CareerTalk
FEBRUARY 2006 - Career by Default - 'fall-back' blues!
It seems reasonable enough - you don't know what to do with your life so, instead of doing nothing at all, why not be productive? Get something you
can 'fall back' on while you figure it out ... and, if it never happens, at
least you can pay the bills. Who knows, you might enjoy it? Or not.
If it feels like 'settling'(for 2nd best or worse) - that's because it is.
Hedging your bets at the track is one thing - marrying a 'back-up' spouse
(in case the 'right one doesn't come through) is something else. So too is
opting for an easy career 'out'.
The problem with 'fall-back' plans is that they tend to be what others think
you should do. Traditional, well-defined paths with benefits and security
(think teaching or accounting) - the temptation is to just 'sign on' for
the post-secondary education and hope for the best.
The fear, of course, is that when you're done, you'll be locked in a career
you hate. How to move forward without getting stuck in a 'fall-back'
position? It's all about mind-set and taking charge of your career.
When Chris finally graduated in education (at age 27), his fiancée was
ecstatic. He'd capitulated - renounced his care-free youth (comedy festivals
& travel), for something 'practical'.
He was glad it was over ... but unprepared for life as a 'teacher-on-call'.
By Christmas it was clear that Chris's quiet sense of humor was no
substitute for classroom management skills. He wasn't cutting it ... and
every day was miserable.
Colleagues were supportive (1st year is the hardest) ... but Chris was
having serious doubts. He'd opted for approval and lifestyle (Monday to
Friday, 2 months holiday, security) ... but he hadn't counted on having to
change who he was. He was starting to panic - what if it didn't get better
soon?
Chris had gone into teaching with no career inquiries or self-knowledge -
no real 'dream' to focus on. He'd just scraped through - cutting classes to
work at campus radio. It was clear, from our first session, that he'd never
really committed to teaching. Time to return to the career exploration step
he'd skipped.
Chris needed to take a break from teaching and put some time into clarifying
his natural interests and preferences. He also needed to get his fiancée on
side for this detour. Could he salvage his degree and transition into
something wonderful? What else could he do?
Our initial assessments validated Chris's strong artistic and
entrepreneurial bent and underscored his appetite for adventure. He'd loved
his courses on educational psychology and media literacy and, (he confessed)
he watched "way too much TV".
Addicted to documentaries and TV news, Chris was an avid fan (&
discriminating viewer) of public television, CBC ... and of course, the
Comedy Channel. His tastes were eclectic (history, cooking, psychology) - he
was a natural 'life-long' learner. But would anyone pay him to watch TV? We
decided to find out.
The Results
Our first step was a targeted plan to research the entire television
industry (public, private & educational networks). How were they different
and what career and intern opportunities did they offer? What did people do
in these fields and how did they break-in?
Chris dived in - combing the web, following phone leads and scouting the
local TV scene. A favorite professor opened doors at 'The Learning Network'
where he met a lively community of professional educators and independent
film makers. He sat in on a committee reviewing new children's programming
proposals ... and found he could contribute. It was an encouraging sign.
A career in television - it had been staring him in the face. An exciting, but still vague idea - Chris wants to take it slow. He knows he'll eventually need a foundation in TV production but ... can he get a job or an
internship now - get his feet wet first?
As we revamped his résumé, the elements began to gel. A wide-ranging
curiosity and passion for learning, a transferable body of knowledge
(learning theory & educational psychology), and an attraction to 'all things
TV' - Chris is looking good on paper. His experience with campus radio
production is icing on the cake.
He's applying for internships and jobs in programming and has volunteered as
a weekend assistant. Meanwhile, he's approaching his teacher-on-call
position with a new twist - using TV to motivate students. He's more relaxed
and confident ... and the wedding is on for May.
Choosing a 'fall-back' position is rarely a formula for a satisfying career.
Chris recognized his dilemma early and had the courage to pull back and
reexamine his path - but it's never too late to change course. When you're
in charge of your career, the only 'fall-backs' you'll ever need are your
own authentic talents and skills.
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