I’m in the wrong career! Career mistake help

What’s your strategy for career change? 

Your Rant: I really don’t like the job I’ve ended up in. How can you sort out your career options and end up doing something that’s rewarding?

911 Repair:

When it comes to mistakes, New Yorker Shalom Gelbman takes the prize. Not only did he impersonate a police officer, he actually stopped a motorist as part of his ruse. The problem was that he stopped an off duty state trooper. Now he’ll do his impersonation of a prisoner.

Unfortunately, most of us have a little Gelbman in us because in our career we impersonate others instead of finding our own way. Below are some tips to help in your journey. For more, check out “How To Get Any Job With Any Major” by Donald Asher (Ten Speed, 2004).

Do you confuse what you are good at with what you like to do? Just because you are good at something doesn’t mean that you have to do make it your job. For example, all my life I’ve been told that I should be a politician or a lawyer (it’s only recently that I learned that these suggestions might not be a compliment). I may have skills in these areas, but I chose not to pursue them professionally. Let’s face it; some things shouldn’t get butchered by trying to do them eight hours a day, five days a week.

Do you confuse an avocation with your vocation? I love to cook and would never want to be a chef, love to travel but don’t want to be a travel writer, etc. Some things should remain as creative outlets, rather than messing them up by trying to build a career off them.

Do you confuse an aspect of a job with the entire job? Many people get seduced into a job because they like one part of it. Keep in mind that 40 hours a week is a long time, and it’s important to get a look at all of the responsibilities, not just a few. That is at the heart of Dick Bolles’ (author of “What Color Is Your Parachute,” (Ten Speed, 200 concept of an information interview. He suggests that you shouldn’t treat it as a disguised job interview, but rather you should talk to someone who can’t hire you. Find someone who really does the job that you think you’d like to do and find out what the job is really like.

Do you confuse what you can do with what you should do? Our family, our friends and former colleagues often have opinions about what we should be doing. It’s important to hear this input, but to not be bound by it. In general, I have problems with “shoulds.” As in, “You should do this.” Life is too short to be putting all your energy into shoulds, especially when they come from others.

Don’t sentence your career to a dead end by impersonating a happy employee. Ask yourself the questions above.

911 pulse:

How would you describe your career?

Like a hot air balloon, 9 percent

Like the bunny hop (two steps forward, one step back), 42.8 percent

Like a ball and chain, 46 percent

User strategy:

Our winning strategy for a great career comes from A.D. in Boston, Mass.:

“The most important thing about a career today is to forget about most of what you’ve learned a career should be. People change jobs more frequently — you have to promote yourself more these days and it makes sense to change industries so employers can see that you are flexible. So to me, the key to a good career [is] being open that your definition will change during your career. That makes it much easier to enjoy the ride.”

Bob Rosner and Sherrie Campbell author the nationally syndicated workplace911 column weekly. Bob’s a best-selling author and award-winning journalist who has responded to over 50,000 emails from employees, bosses and entrepreneurs. Sherrie’s a relationship expert and award-winning comedian who has offered quick, intuitive and humorous responses to over 30,000 people. He’s been called “Dilbert, with a solution.” She’s the counselor with a kick. Together they’ve turned rants into raves via TV, radio, print and live on their website at workplace911.com.