Yorkshire has been hit by a deluge of the white stuff bringing our major cities to a grinding halt and leaving people stranded. I noticed across the Social Media sites that many people were delighted that they could declare a snow day and work from home or not work at all. The same delight was declared when we were informed of the additional Bank Holiday next year. It made me wonder how many people hate their jobs or their chosen career.

How does one choose a career? After all the dictionary definition is a chosen pursuit or occupation. How many of us actually chose to go down the route we were in? Many of us left university, took a position and worked our way through the hierarchy or tried a few jobs until we found one that felt like a fit. There are a few people who have followed a true vocation but most of us drift in to a sector and stay there. I have a client who works in Insurance, he is looking to move out of the sector, he certainly never dreamt as a child that he would spend his days discussing renewals. What did he dream of? Perhaps being a footballer or an entertainer. Someone at some point in his life told him these things were not possible. Insurance pays the mortgage but doesn’t inspire him.

When people are faced with redundancy, they often tell me they want to do something that matters, give something back. This is not always realistic when it comes down to working out the finances. It does show that many of us get taken along on the career path without identifying why it either works or does not work for us. Redundancy can be a time to change direction however ensure you have a strategy. What are the financial implications of retraining, starting a business or developing a portfolio career?

It’s never too late to try something new and most of us can expect to have two or three distinct careers during our working life. Set a realistic objective and implement a strategy and goals around it. This way you are more likely to achieve the goal. Don’t wait for the New Year to make the resolution take steps now to get the career you deserve.