In my
last post, I talked a little bit about some of the struggle I was having in my professional life. Ok, not so much talked about it, but alluded to it. Well, just before the holidays I did some real introspection and thought about where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. I came to the conclusion that the job I had really wasn't where I was supposed to be. I went back to school for all those years, all those years ago, essentially, to do counselling. Social work was the right path for me to get there and I have no regrets going that route. When I graduated, I had a job present itself to me that was a major interest of mine, both personally and professionally. It still is. But it simply wasn't challenging enough. It was narrow when what I need is wide.There was not enough variety or change or even work. I need some scope. When it got busy, it was busy enough, but that was few and far between. The thing about it is that it's a very necessary program that I am very glad is in place. I just wasn't the guy for the job.
So now, it's moving on and moving...over. The job I found replace this one isn't really any better overall. It will just be better for me. This job will give me a wide range of counselling experience with a variety of issues. I will do groups, individual, family, couples and workshops. It will be a lot busier and challenging, but I'm ready for that. I've always seen myself as someone who would do well at a laid back job where I had some room to just do nothing for a little while a day. I had that and it's not for me. It's really not as great as people think!
So as of right now, I am waiting to start my new job. I've been lazing around the house, watching movies, reading and napping. It's nice to have a break, but I want to get going!
So that's my story. I left a job that I loved because it just wasn't right. It's the first time I've done that and even right now, it's difficult. Heart wrenching, even. Has anyone else had a similar experience in their career?
Where I Am Now
5 comments:
I didn't quite do that, but I left a job I was enjoying where I had a good team around me and moved to one which I knew was more what I wanted to be doing. It wasn't as much of a risk as it was within the same agency but it was absolutely 100% and more the right thing to do. I am so much happier doing what I wanted to do and while I was comfortable in the other job (and particularly with my colleagues who were fantastic), leaving was the best professional decision I ever made.
Good luck! and let us know how it goes :)
I think a lot of us go through that. There have been several occasions when I questioned whether I'd even gone into the wrong profession!
I left my job in 2007, after 6 years, because I was on the verge of a "nervous breakdown" due to a variety of stressors that came with the job. I do miss it because I have so much more to learn about practice. I am not practicing right now. I made the right choice.
I recently graduated with my MSW last May. This past weekend, I met up with some old classmates, all of whom seemed to be in the process of acclimating to their social work careers. There was certainly stress, with someone commenting about how we would be doing this for the next 40+ years. Another friend of mine joked about how she wanted to quit her job already. Maybe these feelings diminish as we get used to our careers, but I can see why people burn out and have to change jobs.
I believe that the job that is best for us is one that we love and look forward to going to every day. I suppose feeling that a job isn't right is life's way of telling us to keep looking until we find the right fit!
I think it's a lot to ask of a job to love it and look forward to it EVERY day. I think a job is probably the right one when we feel we are growing in it, we have some autonomy and trust (by others and ourselves) and we feel we are really making a contribution. Good coworkers help, too. :p
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