Career Dissatisfaction: Cause and Consequence, Part Two

Last time we talked about the importance of conducting research before selecting a desired career path, lest you end up in that miserable dead-end job so many Americans commute to daily. You were probably left wondering about effective methods and sources for researching career information; after all, it’s no fun researching how to research (right?). Don’t worry, you won’t be left to hang in the wind. As it so happens, a website exists that is a one-stop source for career information for almost every profession and job in existence.

That website is O*NET (http://www.onetonline.org). As the website itself states, “There are a lot of jobs in the world of work. Our job is helping you learn about them all.” O*NET is a career exploration and job analysis database containing up-to-date and  in-depth information and analysis of jobs in the workplace.

I know what you’re thinking: Something so powerful and all-knowing surely must be so advanced that it costs a lot of money, requiring much practice and learning. Wrong. O*NET is a free resource to be used by anyone; all you need is Internet access.

Once inside this great site, enter a job title or keyword into the search field. Then, the site brings up a list of related jobs to choose from. Upon selecting one, you will be greeted by a list of information, including common job tasks, necessary skills, required education and training, and so forth. These are insightful examples of things to reflect upon before selecting an occupation.

Being satisfied with your career BEGINS by knowing the reality behind the position; entering with eyes wide open and clear can place you in among the few who actually enjoy what they do. Just think how your life would be (or could have been) if your career choice was an educated one.

The old saying, ‘information is power’ brings a new meaning in your pursuit of happiness. The fact is, many people end up in dead-end jobs because they didn’t align desired expectations with the realities of their selected career path. As in my case with Marine Biology, I thought I’d be swimming with friendly sea creatures such as Flipper and Nemo, but chances were I’d be cooped up in a laboratory all day; maybe satisfying to you, but NOT for me.

There is more to consider than just your personal expectations when using O*NET when considering a career path. Many stereotype and myths exist for common occupations. These are more than personal beliefs; these are held by a large majority of the population. No doubt you’ve experienced common career myths and prejudices… for examples, males in the nursing field are still not as common as female nurses. Fortunately gender discrimination is not as prevalent as before, nevertheless, all things affecting the position should be considered.

Humor me for a second. Go to O*NET’s website–go on, I’ll wait. Search for a career or occupation you’re interested in and enter the job title into the search box. Once you’ve found the career, read the “Tasks” section. Yeah yeah, I know it’s a chore (stop your crying) but this extra effort could make a huge difference in your life.

Count how many tasks you were unaware of:

SCORING
7 or More Tasks: There’s a lot you didn’t know. Aren’t you happy we did this exercise
3 – 6 Tasks: At least you knew something. But it’s still not enough to make an informed decision.
0 – 2 Tasks: Wow! Impressive, to say the least. You’ve really done your research but I may have to hook you up to a lie-detector test.

Time to get real, don’t think that scoring “0 – 2 Tasks” means you can toss O*NET to the curb just yet. Here’s another unsung fact about career dissatisfaction: Expectations change… always. Of course, you may not like these changes; in fact, they may even be a deal breaker.

Let’s take an example to highlight how technology forces one’s career applications to change. Years ago, sports writers simply tuned-in to the radio to cover games with a pen and a pad. Now, they’re expected to travel to home and away games, cover them wirelessly via laptop, and publish their story shortly after the game. Not only does this entail a change in equipment and training, it’s also a change in work environment and job description.

How about this one: Remember the milkman? Neither do I.

Guess what, CHANGE applies to all careers and occupations and since O*NET is a constantly updating database of career information; you should bookmark the site as a favorite. After all, you never know when your desired career destination will update with new tasks, training, locations, and even pay.

All of this information definitely won’t be on the nightly news after the Kardashian’s newest escapades, so make sure you visit this West Orlando News often as we bring career insight to you regularly. And make sure to join me next time as we cover the ancient art of informational interviews, an extremely useful tool for researching career information directly from the source: the employer.

