Is this career “THE ONE” for me?

As a certified career coach, one of the amusing questions I receive frequently is, “Can you tell me if this career the right ONE for me?”

Imagine witnessing a wedding where the solemniser turns to the couple and says, “You may now say your vows to your J.D of being a Marketing Exec (or any career you’re considering for that matter).” Would you cringe? Also, how often have you heard Singaporeans described as dedicated employees being married to their jobs?

Finding the right career is a journey. Here are 4 alignment indicators for consideration during your career hunt to find that “perfect choice”.

1. Are you doing what you love/ gives you the things you love?

Mark Twain says: “Find a job that you enjoy doing and you will never need to work another day in your life.” If you find joy in your work, it becomes slightly more effortless. Alternatively, your career can provide the means to pursue other important things in our lives: family, hobbies, charity work etc.

2. Are you ready to commit your efforts to your career?

Be a specialist: place your resources and time in your career to make you distinctive in the area of expertise. You’d be surprised- the things you may end up being really good at may be things that you find yourself putting effort into! Many people talk about passion, but that's not what you need to focus on.

3. Are your key personal values embedded in your career?

Reflect and come out with 3 values that resonates strongly with you. It could be Family, Loyalty, Respect, Growth, Freedom etc. Once you identify them, try to discover if they exist between career options. If you feel misaligned with your career, one of your key values may be missing.

4. Does your career make you unrecognisably better as a person?

A quote by William S. Burroughs, “when you stop growing you start dying.” Personal growth is the only indicator to show how much one have embraced the challenges in life and overcame them. Does your next career allow such transformation?

What are some other telltale signs that we’ve found the right career for us?

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