“It’s not that there are bad jobs, it is that there are some jobs that are not right for some people.” It is funny what a little objectivity can do to shift your view. When we reflect back on our experience, the deeper we get into our career, most of us will likely pull up a memory of a position or two where we think “Gosh…that was a bad job.” But was it really a bad job, or was it just that the job wasn’t a right fit for you?
Learn From The Experience of Others
Earlier this week I came together with colleagues and acquaintances from the career development field to open up conversations about pathways and experiences in our field. Listening to the different perspectives that people have had on their own journey and how it has impacted their route was both eye opening and comforting at the same time. Nods of agreement, looks of surprise, heads tilted in sympathy; everyone reacted in some way that was unique to them. After all, while our positions and paths might vary, we are all striving to provide the same sort of support to help people work their way through their career.
It was after two of our speakers had shared their piece, each shedding a vastly different light on a similar experience, that this simple yet profound statement was made. One was aligned, while the other was not. Ok, I’ll admit it, I was the one who piped up with the misaligned experience, and it was my old boss who offered the opposite view. I’m grateful that he did, as I know that my view of my experience is unique to me – that just because my experience wasn’t the best doesn’t mean it is a bad one for everyone.
And then from the back of the room a voice rose: “It’s not that there are bad jobs, it is that there are some jobs that are not right for some people.”
Such simple words, yet such impactful ones.
Value Your Experiences…All of Them
Sometimes we have to flit around in our career to find the right path for us. Sometimes we have to experience the poor fit to help us understand what is actually the right fit. From every position that we have had up to this point in our career we have benefited to some degree. Whether it is through the acquisition of skills and knowledge that allowed us to progress into the next role, or building up strong relationships with others, or even gaining the understanding of what is not right for us, we should be able to look back and say “Gosh…that job wasn’t the best for me, but I am still grateful for what I gained from it.”
As you look forward in your career, take the time to invest in researching opportunities to help you gain an understanding if there will be a good fit or not. Talk to multiple people who work for the company, in the industry, and in similar roles. If you simply rely on one person’s experience you are not getting the whole picture. If you asked just me about my experience you would get a very different answer than if you asked my old boss. Everyone will have a different perspective on what the opportunity is like; it is for you to interpret the results of your research to help you determine if the potential for fit is there.
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Are you feeling like you are stuck in a bad job? Let me help. Contact me and we’ll come up with a plan to get you pointed towards a rewarding career that feels like it’s the perfect fit.