Comments on: Five situations when you shouldn't change careers http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sat, 20 Mar 2010 23:15:53 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: mr luggage http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-2/#comment-186961 mr luggage Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:51:37 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-186961 all the reasons are good all the reasons are good

]]> By: Salvatore http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-2/#comment-186251 Salvatore Sun, 24 May 2009 22:41:54 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-186251 What if you hate volleyball? Why would meditating about how to do the perfect serve bring you any happiness, and how exactly would you motivate yourself to do it? Sorry, but your job takes up about a third (if you are lucky) of the time. If you are in a career that you hate (note - career, not job - I agree with your points about changing job rather than career where that is the real problem) then you need to find a career that you can at least tolerate, or else you are a slave, not a free person. Free yourself by finding the things you care about, and then finding a job or career that you feel is making a difference to these things. I'd personally be happier cleaning the toilets in a maternity hospital rather than being a scientist (my chosen second career) working for the military (I;m not American, and this is not an anti-American military rant - I'm Irish and I wouldn't use my abilities for any military organization - I don't think having better weapons makes anybody safer or happier, they (the weapons) just end up being sold to people who use them to kill, enslave and oppress). Please excuse the convoluted grammar and nested parenthesis - last career was in IT and some habits are hard to kill... What if you hate volleyball? Why would meditating about how to do the perfect serve bring you any happiness, and how exactly would you motivate yourself to do it?

Sorry, but your job takes up about a third (if you are lucky) of the time. If you are in a career that you hate (note – career, not job – I agree with your points about changing job rather than career where that is the real problem) then you need to find a career that you can at least tolerate, or else you are a slave, not a free person.

Free yourself by finding the things you care about, and then finding a job or career that you feel is making a difference to these things. I'd personally be happier cleaning the toilets in a maternity hospital rather than being a scientist (my chosen second career) working for the military (I;m not American, and this is not an anti-American military rant – I'm Irish and I wouldn't use my abilities for any military organization – I don't think having better weapons makes anybody safer or happier, they (the weapons) just end up being sold to people who use them to kill, enslave and oppress).

Please excuse the convoluted grammar and nested parenthesis – last career was in IT and some habits are hard to kill…

]]> By: Suzie Harfnan http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-2/#comment-182803 Suzie Harfnan Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:41:47 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-182803 These are great tips but sadly, my brother in law does not understand this. He use to be an accountant and decided to switch to being an insurance underwriter (at AIG no less) thinking this might make him happier. He took a pay cut, his job is just as boring, and he hates what he does. Sadly, he ignores the rule / tip that says "it's not the career or job that makes you happy, it's the mind." To this day my brother in law is still unhappy and hates his job. He refuses to admit it's an issue with himself. Smear this post all you want but the truth will always remain unchanged. Let this be a lesson to all of you. These are great tips but sadly, my brother in law does not understand this. He use to be an accountant and decided to switch to being an insurance underwriter (at AIG no less) thinking this might make him happier. He took a pay cut, his job is just as boring, and he hates what he does. Sadly, he ignores the rule / tip that says "it's not the career or job that makes you happy, it's the mind."

To this day my brother in law is still unhappy and hates his job. He refuses to admit it's an issue with himself. Smear this post all you want but the truth will always remain unchanged. Let this be a lesson to all of you.

]]> By: Walk out on the right thing « Living and learning in multiple dimensions http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-2/#comment-175808 Walk out on the right thing « Living and learning in multiple dimensions Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:51:33 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-175808 [...] but in a bad job? Is it necessary to completely change your life, or just change your workplace? Think about why you want to leave your career. Will changing your career make the situation any better, or would it be best to change your [...] [...] but in a bad job? Is it necessary to completely change your life, or just change your workplace? Think about why you want to leave your career. Will changing your career make the situation any better, or would it be best to change your [...]

]]> By: Geoff http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-2/#comment-143522 Geoff Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:22:19 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-143522 What was the interesting thing? Oh! That. Yeah. I should have guessed. This post is good, but not good enough. What was the interesting thing? Oh! That. Yeah. I should have guessed. This post is good, but not good enough.

