Career dilemmas: What do I really want to be when I grow up?

You finished university. You got yourself a good job. All in all, the last year has been a great learning experience. In theory, life should be sweet. In reality? You might be facing one of your biggest career dilemmas to date, questioning your current role, wondering if it’s what you really want to do with your life ...

Don’t worry. We’ve all been there.

So, how can you deal with this all too common – and incredibly uncomfortable – situation? Ghilaine Chan, business mentor and networking extraordinaire, shares some pandabulous tips.

You are now out in the big wide world, you did all the right classes so that you would get a good job. Your parents want to ensure you have financial security, your teachers want you to have the right qualifications and you and your friends want to have the right job title.

You are now doing a job that fits some or, if you are lucky, all of the above, but you are not sure it is for you. Do you know if you are even very good at it? Do you want to be good at it? The world has opened up, now you are in it, you have more information about what it all means and what the opportunities are. People didn't tell you all this stuff before.

Facing one of your biggest career dilemmas

Even if you are doing a job you love, where will you go from here when you have mastered it or want to take on new challenges? Whilst you are doing your thing, do you really know what it takes for the person over there to do their thing? Have you asked them? They have a great sounding job title, they look like they have a good time, but do you know what they have to do to be there and enjoy it or on the other hand, what pressures they are under and what they have to deliver?

How about you ask them? Have you ever thought of meeting people just to find out what they do, how they got there, what skills they have? No? Well then here is your chance. To find out what you want to be when you grow up, it may be useful to know what your options are and what is possible.

In my view, you can be whatever you want, carve your own path and build what you want, doing what you love. Whilst these thoughts are now gaining more traction (think: startups, freelance consultants), many may still see these types of ideas as being unrealistic or too risky, so finding out what is already there, may be a better option.

Taking the first step 

The first step would be to buy a coffee for someone that you know, you think is friendly and you like the look of what they do. Ask them what they do, why they do it and what they feel are the skills they need to be able to do it well. Don't forget to ask about what they don't like and what is hard. People who do jobs they love will be full of enthusiasm about it and it is contagious, so consider what they say and put your own perspective over it.

At the end of that conversation, see if they would recommend anyone else in their area that would be a good person to talk to and ask them to introduce you.

Repeat the above.

The benefits to this are many: you find out about new jobs, industries, perspectives and outlooks. You find out that the grass isn't always greener and may take a look at your current situation and appreciate it. You may find that the skills you thought you needed don't fit with their idea of their role. This allows you make a list of what sounds good and what doesn't. Whilst you are doing all of this, you are building a network for yourself in an industry you want to join. You may find a mentor, volunteering opportunities or the chance of a new role.

All it starts with is a cup of coffee with someone you already know. Easy!

Find out more about our guest blogger Ghilaine Chan

Ghilaine is passionate about allowing people to do their best work and delight others

Ghilaine helps people to operate fast growing businesses in a productive and streamlined way, keeping an eye on time and money, whilst increasing motivation and improving customer relationships in a fast paced, changing environment. She brings order to chaos and creates scalable processes around the business, empowering them to delight their customers.

She works with tech based or enabled companies who are looking to disrupt their industries, but know that people are at the centre of their success and helping them manage their teams to: 

• Do their best work and delighting others
• Create some boundaries, but not cages
• Know they are acting for a purpose
• Determine which part they play, that what they receive enables them and what they produce is useful
• Have autonomy over how and when they produce

She has over 15 years' experience in scaling international business functions for technology companies, within their support and consultancy organisations.

Ghilaine is a graduate of London College of Fashion (now part of University of the Arts: London) with a degree in Product Development. She is a Mentor with Microsoft Ventures, UpRising and Outbox Incubator as well as an Approved Business Coach with Growth Accelerator, now part of Business Growth Services. 

Want to know more? Connect with Ghilaine on LinkedIn, follow her on Twitter and visit her website, Ghilaine & Co.