FYI Candidates – September 2008
Are You in the Right Career?
Five Questions to Help you Decide
By Orrick Nepomuceno, CPC
Vice President, Dick Wray Executive Search
Are you searching for a new job and are not sure whether the ones to which you are applying or
considering are a match for you? Or, are you currently working for a company, but unsure of
whether your decision to take or stay in the position is the right one? If you find yourself in
either one of these situations, then this article is for you.
I am not going to tell you about self assessment testing to help you determine your career path. I
am going to talk to you about the tried-and-true approach to determining what’s best for you—
going with your gut. Below are five questions that will help you determine exactly what your gut
may be telling you about a position so you can know with reasonable certainty that you have
made or are making the right decision.
How does it make you feel?
When you wake up in the morning, are you excited to go to work? Do you look forward to what
you get to do that day and all you can accomplish? It may sound sappy, but if you’re not happy,
you’re not in the right job. If you are not happy in what you are doing, it will show. You will not
only be miserable, but it will come out in your work, your performance reviews, and toward the
customer.
How closely aligned are your beliefs with those of the organization?
I’ve said it before, but you simply cannot short-sell corporate culture. Ethics, morals, values, etc.,
are the characteristics that comprise us as individuals. Organizations should and usually do
develop a symbiosis of individuals who, while different, still share these same basic
characteristics. If you are a right wing Republican working or looking to work in a company
primarily filled with verbose Democrats, then it is easy to say this may not be a good “fit.”
Are you where you pictured yourself at this point in time?
Expectations, especially failed expectations, can place a lot of pressure on us professionally.
Simply ask yourself whether what you are doing or what you want to do is in line with what you
thought you would be doing now. If it isn’t, then take the steps through education, training, a talk
with management, or even a career change to make it happen.
Do you feel as though you are being utilized to your full potential?
Consider your training, education, skills, knowledge, background, expertise…etc. All these
comprise our eligibility or qualifications for the position we hold. How does your position utilize
your assets? If you feel you qualify for more than you are being allowed to display (while being
reasonable), then it might be time to address your situation, or walk away from a job opportunity
that may not be right for you.
When considering your position, is it a match for your personality?
I once knew a 30-year old woman who had worked in marketing for 8 years for a large company.
She loved her job, had plenty of autonomy and a boss with whom she got along well. In her
eighth year with the company, she was offered the position of manager. It sounded like a good
opportunity and she was excited. Two months into the new role, her tone had completely
changed. She didn’t like managing others…she didn’t like confrontation and she certainly didn’t
like that she was no longer part of her old circle of friends.
I think we all have this misconception that progress and elevation throughout our careers means
that at some point we have to be a member of management in order to feel as though we have
succeeded; this is simply not true. There is just as many who are not cut out for management as
those who believe they are. If you are in a position or considering one that just does not seem to
fit your personality, express your concern to your/the manager. Let him or her know you would
prefer to be in a position of less authority (or one with more authority as the case may be). Be
open and honest. You should be able to discuss this and find placement in something better
suited for you, as anything less hurts not only you, but the organization as well.
About the Author
Orrick Nepomuceno, CPC is Vice President at Dick Wray Executive Search and author of Hitchhiker In the Corner Office: Avoiding The Top-10 Potholes So Your Emloyees Don’t Hit The Road – available at Amazon.com.. With nearly 20 years of experience in the restaurant, foodservice and hopitality industries, Orrick consults executives and companies in recruiting, hiring and retaining human capital for their organizations. Visit the Restaurant And Foodservice Blog to read more of Orrick’s stories relating to the restaurant industry.