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 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:30:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Overcast http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-264258 Overcast Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:52:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-264258 The question I read somewhere that keeps forefront in my mind was this: Do you want a job or a career? Going into a grind day after day that feels like nothing more than being on a classy production line is fine, if you just want a job. But if you seek a career, sometimes you need to make a stand and take a risk with improving the career and realize that once if becomes just a 'job' - there may be more to offer out there. Meditating is not going to change the fact that my job now - isn't what I went to school for, it's administrative overhead, red tape, and more red tape. I think it's time for me to get back on path with my career and not just rot in this job. The question I read somewhere that keeps forefront in my mind was this: Do you want a job or a career?

Going into a grind day after day that feels like nothing more than being on a classy production line is fine, if you just want a job. But if you seek a career, sometimes you need to make a stand and take a risk with improving the career and realize that once if becomes just a 'job' – there may be more to offer out there.

Meditating is not going to change the fact that my job now – isn't what I went to school for, it's administrative overhead, red tape, and more red tape. I think it's time for me to get back on path with my career and not just rot in this job.

]]> By: nima http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-1/#comment-228550 nima Thu, 03 Jun 2010 03:09:31 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/#comment-228550 Exactly what my situation is! Don't even know why I hate it so much. The money is great and frankly there are so many worse jobs than software engineering. Exactly what my situation is! Don't even know why I hate it so much. The money is great and frankly there are so many worse jobs than software engineering.

]]> By: mr luggage http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/07/five-reasons-not-to-change-careers/comment-page-1/#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-1/#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-1/#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-1/#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-1/#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.

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