How are you meant to know what’s the right career for you, especially when you’ve just started in the world of work and have no experience to base your decisions on?
This was ME in my first career.
I hated it.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved my colleagues, the atmosphere of the company, the day-to-day camaraderie, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was taking me nowhere. That ten years would pass me by and I’d still be sitting at the same desk, doing the same tasks, and not advancing in any way.
And here are a few signs that it was the wrong career for me.
I watched the clock
I just couldn't wait for 6 pm to roll around, and then I was out the door in a flash. Time was slower than it’s ever been in my life.
Swapping out one company for another would make no difference
It’s not the name, place of work or the people I didn’t like. In fact, it was much the opposite.
I dreaded Mondays
80% of us experience Sunday night anxiety, but mine involved being nervous about how I was going to deal with 40 hours of boredom without anything to keep me entertained.
I was sick more often than I used to be
And I would also take the days off work. Before this, unless I was really suffering, I’d work right through it.
I was bored
There’s a tea break at 10 am, 2 pm AND 4 pm right? I needed that much caffeine to keep me going AND I was the perfect candidate to make it.
I was more interested in my personal life
A work-life balance is important, but not when the work part is non-existent.
I lacked inspiration and motivation
To even try to excel at any of the projects I’d been given. Previously, I was enthused by anything that came my way, and it was in my nature to take an experience with both hands.
I daydreamed about careers I could go into
And spent company time researching them.
I was just out of university.
If I couldn’t just find a new job and be content with that, then it would have meant that I was in the wrong career, the wrong industry, right?
But I had no place to go. Who would help me find a different track? Where would I find where my talents lie and gain a better understanding of what more I could do? There was no place to go.
I saw my friends in the evenings, at the weekends, and saw how they enjoyed their jobs, were progressing and advancing, taking on new work, new clients, new projects. And I wanted that to be me.
I was bored, uninspired and wishing I were somewhere else.
I knew I could do more if only I had the opportunity. And if that opportunity wouldn’t come to me, I’d create the opportunity for myself.
Fast forward ten years and I’ve developed an app, iShine, to help those in the same position as me.
I feel your pain!
Here’s how iShine can help YOU find your dream career before it’s too late!
Evaluate your strengths
iShine will help you discover your top in-demand strengths, including your skills and work styles, which every employer loves. You’ll gain a better understanding of yourself in the workplace, and will be able to use this knowledge to hand-pick your perfect career.
Understand your ideal career
If you are in my old shoes and are struggling to know what careers are suitable for you with YOUR skills and talents, iShine matches you to 21st Century career ideas, giving you clarity and empowering you to pursue your dream career.
Or perhaps there are just too many careers to choose from and making that ultimate decision is overwhelming? iShine will help you whittle down your options, helping you consider YOUR VALUES, so it’s only the very best for you, dahling.
Improve your chances
iShine will also help you gain a detailed appreciation of how your strengths are best suited to a career and where you need to improve, so you’ll find yourself at the front of the queue when you’re ready for an interview.
Test-drive your new career options
Once you have a few career ideas in mind, now’s the time to test them out before you commit. This could be through informational interviews, online courses, voluntary work or industry research.
Develop your skills
In changing careers, it’s very unlikely that you’ll be able to walk straight into a job. Instead, you’ll need to add to your current skillset, and luckily for you, iShine will tell you what you need to develop and how you are going to do just that!
Apply for jobs
Once you’re ready to go, you can apply for a new job through iShine. It will recommend the ideal vacancies for you, based on your career choice, location and preferences.
One-to-one coaching
If you need any tailored and individual advice, our hand-picked advisors will help you see your career dreams go far. Whether you need help with your motivation, personal branding, resilience, networking, career vision or job hunting we’ll match you to your perfect coach, to save you time and give you peace of mind.
Welcome to your dream career
But the hard work is not over yet. Get out there, challenge yourself, evaluate your skillset, build on your strengths, speak to others, and apply for vacancies.
And once you’re in your new career you’ll be over the moon that you spent some time on yourself and put in the effort to be who you are today.
Good luck!
