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Myths Exposed Part 2 300x191 - Career Change: Myths Exposed Part 2If you are one of the many who dare to dream of making a career change but never act on your dream, you could be holding back or resisting because you’re operating under a false assumption. You might believe some of the myths floating around about your career when in fact, you don’t have to as we’ll debunk them here. This is the second post dedicated to exposing career change myths. You can click the link here to read the first post, Career Change Myth Exposed.

Career Myth:

#4) You hate your job, so you must be in the wrong career.

Well, if you hate your job, you will probably want to take stock of your situation. However, that doesn’t mean you need to start clearing out your office nor does it mean you need to start down a new career path.

Many of my clients have decided that they must need a new start and a new career simply because they are no longer happy in their present situation.

Hold on; assess what is at the center of your dissatisfaction. Know that the uncertainty you are experiencing does not necessarily mean you are working in the wrong career. Nor does it mean that you are working in the wrong job.

In fact, you could be working for the wrong person or at the wrong company. Honing in on the source of your dissatisfaction takes a skilled approach; this is tough to handle on your own and where a career coach comes in.

#5) Just go for it – you don’t need a plan.

Yeah right. What works out that way? Picture this. You hop in your car and go for a drive with no destination in mind. Well, how long does that make sense? Consider this. Let’s say you had an extra $20,000 to spend on a vacation. Would you just grab the first flight that was offered to you or would you make a few plans?

It could be really adventurous to head off the beaten path. Sure, you could catch some of the unseen sights that only the natives know about. However, without a plan, you could miss some of the most beautiful sights or spend much of your time searching for something. With no plan, how would you know what you were missing. So if you don’t know where you are going…

• How do you know if you’re lost?

• How will you know when you get there?

• How do you know if there was a shorter route?

You might want to ask yourself:

• Is the travel more important to you?

• Is getting there quickly what matters to you?

You get the point. You have to decide what is important in your career journey. Sometimes it really makes sense to have a plan. And, by plan, an elaborate manifesto is not necessary – throw it on a sticky note if you must. Just knowing where you’re going and what you need to do to get there will work in your favor.

#6) If you make plans and work hard, you’ll end up in the perfect job.

Clearly if you make career plans that are centered around your personal purpose and your career aspirations you will be far better off than if you just went out and grabbed the first job you’re offered.

But the word “perfect” is part of a myth. Work is not a day at the beach. It actually is work. So, maybe more appropriate statement would be “if you make plans and work towards them, you will end up with a career that is in line with your personal aspirations and will result in long-term personal fulfillment.”

Don’t forget though, to take advantage of promising opportunities. They don’t always come along at the best time, do they? I have worked with many executives over the years who have decided that they did not want to interview for “the job of their dreams” simply because they did not want to spend their weekend traveling and then interviewing with a board or search committee.

Remember, the job of your dreams doesn’t happen overnight. You might want to remind yourself what is really important to you and ask yourself if giving up on a dream is really that easy?

The above myths can easily get in the way of you and your dreams. Now you have a better understanding of what can get in the way and how to work around it. So, you’ve got nothing in the way of your goals now. Get some help and get ready to make the change.

Making a career change does not have to be an agonizing process. Patricia Erickson discusses the ins and outs of career change in detail in her new book entitled Career Management Guide: A Practical Approach To Career Change In Any Economy.

Patricia is a highly regarded career management expert and certified professional resume writer with over twelve years of executive recruiting and coaching experience. She partners with career changers and job seekers to design strategies that transform careers. Patricia has helped clients to navigate toward their true career aspirations as well as finding purpose and personal fulfillment.