]]> By: Knowing When to Quit Your Job - Identifying the Point of No Return : Slow Down Fast Today! http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-106557 Knowing When to Quit Your Job - Identifying the Point of No Return : Slow Down Fast Today! Tue, 21 Aug 2007 02:59:56 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-106557 [...] But Penelope Trunk cautions that there are Five situations when you shouldn’t change careers [...] [...] But Penelope Trunk cautions that there are Five situations when you shouldn’t change careers [...]

]]> By: Corporate Engagement http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-91855 Corporate Engagement Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:34:56 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-91855 <strong>Leaving your job is not always the answer...</strong> Five situations when you shouldn’t change careers » Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk.... Leaving your job is not always the answer…

Five situations when you shouldn’t change careers » Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk….

]]> By: Peter http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-90506 Peter Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:56:39 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-90506 Are you having a laugh?? there are times when all those reasons for staying are good ones for going. Are you having a laugh?? there are times when all those reasons for staying are good ones for going.

]]> By: Know when not to change careers « Lawyer’s Right Hand http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-81109 Know when not to change careers « Lawyer’s Right Hand Sat, 02 Jun 2007 17:50:24 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-81109 [...] May 8th, 2007 at 12:18 am (Careerism, Work/Life Balance) Fed up with lawyer egos, boring baymates, and work that probably isn’t contributing anything positive to society? Considering a career change? If so, this recent post by Penelope Trunk, a/k/a the Brazen Careerist on five situations when you shouldn’t change careers. is a must-read for coming back around to reality. The situation that meant the most to me: You want more meaning in life. A job does not give life meaning. And anyway, people have been searching for the meaning of life forever. It’s a highly disputed topic, and probably too charged an issue to lay on your career. [...] [...] May 8th, 2007 at 12:18 am (Careerism, Work/Life Balance) Fed up with lawyer egos, boring baymates, and work that probably isn't contributing anything positive to society? Considering a career change? If so, this recent post by Penelope Trunk, a/k/a the Brazen Careerist on five situations when you shouldn't change careers. is a must-read for coming back around to reality. The situation that meant the most to me: You want more meaning in life. A job does not give life meaning. And anyway, people have been searching for the meaning of life forever. It’s a highly disputed topic, and probably too charged an issue to lay on your career. [...]

]]> By: Working on Career Change http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-77009 Working on Career Change Sun, 27 May 2007 03:32:36 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-77009 I would agree with the first 3 and disagree with the last 2. I doubt John Wood, author of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World and founder of Room to Read, ever regrets his decision to change careers in favor of a career and life mission that had more meaning. Secondly, if you dislike your job and wish you were doing something different, you will probably be unhappy. Meditation may make you less unhappy, but I disagree that it can make you truly happy. It's hard for people to find the courage to change their careers. And there are certainly careers that provide more or less satisfaction in terms of the impact on other people's lives. In your other post on this topic, you state, "Work does not need to give your life a grand purpose in order to be a good experience." That's true. You don't HAVE to find a job that you believe has some lasting impact on society. But if someone DOES want a more meaningful career, then that is a very valid reason to consider a career change. I met someone who left a job as a used car salesman to enter the clergy. His wife said he was very glad to have made the change. Good thing he didn't read this column. I would agree with the first 3 and disagree with the last 2. I doubt John Wood, author of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World and founder of Room to Read, ever regrets his decision to change careers in favor of a career and life mission that had more meaning.

Secondly, if you dislike your job and wish you were doing something different, you will probably be unhappy. Meditation may make you less unhappy, but I disagree that it can make you truly happy.

It's hard for people to find the courage to change their careers. And there are certainly careers that provide more or less satisfaction in terms of the impact on other people's lives.

In your other post on this topic, you state, "Work does not need to give your life a grand purpose in order to be a good experience." That's true. You don't HAVE to find a job that you believe has some lasting impact on society. But if someone DOES want a more meaningful career, then that is a very valid reason to consider a career change. I met someone who left a job as a used car salesman to enter the clergy. His wife said he was very glad to have made the change. Good thing he didn't read this column.

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