This question is asked many times in our lives, whether verbally or subconsciously. For many of us this is an unending journey that often times never seems to find a satisfactory answer. When I finally got sick of working J-O-B’s I screamed this very question, “What career is right for me?!” Sick of working for someone else, I decided to start my own computer consulting business. This lasted 5 years and turned into an excellent stepping stone to finding the answer I was looking for. Now I’m in a transition period that is presenting me with excellent insight into showing me what career is right for me.

I’ve always had two very strong personality traits that define my demeanor.  I’m an introvert and a homebody.  Even though I enjoy traveling on occasion, I’m most content when I’m in my own house and my own office.  Blogging has helped me come out of my shell a little bit, but has also presented me with new ways of connecting with community that, unlike my consulting business, doesn’t push my introverted buttons.

My consulting business consisted of me not only leaving my home office multiple times a day, but it put me in new locations almost every time.  I have hundreds of clients and many new ones each week.  So both of the traits I mentioned above were being ‘assaulted’ time and time again.  Though I spent my time working with technology and generally great people, two things I love, I felt the constant tapping of discomfort.  So after 5 years of consulting I found myself asking that question once again, “What career is right for me?”

1 + 1 doesn’t always = 2

Let’s take a look at the guidance counselor scenario for a second.  Your coming to the end of your high school years and sitting in the office of your guidance counselor.  The goal of the meeting is to determine, “What career is right for me?”  The counselor asks you, “What do you do in your spare time?  Do you have any hobbies?”  You proceed to tell them about a few personal interests that you pursue when you’re not at school and that is when you get the generic answer, “Great!  That is what you’ll do!  Just do something related to those interests and you will not only do well, but enjoy every minute.”

This is partially true, but leaves out a HUGE detail.  YOUR PERSONALITY!  Just like the fact that, though I enjoy technology, I don’t like being ripped out of my comfort zone multiple times a day.  Some personalities enjoy this, but I definitely do not.  This is not to say that stretching yourself is a bad thing, but never feeling comfortable should not be a requirement for success.

There are some excellent books that take this very perspective.  They use the Myers-Briggs test to define your personality, couple that information with your interests and then give you a large list of ideas to choose from.  (‘What Color Is Your Parachute‘ and ‘Do What You Are‘ are two excellent examples.  I’m an INFP if anyone’s curious. )  The idea is to find a career that not only embodies your interests, but suits your soul as well.  So for some, popping around town and meeting new people each and every day, is energizing and quite fulfilling.  Maybe for them, sitting in front of their computer at their home office for hours each day would be a total bore.  Thus the need to find this perfect blend of WHAT and HOW.

Keep adjusting until you find the right fit.

Many of us tend to try something out and then give up with the first signs of discomfort.  What makes this worse is the fact that much advise would say to, “Stick with it!”  The problem with this is that if we’re just not ‘feeling it’ maybe we’re not doing it the way that WE are supposed to.  I kept pushing forward with my consulting because I just KNEW that technology was the field I was meant to work in.  But after 5 years of ‘pushing’ I finally decided to push a different way.  FINALLY, I’m ‘feeling it’!  And momentum is following.  It’s like I’ve been running with a rock in my shoe all this time.  Now that that constant reminder that something wasn’t right is finally gone, I can focus all my attention on the running.  I’m still in the same race, but now with a stride that feels RIGHT.

“What career is right for me?”

This is something we HAVE to ask ourselves.  Not just when we’re in high school, waiting for the world to come at us like a title wave.  But today and tomorrow and as long as it takes!  Until we have an answer that we KNOW is right, that goes without saying, we HAVE to keep looking and keep adjusting.  There’s nothing worse that living each day with that nagging feeling that our time is being spent on tasks that do nothing but drain us and make us feel dead inside.  Work is called work for a reason and we will always feel the burn on occasion, but it shouldn’t feel that way ALL the time or even MOST of the time.  Each day since I’ve been in this transition period I have felt THAT much more certain that I am on the right track.  That my adjustments are finally hitting the mark.

Is your current job/career the right match for YOU?  Are you not only in a FIELD that you enjoy, but pursuing that field in a way that fits your personality?  If so, awesome!  If not, what are you doing about it?!