Some people fall into the trap of believing what they consider to be universal truths about career planning. In reality, those “truths” are anything but, and those who buy into them are doing themselves a disservice. In this article, we will debunk the most common of those myths, so you will know not to be fooled as you begin planning the next phase of your career.
A Career Is A Lifelong Decision
There is an impression that some people have that when they choose a career, that’s what they’re going to be stuck with for the rest of their working life. This causes them undue stress, as they drive themselves to distraction asking if they chose wisely. But just because you selected one career path does not mean that you can’t change your mind. You can start building up your resume with the eventual goal of doing something completely different than what you’re currently doing for work. There are resume templates that you can use that will simplify the process for you.
Your Major Determines What You Do
If you went to college and got a degree, whether it was a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or a Doctorate, you don’t necessarily have to go into a career that is directly or even tangentially related to that degree. There are people with English degrees that get into acting. There are Philosophy majors that end up as personal trainers. The list goes on and on. You might find out when you join the working world that the degree you worked for doesn’t correspond to what you want to do for money. If you find that to be the case, don’t feel bad about it. It’s more common than you might think.
You Must Choose Something that You Love to Do
It’s true that if you find something that you love, then you’ll probably look forward to going in to work every day. However, that should only be one of the factors that goes into your eventual career decision-making process. It could be that the job you love pays very little, and you have a partner and a family to support. If that’s the case, you could be better off looking for something that is tolerable to you, but also gives you the financial stability that all of us need.
If You Aren’t Willing to Do It For the Rest of Your Life, Choose Something Else
This relates to the incorrect notion that you can’t change careers. You might start out enjoying something, but then in three years, or five, or ten, you find that it no longer interests you like it once did. That’s perfectly fine. You’ll need to take steps to find something else that feels like a natural fit for you.
Career Preparation is Confusing and Stressful
You will only get confused and stressed in your career planning if you allow that to happen. In reality, there are more retargets than ever available to you. There are mentoring programs. There are job placement assistance programs, and there is more raw information online about any career you’d care to get into than at any other time in history. You can take advantage of that, and you’re more likely to find the process stimulating if you keep an open mind about it.
Your career planning will likely correspond with an exciting time in your life. Don’t allow negativity to enter into the process. Try to present the best version of yourself in your resume and during the job hunt, and you should be able to make a successful change to whatever new career path has captured your interest.