Presented by Brandon Hayhurst
http://www.EducationCareerServices.com
Twitter: @dannyatecs

Career Dissatisfaction: Cause and Consequence, Part One

Growing up, I had a sound grasp as to what I wanted to be when I grew up. Now, a few years later, I question if the eyes of my youth were simply naïve or if my adult vision has become tarnished by a cold reality. No matter the cause of this disconnect, I found it alarming that on average, only 35% of employees are happy with their current career or line of work (a recent survey conducted by the Career Thought Leaders Group).

To further explain why, several reasons of unhappiness were given, including bad (though not really sure what constitutes “bad”), bosses, time-delayed commutes where congestion ruled two-hours both ways, and lack of challenges. Naturally these are not the only issues as many of you can attest to.

As I delved into the topic deeply by conducting outside research on my own, one key point threading so much unhappiness was that people were not in the line of work they imagined they would be growing up. Sounds like a perfect lead into the topic defining part one…

Do you remember dreaming about what you wanted to be when you were older? For some it was a firefighter, an astronaut, a veterinarian, a teacher, or a bill collector (okay, maybe only a few dreamt of this job). Many of us remember these ideals as kids because we glorified them into something they really were not. So, here’s the next question: Why the gap between what we wanted and what we have become? True enough, we didn’t have all of the information back then and our priorities have also changed… having children have a way of shifting priorities… in a good way.

Still, two kids, three ex-wives, and a receding hairline later, many feel trapped within the snarls of career dissatisfaction. Perhaps now, as adults who know better, we should take the time to examine future career paths founded by truth and reality, where perceptions and expectations no longer play on different fields. And who knows, after examining objectively, the dissatisfaction ratio can be reversed.

An objective career reflection may uncover that fighting fires or flying around in space really is not that appealing… oh the dreams of a child… so innocent, so misplaced. Here’s some optimistic rhetoric for you: No matter your adult age, searching for and attaining that dream career can be yours. Yeah, I’ve heard the same story from people over and over: it’s too late to change, I’m trapped, I can’t… blah, blah, blah.

The truth is: Change and professional success can happen… but you have to be realistic, have a positive attitude, and do the work required. The first step (yes, there’s always a first step) is to research, reflect, and reboot; in other words, focus on the prize without relying upon how others define you. Being an adult infers great responsibility with the ability to filter out misinformation and external influencers.

On a personal note, when was a young pup, I wanted to be a marine biologist. Think about it, in a child’s eye every day I would visit the beach, swim with the dolphins, and save the ocean from evil corporate overlords. Then again and springing up to date, little did I know that this job required labor be spent mostly in a laboratory without the thrill of swimming with dolphins or lounging on sandy beaches. That’s what I dreamed of as a child… I doubt any career I enter now will come close. What about you, are you setting yourself up for career dissatisfaction?

Take a few minutes to reflect on your career path, then and now by completing the following:

As a child, I wanted to be a(n): __________
Three reasons I wanted to follow this career path are:
1)
2)
3)

Now that I am older (and wiser?), reality kicked in. Truth of the matter, three things I know now about the job that I didn’t as a kid include:
1)
2)
3)

By now, you’ve probably noticed that your priorities have changed, as they often do when we age. What mattered in a career as a child suddenly doesn’t matter as much anymore. In my case, swimming with dolphins didn’t stack up to holding a stable job that offered good benefits and pay. In the same vein, aligning dreams and expectations for your career must begin with step one. In other words, put your shoes on and get ready.

Satisfaction comes from making an informed decision using facts and statistics. An educated sojourner asks the question: what are the chances of actually landing the job. If your first step leads to an unattainable goal, dissatisfaction is most likely. Additional questions to consider include what are the working conditions? What’s expected of you? What type of company or services is being sold and will that conflict with my personal ethics? What’s the average annual salary?

Think about the reality of any career objective before that feeling of being trapped surrounds you. Ultimately, only you know what’s best for yourself.

