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Career check

by John Bower

It wasn’t a proud moment. All I remember hearing was the voice of my manager: “… and we want you to begin looking for another position immediately.” You may be one of the lucky ones who have never experienced this, but it pays to be prepared and regularly evaluate your circumstances throughout your career.

I count myself lucky that I learned this important lesson. If you’re not steering your career, no one is. Being good at your job is no guarantee of security. It’s worth asking some questions:

• Are you having fun at work?
• Do you wake up in the morning eager to get to your desk?
• Are you going home each day feeling you’ve met your goals?

If you answered “no” to more than one of those questions, you’re probably missing out on career satisfaction – and you’re not alone.

After losing my job, I hired an industrial psychologist to tell me how to get the best from myself. Some of the advice may seem obvious, but it’s worth sharing.

When you do something that you unconsciously know you do well, you feel relaxed and confident. It makes sense to choose to do things you’re good at whenever possible. The sooner you align your work with your inner passion, the easier it will be to deal with challenges.

Most of us have met people who are deeply invested in their career, but are dissatisfied with what they’re doing.

The good news is that, wherever you are on the career satisfaction scale, you can always make changes.

• Find out what you most enjoy doing and try to rearrange your work accordingly.
• Be honest with yourself about things you don’t like doing and find ways to work with others on these tasks.

It really is that simple. Take control and try to choose work that suits you best. If you become more productive, your employer will be the first to appreciate it.

John Bower is a member of the Hong Kong International Coaching Community (info@coachinghk.org)