A little less conversation, a little more action

A little less conversation, a little more action We spend more time choosing an outfit/booking a holiday/planning our weekend than we do thinking about a career. Heard this before? Well, it certainly holds true for some people, but there are plenty more who dwell on the planning stage to such a degree that they fail to actually do anything.  At some point, you have to stop thinking and start acting. Easier said that done, right? After all, we careers folk are quite keen to spread the gospel of research. Youll hear it, read it, see it everywhere you look. Research the sector, company, role, people, press releases.  And its good advice you cant make a decision without information. But the point comes when youve spent so many hours pouring over careers information (there is a LOT of it),  going to events, scanning job portals and just, well, researching that you wind up even more confused and indecisive. Before you know it inertia has set in. Stop thinking there is the perfect job This is what I call the soul mate  illusion.  We create this idea of perfection in one part of our life and think we can apply it to all. The right job/boy/girl/house/car. In reality, there are likely to be  many suitable partners, just as there are jobs. Dont restrict your horizons unnecessarily by assuming theres only one.If you find yourself looking at each job spec thinking, well I quite like it but it doesnt tick this box, or I love the sound of this job, but I dont want to work in x sector  or more typically, this is perfect, but Im not working for less  than. then youre in danger of pricing yourself out of the job market. No-one is suggesting you should just take anything that comes its good to have standards and a sense of your own worth, but theres a fine line between selective and downright picky.  Newsflash: there are aspects of every job that youll find less appealing. Unless youre extremely lucky, or easily pleased. If you think you can start your career in a job t hat ticks every box, then your job search may be doomed to fail. Decide where to draw the line We all have negotiable and non-negotiables, and inevitably this means making compromises. This is an essential part of your career planning and something you should try to grapple with early on. And more importantly, doing this will put you in the driving seat as only YOU can know or decide what matters most. Is it location? Is it money? Are you looking for structured career progression?  Are you looking for a challenge or an easy life? Its much easier to move from the deliberation to the action stage if  you establish some parameters. Start by making a list of things that you cant or wont consider, and this will help narrow down your options into a more manageable list. Once youve eliminated the negatives you can give full attention to the must-haves . Much as a job or person spec will include a list of essentials and desirables, its wise  to apply these filters to your own job search. You dont need to follow your passion Follow your dreams. Do something you love. Find your passion. This advice has almost become legion and in some circles seems to border on the evangelical.  But this assumes you have a passion to follow. What if you dont have a burning desire, or a creative itch, or a vocational calling?  Some of us dont and never will. Maybe we discover it later on or maybe it finds us? Like it did a certain CEO of Apple Do like Steve Jobs did: Dont follow your passion. If your job search is stalling because you havent yet found something that really sparks your enthusiasm, you may need to take a more pragmatic approach.  Why not focus on one or two areas that youd be happy to work in and then go for it.  Skills and experience are never wasted. Dont squander valuable time pondering all the options in the hope your dream job will materialise. In todays fluid and global job market you can move between roles with relative ease ( law to medicine might be a stretch but you get the point). This step is merely the beginning.  And dont obsess about what person X or person Y is doing; just because they are following their passion  doesnt mean theyre more fulfilled,  successful or happy. Listen to your voice, not everyone elses You may actually have a pretty good idea about what you want and how to get it, but are falling at the final hurdle applying. Whats stopping you? Everybody else, thats who. Were all vulnerable to persuasion and the tyranny of should. I should pursue this career because my parents want/expect it, I should do a postgrad degree because my tutor says soshould, should, should.  Youre in job search stasis because you know what you want, but it conflicts with the desires and expectations of people around you.  Whether its parental influence or peer pressure, the influence of those around us can be a pretty powerful and sometimes negative force. Start listening to your inner voice and seek out like minds  who will encourage and support your aspirations. Remember what I said earlier in the post about drawing the line? Nows the time to start. It doesnt really matter what you want, as long as youre doing it for the right reasons. The ones that suit you. As I started with a cliché, so Ill finish with one: a career is a marathon, not  a sprint.but you do need to get your running shoes on and at least start the race.