Preparing for the first step is not an easy task and is often stumbled by blocks along the road. But with a clear focus in sight, it’s time to put forth the effort required to ensure dreams and reality will live together in a harmonious manner… join me next time as we examine ONETonline.org and how this career research tool can be your guiding light to a brighter and more fulfilling career.

Presented by Brandon Hayhurst
http://www.EducationCareerServices.com
Twitter: dannyatecs

The Nutcracker: Orlando Ballet’s Magic Comes to Life

Conceived in 1816 by E.T.A. Hoffman, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” was a story not intended for children. After all, the initial resolve was to show the not-so kind side of mankind… then again, think about how life without Twitter would be. Recognizing a Divine inspiration, and after 76 years in print, Tchaikovsky produced music for a grand opening ballet performance on December 18^th, 1892. Enough of the history, let’s race to December 15, 2011 and the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre where magic came to life.

Nearly 119 years from the original performance, the Orlando Ballet exhibited a high level of dedication and skill as performers danced to an audience delighted by the wide vision and creative application of Artistic Director Robert Hill. Placing an interesting twist, this weekend’s production introduces over 130 children into the acts. Though much praise can be said of each scene and dancer, let’s keep to the highlights.

Clara was represented flawlessly by Briana Berrios, a young and talented star in her own right. As the main character guiding the storyline, Clara was not-so quietly upstaged by a remarkably talented supporting staff. Which makes me wonder who was supporting whom?

As the story began to unfold, Clara received a toy nutcracker on Christmas Eve from her Uncle Dosseimeyer, detailed to precision by Douglas Horne. In a fit of jealous rivalry, Clara’s brother broke the gift during a tussle.  From here the power of imagination and dreams morphs into an enchanted story for all to enjoy.

Sustained by oversized props blasting vibrancy and color, the stage carried attention tirelessly without distraction as a hefty crowd delivered approval by way of applause. As Act I progressed, I could not notice the lack of cadenced steps as Robert Hill constrained his ballet dancers, teasing those in attendance who were begging for action.

By the end of act II, most of the children left the stage as a beautiful snow queen, pirouetted by Rosalinda Moeller, mesmerized all with her eloquence and supporting snowflakes. As the final snowflake fell, I was sold.

As opposed to Act I, Act II was dominated by mature dance, beauty, and magnitude. No doubt the mischievousness imposed by Robert Hill was allowed release for the better part of 30 minutes, exploding passion with every twirl, move, and engagement.

For those seeking to begin (or reinforce) a new family holiday tradition, Orlando Ballet may be your best bet.

Feeling overwhelmed and ready for rest, the following shout-outs are in order:

* Robert Hill for his creative wisdom and impeccable splash of humor
* Andrea Harvey who’s animated doll scene transfixed our devotion
* The Russian Dancers, Stefan Grigore Drach, Dylan Santos, Balazs Krajczar, and Telmo Moreira, your devotion to detail raised the bar
* The Dew Drop Fairy, Katia Garza, your seamless splendor entranced my soul

Orlando is fortunate to have such a great team in our midst. Each player is amazing. Each performance delivers. Thank you Orlando Ballet, we BELIEVE in you… please don’t go.

Feeling the spirit of the holidays, I am

Danny Huffman
educationcareerservices.com
Twitter: dannyatecs

Dwight Howard, Baby Mo, and Binky Throwing

When my toddling granddaughter doesn’t get what she wants, her natural reaction (or is it a learnt behavior?) is to throw her binky to the ground and test her lungs in a manner she knows will attract attention to her satisfaction. No doubt Baby Mo will one day learn she is not at the center of the universe and her methods of attaining satisfaction will change… after all, she just turned two. But what if Baby Mo’s parents allowed, expected, and encouraged bad behavior. As an unbiased grandparent, should I fault my granddaughter or should the blame be placed upon those directly responsible for NOT teaching her right from wrong?

