career development skills here. These are skills that will serve you over the long haul.

When you need inspiration to stay in the quest, try this quote from William Blake: "In good work that is a heartfelt expression of ourselves, we necessarily put our very identities at risk. Perhaps it is because we know, in the end, we are our gift to others and the world."