We often categorise and segregate our activities into work and leisure, with little or no overlaps in-between. So what happens when the segregation becomes too much of a gap for us and we experience extreme swing of emotions toggling between them?
"I am not happy at work but don't know if I should keep doing this."
Mark is a seasoned professional in Sales. He ventured into the profession as a fresh graduate and has grown into the role for over a decade. He was good at what he did and he moved along different companies to gain exposure and experience. He thought he hit his peak when he landed his dream job. 12 months on, Mark became unsure about his choice. The work environment was less forgiving and more hectic than what he was used to and he started to dread going to work.
Outside of work, Mark had many interests. He was health conscious, an avid cook with a desire for nutrition and had an eye for beautiful design. Mark had always considered these as leisure activities that were engaging and personally meaningful but did not know how to integrate them into career. Mark had considered developing his side interests as possible jobs to explore but he was not sure if it was the right decision.
Undecided, Mark sought help from Avodah People Solutions.
"What is going on with me?"
Through the help of a #CareerDeveloper, Mark examined his work situation and his past experiences to better define the issue behind his thoughts of leaving his job. He was guided through a series of activities to develop a deeper self awareness of his motivations and his self concept. Through this, Mark learnt about how his personality and his approach towards work differed from his company and how it was causing him dissatisfaction. Mitigation strategies were developed through brainstorming to help Mark manage his emotions and thoughts at work.
Mark's interests, competencies and aspirations were then examined. His early life and past life experiences were discussed to identify themes and patterns behind his thoughts and decision making. There were unpleasant memories and struggles that Mark dealt with when he was younger and with his #CareerDeveloper's facilitation, the themes and patterns of acceptance and relationships were found to revolve around many of Mark's past decisions.
"I want to help misfits fit in."
Mark and his #CareerDeveloper worked together to define a personal narrative, one that would allow career and life decisions to be built upon. The agenda of helping people who are different feel accepted was formed as a personal narrative of "I want to help misfits fit in." The narrative helped Mark cement knowing who he is, knowing the why behind his past choices and more importantly, how he can use this to develop his career.
Mark's leisure and interest areas were examined to elicit the skills and positive attributes he had. His #CareerDeveloper guided him through a series of questions and action planning to formulate a professional identity that integrates his personal narrative with the things he was interested in. After doing online research and engaging people for information interviews, Mark was able to define several new areas of work which combined his interests with his personal narrative and his competencies and experiences as a Sales person.
Armed with a personal narrative and several career paths that integrated both his personal and professional attributes, Mark is no longer caught in between his work and leisure. He has also become happier at work and more intentional with his time in prototyping the identified areas of work.
These career stories belong to clients of Avodah People Solutions
To protect the privacy of our clients, we have changed the names and omitted some details of their stories.
In sharing these stories, we hope to inspire you in your own career journey.
Seeking career direction or thinking of a career change?
Find out more about how we can help you with your career. Get help from Avodah People Solutions today!
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