You can drift through your life, working at a job, or you can take control of your life, building a career. It isn’t what you do that makes the difference; it’s what you think about what you’re doing that determines your success.
According to Fairchild, Barclay and Associates, Career Strategists, “. . .Until the new paradigm of career or job search impacted their lives, most people have never considered the difference between "having a job" and "building a career.", bringing us to why you are where you are, today, and what you have planned for your future.
You are probably on a career track if you find yourself doing the same type of work in every position you have had and expect to continue to do so, moving up the chain as you gain more experience. You can have more than one career in your life, but most people will stick with one or two. Careers should bring you satisfaction and make you eager to get started, each morning.
Jobs, on the other hand, have a tendency to be shorter in duration, very transitory, with limited chance of control. You are hired to do a specific job and, when it’s done, there may be another or you may have to find something else. In either event, you are paid for services rendered and that is the end of your relationship with that employer – for that particular job. And, you don’t have to like it, as long as it pays the bills.
But, it is possible to combine both, you know. Entrepreneurs do it, all the time, by multi-tasking many services within their chosen career. They are able to decide a field of interest and keep almost all work within that field, gaining knowledge and experience very similar to the way apprentices approached careers in earlier decades. If you’re willing to work for the experience, only, somebody needs to support you during this time. Earn-while-you-learn jobs fall under this category.
Donald Trump notwithstanding, finding apprenticeships is not easy in today’s market. And, of course, The Donald only accepts successful, experienced, apprentices in his searches. These are people who have already made career choices and then focused on getting the education and training needed to achieve those goals within that field.
A job can be your career if you know what you want to be doing for the rest of your life. It’s really the way you look at yourself and the work that you are doing that determines the difference between a “job” and a “career.” By keeping a focus within your interests, you can keep honing your skills, educating yourself on your subject, and building a very successful life – sometimes, growing independently wealthy.
What keeps most people working at just a job is doing only what’s required, collecting their pay, and living from week to week, year in and year out. Many of these people cannot afford to retire and will work until illness or death stops them. At the beginning of your life, you have an opportunity to choose what you want to do with your life and can make choices that will allow you to retire when it’s time. Work at a job or have a career? Whatever you do to earn a living, feeling good about yourself and looking forward to meeting the daily challenge is very fulfilling.
Take stock of what you most enjoy doing, what additional skills are needed to rise to the top of that profession, and how you can incorporate continuing education into your schedule to make sure you achieve those goals. Let no one make you feel bad about what you want to do, just try to be the best, and you can rise to leadership in that field, if that’s what you want. Just make the decision, yourself, and don’t be a drifter in your own life.
For more information:
http://www.fairchildbarclay.com/planning.html
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