According to a 2019 Forbes article, over 50% of employees are unhappy in their current position. When I read that statistic I was sad, not because this surprised me, but because it didn’t. Many people feel unfulfilled and wake up every day dreading work. I know what it feels like to do something that you do not enjoy.
However, for the last three years, I have been in a career that I love. Notice that I did not say job, I said career for a reason. A career fulfills you, challenges you, and can bring you satisfaction. Ultimately, a career allows you to grow personally and professionally. The difference between the two affects your physical, mental, and spiritual health. In this article, I will break down the nuances between the two and share tips for building a career with momentum.
A Career is Something You’re Passionate About
How can you tell when someone is passionate about something they do?
They don’t stop talking about it!
My friends know that I could talk about basketball, and specifically the Toronto Raptors, forever. In my spare time, I research trade scenarios, players’ statistics, and I brush up on my general knowledge of the game and the organizations. Although my love for basketball is not a direct correlation to my career, the responses to a topic are the same. A career is something that you feel passionate about; a job is something that you do. A career fulfills you by allowing you to both feel challenged and grow as a result of those challenges. Passion drives us as humans to be better, and our profession is a conduit for us to fulfill those passions. If you’re in a position that you do not feel great about, it may be time to consider a different path.
A Career Gives You the Opportunity to Grow
“The sky is the limit” is a common phrase people use to talk about growth. A career provides an opportunity for an individual to grow in their responsibilities, challenges, and, ultimately, the ability to make an impact. Although those things can happen within the capacity of a job, they are more likely to happen within a profession you feel passionate about.
It is also important to understand that not every path is created equal. Some industries have a much higher ceiling or no ceiling at all due to the demand for that skill within the economy. For example, technical professionals (software engineers) in 2020 are incredibly high in demand due to the world shifting online. However, a professional in the newspaper print industry may not be able to experience the same growth when their work is now within the confines of the web. This does not mean that success cannot be achieved in declining industries, but it does make the journey much harder. It is important to ask yourself the question, “does my career have growth potential?” If it does not, it might be time to make a career change. This is a tough conclusion to consider, but it is the hard questions that allow us to make the right choices.
A Career Lets you Take Ownership
When you work for someone else, it can be challenging to feel a sense of ownership. But if you enjoy what you do there is ownership in seeing success in your efforts. I can’t emphasize how important this mindset is in your day to day life. As an employee of Wayfair, I believe in the company’s mission of being the best e-commerce platform for home goods. In addition to my belief in their mission, I also feel a strong sense of ownership in my role in recruiting engineers. I know that Wayfair is a great engineering environment and is a place where candidates can grow their careers. I feel a strong sense of ownership when I help candidates discover new opportunities. The most satisfying thing for me is seeing my previous hires thriving within their roles. When I see they received a promotion, or they are being acknowledged for their work, I feel a sense of personal satisfaction about how I played a role in their career journey and accomplishments.
Having pride in your individual contributions is key to a successful career. If you do not feel like you’re making an impact in your space, your motivation to grow will dwindle as there is no reason to push yourself. It is crucial that you feel a sense of ownership in what you do.
A Career (or job) as an Entrepreneur
A lot of my content is created for those who are working within a company. Entrepreneurship falls under the career umbrella and should be treated the same. Many buy into the illusion that because you are an entrepreneur that in itself makes your vocation a career. Working for yourself can still be a job. There are thousands of business owners who are no longer fulfilled or challenged. Some are running operations that are obsolete or do not have room for growth. Whether you own a business as a main source of income or as a side hustle, it is important to evaluate if it’s a career path with growth. Currently, coaching is my side hustle, and something that I believe can grow into a career path if I choose. The important thing to keep in mind when working for yourself is that you want to always have a growth mindset and to remain passionate about what you do. If you lose that it will only be a matter of time before declining results will follow as well.
Conclusion
There are many differences between a job and a career. In a job, you focus on the day to day and the tasks presented. In a career you feel passion, see growth, and have a sense of ownership. If you’re early in your career, you may not feel all of these things yet as you are still learning the ropes. You may be more mature in your career and have felt these things previously but no longer do. I recommend always be evaluating your career both by yourself and with those you trust. By doing this you will be able to both determine the progress you have made and set the direction of where you want to go. So I ask you, do you feel passionate about what you do? Do you see an opportunity to grow? Do you feel a sense of ownership in what you do? It is these questions that allow us to evaluate where we want to go next.
コメント