How many people do you know who seem truly passionate about their career? Sadly, your answer is probably, “Not many.” Seeing such a large portion of employed individuals who are unsatisfied with their work life can be depressing, especially for job seekers. However, those who are unemployed have an advantage in that they can create a fresh start for themselves by seeking and finding a job they are passionate about.
As a job seeker, you can steer clear of work situations that you don’t want by becoming clear about what you do want in a career. It all begins with finding out what you are most passionate about.
How to Discover Your Passions
Although it’s exciting to consider the possibility of finding a career you’ll love, the age-old question, “What am I passionate about?” begs to be answered first. To discover your passions, try this exercise:
- Determine what you are good at – You’ll begin this revelatory exercise by making a list of things you believe you do well. Then, make another list of things others think you do well. Finally, make a third list of “everything you’ve ever enjoyed doing or making…the weirder and more offbeat the list, the better.” Take a good look at these lists and consolidate them into one, isolating what you believe are the top ten things you shine at.
- Highlight what you like to do and what you are interested in – Once you have your list of the top ten things you are good at doing, you are ready to modify the list to include only things you like doing. For example, you may be good at writing, but you might not particularly like it. If that’s the case, mark it off the list; it’s not your passion. Make it your goal to whittle your list down to no more than five things that you are good at and that you like doing. Once you have done that, list two or three things you are interested in doing but have never had the chance to explore.
- Consider your interests – Now it is time to delve deeper into those interests you are curious about. Begin by researching your interests and finding good sources of information about them. Then, set up short meeting times with individuals who work in your areas of interest. Erika Andersen, contributing writer for Forbes, says, “If, after exploring something on an informational level, it’s still ‘pulling’ you…a good next step is to find some people who are actually doing the thing and pick their brains.” Finally, shrink your list to include only the main things you are good at doing/love to do, and that interest you enough to pursue.
- Commence your job search – Now that you have made a list of your passions, it’s time to commence your job search. Although you could seek out passion-evoking jobs on your own, it is much easier to work with a qualified career recruiter who is skilled at matching job seekers with positions that are related to their passions.
Finding a career that you are passionate about is not always easy but worth every bit of effort. With a reliable career recruiter and a list of your passions, it’s only a matter of time before you will be doing what makes you come alive.
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