Career Advice

Shifting your career has to be an informed decision. While you may want to move out of your current job because you feel the pay is not good enough or the working hours and conditions are not satisfying, are you sure these are reasons enough to merit a career change instead of a change in jobs?

Career means profession - that which we want to adopt for earning a livelihood. Planning for a career is one of the most important steps we can take in our lives. It sets a foundation for how you'll spend a great deal of your life. An interesting fact about career planning is that it is not always a short-lived process. In fact, for many, it can last a lifetime which includes re-defining goals, developing interests, and changing careers.

Some people don't even get as far as thinking about what they are good at and love doing. Instead, they run their finger down a menu of job titles and choose one. It's a kind of default strategy. They don't know what they really want to do so they choose something that sounds ok, is a safe choice, is well paid, or all three.

When I was growing up, I lived a few doors down from a very observant Catholic family that had strong opinions about what is right and what is wrong. There was a son around my age whom I liked to play with now and then, but his parents eventually banned me from fraternizing with him. The reason was that, after being warned by his parents a few times not to do so, I forgot and shouted ''Jesus Christ!'' during some game. The first time I had done this, I had received a very stern lecture about using Jesus' name in vain. The next time I was sent home and my mother was spoken to. The final time this happened I was banned.

When I used to apply for jobs myself, I would always go to the office supply store and purchase the absolute most expensive paper and envelopes I could. I remember, the paper I used to purchase was so expensive that you could only purchase 50 sheets of it at a time. The paper was so heavy that it was almost like cardboard and difficult to fit in the equally expensive envelopes that I purchased with the paper. This may seem like something that is ridiculous and far more over the top than necessary. However, starting from a young age, I have always believed in optimizing everything and the further I have gotten in my career, the more important I have realized optimization is.

You will find the happiest people are the ones who do not judge others, but are kind hearted and love themselves. You too can be perpetually happy and achieve a healthy self-esteem by putting in little extra time and effort. Let us see how: