Stick to Your Path

There are many things that a smart person with a little drive and ambition can accomplish.  The question starts to become, should I do this or that?  Some jobs are actually above our skill sets, and some are so far below that they are a waste of our time.

Yes, we can all probably be a greeter at a big box store. Yet if we take a job with no challenge, we end up bored, complacent, and either quitting or being let go. If we feel we should be the manager or supervisor, and we have never built the needed skillset within ourselves, we will drown in our own lack of knowledge and end up being fired for lack of ability.

When looking for a job, be open and adaptable.  Know that you may have to take a position with skills you usually do not use.  Also, know if you stray too far from your actual ability and work experience, you may actually do yourself more harm than good.

How do you avoid the pitfalls of gaining the wrong job?  Study the situation and what the employer wants.  Use a pro and con chart to figure out if the work is right for you.  Also, look at the tasks involved with the position, especially the soft skills that the posting can often overlook.

If the job you need is not available exactly when you need it, taking a lower position to keep bills paid and bread on the table is understandable.  Just remember that it is a short step to your new placement and not an end within itself.   Never give up looking for your correct position on your path of life.

Thank you for being with me today.  I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. View all posts by Mike Balof