How to Find Your Career Calling

How to Find Your Career CallingHow to Find Your Career CallingThere are some people who wake up on Monday mornings excited to start the week because they cant wait to go to work. They love their jobs, they love their careers, they love their life. They have found their career calling.And then theres the 15 percent of people who detest their jobs, feel that their careers are going nowhere, and hate their life.For that 15 percent, or anyone in between, this article is for you.Not all of us are born knowing exactly what we want to do with our lives. Sometimes, there are many attempts made at finding the perfect career, only to realize that the job we thought would get us there is really a path to Nowheresville. But heres the thing even if youre in a job that you loathe, there are ways to determine how to find your career calling.Weve culled some of the top tips from the Fast Company article, How to Find Your Calling When Youre Stuck in a Job You Hate. Heres how to get started1. Be obser vant.You hate every aspect of your job. Everything. While some people might say thats a bad thing, thats actually a very, very good thing. Why? Well, sometimes knowing what you hate can help you figure out what you love. For example, if sitting in a cubicle makes you crazy, you might be better suited towards a job where youre more mobile or even a telecommuting job, which will give you some more freedom. If youre a neatnik and everyone else around you is a slob, you should focus your efforts on a job where your skills will be needed.So take the time to make a list of everything that irritates you about your position and then determine what the opposite of that would be. Chances are, if you take all of those opposites, youve already started narrowing down your focus towards a career that you really want.Hate cubicle life? Ditch those four walls. Browse our list of telecommuting, part-time and flexible jobs in over 50 categoriesand find a new, flexible, job today.2. Reassess your outs ide interests.Maybe you love building model airplanes but youve been told time and time again (by your partner, your parents, your friends) that its just a hobby, not a career. Dont listen to them. In todays world of work-life integration, you no longer have to wait until 500 (or whenever your shift ends) in order to really start doing what you love and enjoying your life. Do some digging online to ascertain if you can turn your interests into a job. And keep this in mind you dont have to make a ton of money in order to be successful. Many workers today support themselves by having a mischung of flexible jobs that satisfy their interests- and theyre much happier for it.3. Reach out. If you thought informational interviews were simply another step in the job search process, think again. Many savvy workers use informational interviews as a way to temporarily dip their toes into a career without making a full commitment. They get to see if what they think theyd like to do actually matc hes with the reality of the career field and potential job they would be qualified for. So if youre interested in a potential career (or four), make a connection with some companies that represent those interests and set up some interviews. Its a great way to decide whats right for you- and whats not.4. Define your vision of success. For some people, having a big house, a few cars in the driveway, and a chocolate lab are the epitome of success. For others, being able to travel the world would make them happy. You need to have a good long talk with yourself about what success means to you. After all, success isnt always found in just one job, nor does it mean youre unsuccessful if it takes you a few attempts to find your career calling. But make sure youre successful based on how you define it.Its not always easy to find your career calling, but it is always possible and it is always worth it Keep trying, and eventually you will land a job that meets all of your criteria for success and happiness. Believe us its right around the corner.Readers, how have you tried to find your career calling? Let us know in the comments