Thought this would be an effective transition to the core topic of the sports day: Dwight Howard’s threats and temper tantrum… then again, is this truly fair as Dwight is well beyond the chronological age of two and is a polished product of a culture known for misplacing priorities. Raising the next topic, is Dwight’s binky throwing really his fault? If not, who or what are the influencing factors?

I’ll throw out the first line… the media, fans, owners, and coaches should be receiving the finger-pointing, scrutiny, and fury. On a private note, think about what you have done to propagate bad behavior (not just in sports but in the manner and method we live) before smashing a reflection scarcely reviewed without aid of makeup, pretend, or denial. What have you done lately to promote and progress society and/or cultural advancement? I thought so.

Due to an imperfect social education buffered by fear of sudden departure, Dwight acted out in the only way he knows. Quite bluntly, WE have become his enabler. This is part of the lecture where the class gets into human nature and social conditioning but we will forego that part and go directly to the advanced chapter. Then again, being a grandparent, I know we (as in ALL of us) turn our heads or cover our eyes, defending our simplicity by blaming the consequence, not the cause.

I’ve had the pleasure to write for WONO for the past few years and watched Dwight mature into the man he is today. During this time I have taken a front row seat to witness how his growth, as a player and as a person, has become stunted and tarnished by the very people claiming to be his friends, his fans, his coaches, and his agents (go ahead and throw the media in the lot too).

This brings up the real question: Should Dwight Howard’s and Baby Mo’s binky throwing be the target of blame or are they both simply the result of misguided reinforcements? Think about it for a few minutes before denying that faint voice lurking behind your eyes. For superstars and grandbabies, the word “NO” rarely reaches their ears, mostly because culture seldom takes the chance of saying that two-letter word. It’s so much easier, don’t you think? But are we doing ourselves and the other a disservice?

For growth and an eventual championship, as a society, as parents, as fans, as media agents, and even as business owners, we all need to say no once in a while. With a message of tough love, let the binky’s fly and let progress take place in its natural course. Each time we reinforce negative behavior, a piece of our mirror cracks, ultimately shattering culture all together or, as we are bearing witness, a “Chosen One” packs up and departs to where the sun sets and ultra-cuddling defines the day.

Time has come to say no to Dwight, no to binky-throwing children, no to coaches who allow their players to control the court, and no to anyone or anything going against the principle of right. For the past seven years Orlando has acted as an enabler, cuddling athletes with bloated salaries (I’m not just talking about Dwight) and an open invitation to throw their binky or lay limp on a grocery floor without consequence.

Okay, I get what you’re thinking; laziness via acceptance and social complacency is so much easier. Besides, how can one person or single act change the world? History will tell you, one act cannot, but multiple single acts from multiple single causes can. Or for the vast majority, we can live today as we did yesterday, rationalizing and blaming the consequence until the end of time and doing nothing about the cause. In the end, each one of us can refuse to look into that mirror. I say no to numbness! Each one of us each day should seek deeply into the reflection and realize the person looking back has the power to craft without fearing the creation.

Look into the mirror; examine who you are and how your action (or inaction) enables bad behavior. Then look at Dwight and see the situation as it really is and not how we comfortably want rationalize it to be.

No doubt Dwight could have handled the business aspect of his life a bit differently but if one has never been taught, should that person be blamed and held accountable? His reaction to blaming the Orlando Magic coaches and owners to not listening to him is a symptom of being immature; really that’s about it.

For so many reasons, the way we are processing his trade request and childish knee-jerk manner of resolving conflict is taking precedence over the real issue. You guessed it, WE bottle-fed, snuggled, permitted, and exposed this to be acceptable behavior.

Dwight Howard is the consequence, not the cause.

As for my little angel Baby Mo, I have a feeling this grandfather will allow her to do anything she wants. Don’t’ worry though, to better prepare myself in this hypocritical stance, I plan on covering all mirrors.

Next time you enable anyone (Dwight included) by supporting binky throwing, think twice about the cause and the consequence… I believe you may be surprised.

See you at the game,

Danny Huffman
http://www.Education Career Services.com
twitter: dannyatecs.com