Whether you want to change careers, get a new job, or make work work for you, you've likely taken a stab at tweaking your resume for the 20th time and read what the experts have to say about what your next steps should be.
Unfortunately, there's a lot of career advice out there that won't help you meet your goals and could actually do more harm than good.
So in this post, I’m debunking 4 myths to help you get on the right track for good.
Myth #1: Fun jobs that pay well don’t exist
In my job as a creative career coach I hear pretty much every.single.day “It would be cool to be a (insert totally random idea here) but that’s not a thing that exists”. A) I guarantee you it almost certainly exists in some form no matter what it is and IF it doesn’t, there’s no reason you can’t make it a thing.
At least we all think that unique, fun jobs aren’t out there and that we’re supposed to hate our work, and to some extent it’s true (but only because we believe it to be true).
However, this ideology isn’t as true as it used to be.
The main reason?
There have always been entrepreneurs doing new, interesting things and with the rise of social apps and the remote work environments created by the pandemic, more people are realizing that non-traditional jobs are definitely out there.
There are other reasons too. Many people are realizing that old-school corporate “9-5” just doesn’t do it for them so they create new, fun companies or organizations. And hire people who think like they do.
Which means that to get a fun job, that pays well, you shouldn’t assume it’s not out there, you just have to look (or create!)
What to do instead
You need to challenge your mindset that these gigs don’t exist. In fact, I have an entire article that lists LOTS of these.
So if you’re looking to find a truly fun job that pays well, here’s the approach I recommend trying out:
Define what you mean by “fun” and “unique” because those words mean very different things to everyone.
Also, do your math. How much money do you need to bring home?
Start looking around. Keep your eyes peeled for interesting opportunities and pay attention to those thoughts you have that go something like “It would be awesome if someone got paid to …”
Myth #2: Cool jobs are super competitive
Trying to find a new job or change careers is overwhelming.
There’s so many job seekers out there, it can feel like it’s hard to compete. And then you shut down because you don’t even know where to start.
And if that’s not enough, here are 3 other things you’re doing to keep yourself from snagging a cool job:
Reason #1: You believe that the ‘cool job’ you want is in such demand that you’ll have to take a pay cut. Remember, someone’s ideal gig is another persons nightmare job that you couldn’t pay them enough to do.
Reason #2: You get panicky and FOMOy and send out low-quality cover letters and outreach emails.
Reason #3: You get little to no response to your spammy outreach so your confidence takes a hit.
What to do instead
Understanding your skills and experience with confidence will help you get a great gig faster than hastily sending out 239 resumes. Combine this with strategic networking, and you’ll have a big time leg up in any job market.
The best part is, you’ll save time, energy and stress!
Myth #3: Interesting, fun jobs require tons of education
One of the most persistent myths about changing careers to something “fun” or “interesting” is the idea that you’ll have to go back to school or get a bunch of certifications.
So not true! Education and degrees do matter. Just not the way they once did.
For most non nuclear reactor designers, it’s just not important to have a piece of paper anymore.
So you should still go back to school if you want to, but not if you think you ‘have’ to without researching what your role requires. You’ll not only take longer to enter the job market (hurting your chances of starting in your new role ASAP) but you run the risk of spending money on coursework that is never actually utilized.
So languishing in a classroom is out, but you still need to target your job search muscles. Read on for how.
What to do instead:
Take a long, hard audit of your skillset and address any gaps that might be in your experiences.
Is there a simple online course you can take or official certification from the organization that you’re interested in. Go for it. But don’t automatically assume your goal role is out of reach due to ‘lack’ of education.
Myth #4: Working a boring, corporate job is ‘safe’
The truth? Working a job you hate because it’s ‘safe’ won’t cut it for this job market, much less your happiness.
Even though you may currently have health insurance, a 401k and unlimited PTO to go along with that micromanager, the idea that this job is safe and/or permanent is detrimental to your long term well-being.
We’ve all seen how quick companies are to engage in mass lay-offs, seemingly indiscriminately. There is no such thing as corporate loyalty these days. I mean… do you know a single person other than your grandpa who got a gold watch when they retired?
The Harvard Business Review states that “Workers Don’t Feel Like a 9-to-5 Job Is a Safe Bet Anymore” due in large part to the mass layoffs that occurred starting in the pandemic.
What to do instead
Outline everything you would require to not just ‘feel’ safe but ‘be’ safe. Is it health insurance? A healthy PTO plan? Remote working capabilities?
A simple step you can take today is to either find an organization that has the role you want along with those benefits OR to create your own business that allows you those benefits plus any others you might want.
When you are your own boss, not only is there no salary cap, employee reviews or coworkers you don’t like, but there is all the benefits you decide on!
Wrapping it Up
There you have it: 4 career myths.
As you saw, the concept of career is evolving and you should, too. Today, it’s more about deciding what it is you want to do. Not trying to live someone else’s version of success
I hope this post has helped you steer clear of misleading information so you can find that fun, cool, interesting career you enjoy!
Yours in ‘debunk those career myths’ goodness!
EBS
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: UNIQUE CAREER PATHS (AKA FUN JOBS THAT PAY WELL)
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EB Sanders | Career Coach for Creative Types
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