This is a nice article about making career choices. There are infinite possibilities and opportunities, no matter how good or bad the choice seems. I recently received a call from a distressed former graduate assistant who was working in a new full-time job. In a downtrodden voice she told me, “I made a huge mistake accepting this job.”
Among many concerns, she wasn’t doing what she was hired to do, and she was—understandably—unhappy. Even so, I didn’t see her decision as a mistake, and I told her as much. I reminded her that she made the best decision she could with the information she had. She was able to get to the geographical area where she wanted to be, and she had the opportunity to learn and build her experience in the role. “Meet people, try things, and learn everything you can,” I told her. “But keep looking for the next opportunity. This is just the first stop in your career!”
I frequently encounter people struggling with a career decision they believe they have to get “right” or disaster is surely imminent.
What if I take this job and I hate it?
What if I select this major and later figure out I want to do something different?
What if I take an opportunity with this company, while my friend takes an opportunity with another company—and her life is way better than mine?
But this idea of right and wrong in your career path is a fallacy. There are only choices, and with every choice comes an opportunity. Deciding to join a committee could give you an opportunity to network. Deciding to apply for another position with your current company could give you an opportunity to advance faster than staying in your current role. Deciding to apply for a position with a new company could give you an opportunity to move to a great new geographic location. Deciding to get an MBA could give you an opportunity to increase your earning potential.
See? Whatever decision you have to make, the most important thing is that you make the most of it, rather than focusing on making the “right” decision. So how do you capitalize on this “no right or wrong” philosophy? Here are four ideas to get you started…
Read more: There's No Such Thing as a Right Career Decision – The Muse