When I was in high school, I thought I wanted to be a dermatologist. I had a skin condition on my eyelid, so my parents initially took me to my GP. When he couldn’t recommend a solution, we visited an ophthalmologist who also had no recommendations. We finally went to a dermatologist who prescribed a wash and cream and within a day I was much better.
The thing about pursuing this career is that I wasn’t good at Chemistry. The truth is that I got a very bad grade. So I decided that business was probably a better path for me, so I applied to Bryant College (now Bryant University). I had always had excellent grades in English, so the person who interviewed me suggested that I major in business communications, which was the first year the university had it. I really enjoyed the writing and speaking courses. I also interned at KPMG in New York in their Public Relations department when I was home during breaks.
Unfortunately, when I graduated, the company wasn’t hiring, so I went to work for a small marketing and sales promotion agency. Nine months later I received a call that a position was available in the Executive Search practice at KPMG. After a management buyout of the practice, I had two more stints in executive search and then started my own company in 1991. By 2008, I was restless so I decided to pursue my career coach certification which I found rewarding because i like to help others achieve their goals. However, i still missed giving presentations and writing, so i became a blogger for my website and wrote for others like the Huffington Post. However, my true love is doing workshops/trainings in the US as well as virtually, so I do it for corporations and conferences and I’m also an adjunct professor at Bryant.
Although the money is important, I believe that if you feel fulfilled with your career, the money will come. Many of my clients become obsessed with dollars and then realize that they are in a role that is not right for them. More importantly, the position may have been ideal for a while, but passions, priorities, and every other aspect of life have changed and you find yourself dreading going to work every morning. The problems are “how do you find out what position you want?” and “how do I go about getting it?” I tell my clients to go on “coffee dates” with a wide range of people who have occupations they might be interested in. I also have them read autobiographies/biographies of people they admire. By doing the latter, my clients quickly realize that this is most likely not a direct shot at what they want, but a springboard in the right direction. The first step is to try it but I hear a thousand and one excuses why they don’t do it.
Spinning your career is like gardening. You have to go through the seed catalog, choose what you want (or buy plants), and then nurture them to grow. Some will never make it, while others may redistribute due to birds, bugs, and/or rain. Others will flourish and stay year after year. The point is that you may have to plant a lot of seeds/plants to get the garden you want. Patience and resilience are hard, but when you get that beautiful flower or delicious vegetable, it will be worth it. Doesn’t your career deserve the same?
