What do you do if you find yourself working in a field that is very different from the one you’d planned to pursue? How do you know that you have chosen the right field?
These are questions many people ask themselves at some point in their careers. Conducting a career check-up is a wise move and one that needs to take place on a regular basis.
It’s important to realize you are not alone in your concern. If you took a survey of everyone in different fields than they had planned, I imagine you would be surprised at how much company you would have!
Here are some clues that you are in the right field:
You are interested in what you are doing
Your values match the work culture
You receive recognition for a job well done
You have a sense of accomplishment
You feel as though your work is meaningful
You receive a sense of respect and self-worth about your role.
You experience congruence, where your heart and head agree your job is fulfilling.
It’s possible you are in the right career field, but you are in the wrong employment environment. In this case, changing employers instead of your career focus can solve some issues.
The good news about a career choices is they can be made over and over. Just because you started out in one direction does not mean you will spend your entire career there. If you feel you have made a wrong career choice, explore fields that interest you, identify your transferable skills and start focusing on industries in which you can use those skills.
Have you ever landed in a place you didn’t plan to end up, career-wise?
