Why You Should Search for a Career, Not a Job - Your Career Intel

Why You Should Search for a Career, Not a Job - Your Career IntelStatistics show that, during your working years, youll spend roughly a third of your time at work. Let that sink in. You spend mora time working than you do on any other activity in your life. Thats why finding career, leid a job, is a key component of a fulfilling life.It all comes down to the concept of career vs job. A job is something you do to pay the bills. A career pays the bills too, but it also affords you purpose, fulfillment and enjoyment. As a Managing Partner in executive recruitment, Ive helped hundreds of candidates find their way to careers that make them excited to go to work in the morning.If youre ready to leave your job behind and start planning a career, here are three simple steps to get your started.Identify Where Your Passion and Skills IntersectIt would be nice if passion was enough to pursue the career of your choice, but anyone who has ever seen an audition episode of American gtzenbild knows thats not true. Passion is what gets you motivated but, ultimately, you need to be great at whatever it is you want to do (and work hard at it) to get where you want to be.Create two columns on a piece of paper. On one side, list all of the things youre passionate about. On the other side, list all of the things youre good at. Dont hold back write down everything and anything that comes to mind. Then brainstorm every career that appeals to you and falls at the intersection. Finally, do your research and figure out which careers are viable options.After I left the U.S. Military, I had to go through this exercise myself. I had experience in management and engineering, but I didnt particularly enjoy those types of jobs. On the other hand, I had a passion for leading, training and counseling people, and I was skilled at that as well. Some career paths I considered were practical, while I set aside others for reasons like pay, geography and quality of life. Executive recruiting ticked al l of the boxes for me, and now I wake up every day thinking how good I have it.Lay the groundworkNow that youve got a short list of careers youre interested in, figure out what you need in order to gain entry into those fields. Leverage your network of contacts to gain informational meetings with people in your desired industry or industries. This is a great way to confirm which careers you want to pursue, get invaluable advice, and also build relationships that you can leverage later when its time to search for jobs.When going into a new field, youll usually (but not always) find that you need additional education. If you have the time and money, a graduate degree can be a great option for opening doors to a new career. But there are also night classes, associates degrees, seminars, volunteering and internships. Your informational meetings will help you determine what skill-building you need to do.Finally, get ready to apply for jobs. Youll want to rethink and rewrite your cover le tter and resume. Present your background in a way that spins your experience and skill set to be most appealing to prospective employers.Find the Perfect FitWhen you finally crack a new industry, its tempting to take any opportunity you can. But its important to think about whether its an environment where you can thrive. Theres nothing worse than finally clinching a job in the field of your dreams, only to discover that youve landed at a company thats not the right fit or working with people with whom that you dont get along. Your new career could stall before it even gets startedThink about your work style and what type of company culture best suits you. For example, if youre a self-starting multi-tasker, then a small start-up might be right for you. If you work best in a collaborative environment, perhaps a company that has a team-based approach to projects might be up your alley. Ask thoughtful questions during your interviews and make sure you meet your future team members befo re accepting any position.Even with all the best due diligence, its still possible to end up in a great job thats a bad fit. If that happens, your job is to give it 100% and try to make it work no matter what. Job hoppers come across as wishy washy to employers, so demonstrate stability and make the best of the situation for at least a year before moving on to greener pastures.Keep in mind that finding your career passion and bringing it to life doesnt happen overnight. It can take months or even years, depending on how dramatic a change youre making. But in the end, a career you love is worth the commitment.How have you discovered and pursued your career passion? Tell us your story in the comments below.