“How Can I Change My Career, If I Don’t Know What Else I’m Good At?”
With no career plan, Simon fell into jobs he knew he could do. Now he has the chance to find a career that lights him up, but after years of the same work, he’s struggling to define what that looks like. How do you move into a fulfilling career, when you can’t see past the skills that keep you stuck?
What’s your career history and current job?
Her family owned a shop, and she worked there from an early age selling goods and helping customers.
- She sought out sales and customer service roles, and was eventually made redundant, so she works for a high-end retailer.
What’s the biggest obstacle in your way?
I don’t know how to choose my new career
- The amount of potential options is intimidating
- It’s harder for me to narrow down those options because I’ve got no idea what else I could be good at
- Recruitment agencies take one look at your CV and suggest options based on everything you’ve done before
- You’ve got to go on previous experience
How do you feel about your work?
When she started working, her goal was just to make the money she needed to buy a house and pay the bills
- After her redundancy, she automatically searched for the same type of work she’ve always done
- She quickly found a job selling premium insurance over the telephone, but left after three months
- Sitting behind a desk in a soulless contact centre all day, reading scripted words down the phone didn’t suit her
- Although there were opportunities for promotion, the people in higher positions seemed so unhappy that she didn’t want to take them
- That experience knocked her confidence, but it’s also made her think seriously about the next stage of her career
What would you like to be doing instead?
I want to do something completely different.
- In terms of things I enjoy, I’ve always been an active person, and I love being outside. I’ve been a keen cyclist ever since I could ride a bike.
- I’ve studied forestry and tree surgery in the past.