4 answers
Clementine
Student
Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa
1
Question
Asked
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I need help! I have tudied and gone to further my studies but I find myself lost with no career aspirations. I dont know what career to follow. I feel I dont know or can identify what my passion is. How can I find a career?
The jobs I have had happen to be in leadership and the opportunities kind of fell on my lap, but also they're short-lived. So I have a cv that sounds impressive,with these job titles but in reality I dont have proper experience. Now looking for work I dont know where to look. I feel lost with no intention of where I wanna go or where to go. #job
#career #career-counseling #career-path
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4 answers
Kim Gravell
Retired Principal at Gravell Insights, LLC
149
Answers
Nipomo, California
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Clementine
You have already taken an important step in identifying the difference between your experience on paper and how it felt for you. For your next step you may want to consider gaining insight into your natural strengths and what that means to your career choices. It may also help you focus in on your passions given what comes naturally to you. That combined with the guidance from other mentors may help you better define your path.
There are many strengths assessments for you to consider. My favorite is StrengthsFinder. The resulting report will share your top strengths and what aspects of your career and working environment to consider based on those attributes.
Keep evaluating where you are and refer back to those strengths when you feel you have "lost the passion." Chances are you have veered away from what comes naturally to you. Best of luck.
Evaluate strengths assessments to determine the best fit for you.
Take the assessment and evaluate the resulting report to help guide your career choices.
Retain the report for future reference and whn you feel you have strayed from the path.
Continue to evaluate where you are and how that makes you feel. Self-reflection is a very powerful skillset.
You have already taken an important step in identifying the difference between your experience on paper and how it felt for you. For your next step you may want to consider gaining insight into your natural strengths and what that means to your career choices. It may also help you focus in on your passions given what comes naturally to you. That combined with the guidance from other mentors may help you better define your path.
There are many strengths assessments for you to consider. My favorite is StrengthsFinder. The resulting report will share your top strengths and what aspects of your career and working environment to consider based on those attributes.
Keep evaluating where you are and refer back to those strengths when you feel you have "lost the passion." Chances are you have veered away from what comes naturally to you. Best of luck.
Kim recommends the following next steps:
Hajro Kadribeg, CFA
Investment Specialist
5
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Hajro’s Answer
Hi Clementine,
One thing that I realized about career is that your work environment is very important. I have done jobs where I thought that I was passionate about, but didn't have inspiring people around me and as a result that sizzled out. Also, I have done jobs that I thought that I was not passionate about, but had great teammates, and as a result fell in love with the work that I did. At my current job, I got moved into a position that I thought that I didn't have passion for, but after being open minded while getting into it, I realized that I love what I am doing because of the work environment.
I hope that helps.
One thing that I realized about career is that your work environment is very important. I have done jobs where I thought that I was passionate about, but didn't have inspiring people around me and as a result that sizzled out. Also, I have done jobs that I thought that I was not passionate about, but had great teammates, and as a result fell in love with the work that I did. At my current job, I got moved into a position that I thought that I didn't have passion for, but after being open minded while getting into it, I realized that I love what I am doing because of the work environment.
I hope that helps.
Jeffrey Grau
Corporate strategy
22
Answers
Morristown, New Jersey
Updated
Jeffrey’s Answer
Hi Clementine,
Passion may be something you do not start with, but something you cultivate. For now, don't think about passion. Instead ask yourself what kinds of activities or things you have done give you pleasure or a sense of satisfaction. You can also ask yourself what are you good at. The two questions might be related. It is also helpful to ask friends, family, teachers etc. what they think you are good at. Sometimes it is hard for us to see ourselves in an objective light. So make it a project to ask people who know you what they as your talents or things they think you enjoy doing.
Then maybe you look for jobs where you get paid for doing one of these things. Passion comes from cultivating one of your interests. Think of it like growing a garden. You water it daily, maybe add some plant food or fertilizer. You watch it grow over time. The work you invest in making something can turn the activity from a mild interest into a passion.
I think passion is romanticized. People think they are born with it, like a sense of destiny. But for most of us, passion comes from doing working on something you care about over time. The passion is developed through work and caring attention. It is not something that is handed to us. In fact it is kind of a lazy idea to think that our dream job will drop in front of us.
Good luck. I hope this helps.
Passion may be something you do not start with, but something you cultivate. For now, don't think about passion. Instead ask yourself what kinds of activities or things you have done give you pleasure or a sense of satisfaction. You can also ask yourself what are you good at. The two questions might be related. It is also helpful to ask friends, family, teachers etc. what they think you are good at. Sometimes it is hard for us to see ourselves in an objective light. So make it a project to ask people who know you what they as your talents or things they think you enjoy doing.
