When Something's Not Right about Your Career
Another Path Entirely
by Susan Dunn
We spend more hours a week working than doing anything else, and if you've ever been miserable at a job, you'll relate when I say it can make life hell. Getting out of that position is what this series is all about.
We're been discussing ways to discover what you're good at and would enjoy, including taking the StrengthsFinderT profile (Now, Discover Your Strengths) and getting good coaching.
Other ways you can progress may be more suitable for introverts (which make up 30-60% of the population).
The Strengths Course© is particularly helpful. It's 10 modules delivered to you by email, and unlike some distance learning courses, it is the whole banana, not a teaser for you to buy something else. It's complete. To register, go here:
http://www.susandunn.cc/courses.htm.
The Strengths Course© integrates emotional intelligence into your search, and the focus is on HAPPINESS. See "Top Ten Ways to Achieve Happiness"
( http://topten.org/public/BL/BL209.html).
That's the goal of work, isn't it? Happiness? If this surprises you, read on, and please consider coaching.
Nadette, a coach who took the Strengths Course© said: "Thanks so much for sharing this course with me, and I hope that one day, if I have a daughter, I can share it with her. You're an absolute GEM to this world."
For work at a higher level, I recommend you read, How to Build Your Career with Emotional Intelligence,
( http://www.webstrategies.cc/ebooklibrary.html).
Whatever you do, spend the time investigating what you're naturally good at and what gives you satisfaction. Another resource is the VIA Strengths profile --
http://www.authentichappiness.com which is more values oriented.
A more practical profile I recommend is the Campbell Interest and Skill Survety (CISS), a Campbell Development Survey available here
-- http://assessments.ncspearson.com/assessments/tests/ciss.htm.
This is a self-report (again, I recommend coaching -- if we could do this sort of thing ourselves, we'd already be there!) and indicates your attraction for specific occupational areas.
It's different in that it adds "parallel skill scales" that provide estimates of an individual's confidence in his or her ability to perform various occupational activities.
Together, the two types of scales provide more comprehensive, richer data than interest scores alone."
Why is this important? The most traditional career profile, which I have taken, says I would enjoy being theoretical physicist. That's quite true -- I would enjoy it. However my last math course was junior year in high school. That's no unlike discovering I'd "enjoy being a major league football player." I'm female, 5'3".
That sort of information isn't useful for me! See the difference?
Earlier I encouraged you to get started on this in-depth personal work. Now perhaps you're thinking, "I'm 28 / 15 / 37 / 70 ... it's too late/too early."
Next time we'll talk about the benefits of taking this journey at ANY age and we'll look at some case studies.
Stay tuned.
Susan Dunn, MA, Clinical Psychology, The EQ CoachT, Susan Dunn, MA, cEQc, The EQ Coach™, Susan Dunn. Bringing the power of Emotional Intelligence to YOUR life through coaching, eBooks, and distance learning. Midlife, retirement and transition coaching, career and relationships. Email for free EQ ezine. Want to be a certified EQ Coach? Email for information on this fast, affordable, comprehensive, no-residency program. Products available for licensing to build your practice. Visit the best ebook library on the Internet - EBook Library.