Then maybe you look for jobs where you get paid for doing one of these things. Passion comes from cultivating one of your interests. Think of it like growing a garden. You water it daily, maybe add some plant food or fertilizer. You watch it grow over time. The work you invest in making something can turn the activity from a mild interest into a passion.
I think passion is romanticized. People think they are born with it, like a sense of destiny. But for most of us, passion comes from doing working on something you care about over time. The passion is developed through work and caring attention. It is not something that is handed to us. In fact it is kind of a lazy idea to think that our dream job will drop in front of us.
Good luck. I hope this helps.
Mickael Rosenberg
Software Engineer
261
Answers
Bellevue, Washington
Updated
Mickael’s Answer
Hi Clementine,
I think you are mixing two things: job and passion. I know many persons will tell you that if you have a passion or very strong hobby, it's probably the good one to make it a career. While it may be true, my experience shows that it can be very destructive and wrong. While you like it as a hobby, it may simply kill it as a job.
For me, a good job is something that you do not mind or even enjoy doing for 8-10 hours straight with imposed goals and deadlines. If that matches your passions and/or hobbies then awesome. But very often, hobbies and passions require freedom that you do not necessary have in a job for a company.
- "The jobs I have had happen to be in leadership and the opportunities kind of fell on my lap, but also they're short-lived."
Why are they short-lived? I've been in leadership for 8 years and stopped on my own, because I wanted to move to something else, not because I was running out of job in that domain. So why are you saying these jobs were short-lived?
- "So I have a cv that sounds impressive,with these job titles but in reality I dont have proper experience. "
ok, well, you're young. So that somewhat expected from a young person to have few experience. As a person that drives interviews for young hired and interns, I am not looking for experience. A for the few that did apologize for the lack of experience were told the same: candidates that tell me they have a lot of experience start really badly for me. After school, you have few to no experience and we are looking to hire and TRAIN you.
The real question is: did you like being in the leadership? did you like leading and/or managing people? If the answer is yes, I would recommend you get a starting job there, stay there for couple years then re-evaluate your next couple years.
If the answer is no, leadership might not be something for you. Then the questions are:
- what can you do for 8-10 hours straight with imposed goals and deadlines
- what would you really hate doing this way?
- what are you good at?
Anything you list in the second bullet is not your career. Everything that cross bullet one and three are potential careers for you. Also, a starting career is one step. Once you started your professional career, you can change. You can re-evaluate your aspirations as you grow with experience and knowledge. It is absolutely acceptable to change your mind 2-4 years after starting to do something totally different.
I think you are mixing two things: job and passion. I know many persons will tell you that if you have a passion or very strong hobby, it's probably the good one to make it a career. While it may be true, my experience shows that it can be very destructive and wrong. While you like it as a hobby, it may simply kill it as a job.
For me, a good job is something that you do not mind or even enjoy doing for 8-10 hours straight with imposed goals and deadlines. If that matches your passions and/or hobbies then awesome. But very often, hobbies and passions require freedom that you do not necessary have in a job for a company.
- "The jobs I have had happen to be in leadership and the opportunities kind of fell on my lap, but also they're short-lived."
Why are they short-lived? I've been in leadership for 8 years and stopped on my own, because I wanted to move to something else, not because I was running out of job in that domain. So why are you saying these jobs were short-lived?
- "So I have a cv that sounds impressive,with these job titles but in reality I dont have proper experience. "
ok, well, you're young. So that somewhat expected from a young person to have few experience. As a person that drives interviews for young hired and interns, I am not looking for experience. A for the few that did apologize for the lack of experience were told the same: candidates that tell me they have a lot of experience start really badly for me. After school, you have few to no experience and we are looking to hire and TRAIN you.
The real question is: did you like being in the leadership? did you like leading and/or managing people? If the answer is yes, I would recommend you get a starting job there, stay there for couple years then re-evaluate your next couple years.
If the answer is no, leadership might not be something for you. Then the questions are:
- what can you do for 8-10 hours straight with imposed goals and deadlines
- what would you really hate doing this way?
- what are you good at?
Anything you list in the second bullet is not your career. Everything that cross bullet one and three are potential careers for you. Also, a starting career is one step. Once you started your professional career, you can change. You can re-evaluate your aspirations as you grow with experience and knowledge. It is absolutely acceptable to change your mind 2-4 years after starting to do something totally different.