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By Dawn Papandrea
From an outside observer, it would seem Cameron Herald had
it made. As the vice president of corporate development in a
rapidly expanding 900-employee Internet company based in
Seattle, WA, he was well paid, had great stock options, and
worked in what he calls an "overall fun environment." Of
course, that was before he collapsed in an elevator,
sobbing.
"Somebody in an elevator asked me how I was one day," says
the 34-year-old Vancouver, Canadian resident. "I said OK,
and then collapsed. That's when I realized that the stress
of what I was doing was way too much."
For one thing, Cameron had to leave his pregnant wife in
Canada all week to work at the company's Seattle
headquarters, only seeing her on weekends when he drove
home. And then there was the corporate backstabbing, long
hours, and mind games.
"The pace was that we were hiring three new employees a day.
And the two founders of the company were fighting with each
other, trying to buy the other one out. I felt like a pawn
in their chess game," says Cameron. His 12-hour workdays
began at 6:30 a.m., and he'd end them with dinner and a
night out on the town. "I'd finish my day with a Manhattan
and get up and do it all over again."
Cameron's breakdown made him realize that his paycheck would
never be enough to counter the constant stress and strain
that his job played on his health and personal life. "I
decided to quit, and literally changed everything about my
life."
Ever feel like Cameron? Perhaps you're not in the
high-pressure situation he was in, but whether it's a
nightmare boss, a stagnant position in a dead-end company,
or an unfulfilled career dream, it may be time for you to
stop complaining and do something.
For Cameron, that meant networking with some old friends and
eventually becoming the vice president of operations for
1800GotJunk, a junk removal company that serves North
America. The best part? It's located only nine minutes from
his Vancouver home. Although the pace is just as quick as
his old job - the company generates $65 million in sales -
Cameron says the different mentality and teamwork culture
makes all the difference.
"I just went for a run an hour ago. I have a waterfall at my
desk. It's a casual, comfortable environment," he says. In
fact, the company was just recently ranked the best company
to work for in British Columbia.
His advice? "Take a look and find the companies that are
well-respected in the industry. See which ones are ranked as
good employers." Of course, he says, you must also expect
some roadblocks along the way. "Maybe you'll have to get a
part time job on weekends at Starbucks to pay the rent. Or
maybe you'll have to use an execTech Schoolve recruiter to help me
find a new position." Nonetheless, he adds, "every single
obstacle can be beaten."
So agrees Andrea Kay, career consultant, speaker, and author
of several books including "Greener Pastures: How to Find a
Job in Another Place" (St. Martin's Press, 1999). "To even
think you won't have roadblocks is unrealistic, so number
one - accept them," she says.
Once you've done that, take time out to reflect, she adds.
"Don't rush to develop a new resume. That's the mistake
almost everyone makes. Instead, reflect on what isn't
working, what's not right about where you are, what are your
greatest strengths are, and what you love to do," says Kay.
That technique worked for Stephanie Jo Klein, owner of Klein
Creative Communications, a promotional gift bag creation
business based in New York City. Prior to her
entrepreneurial endeavor, Stephanie was a freelance writer
and fact-checker for numerous publications. "When I found
myself writing for Fortune Small Business, writing profiles
and tales from the trenches of small business owners, I
found myself completely captivated by their stories," she
says. "I realized I wanted to be like them."
Through her volunteer work with the Newswomen's Club of New
York - she was the club's membership vice president in 2003
- she created gift bags for the club's annual Front Page
Awards gala. They were so well received by the journalists
in attendance that she decided to start her own business in
early 2004. "If you're trying to figure out where you want
to go, volunteering is a good thing to do," she affirms.
Although the talent and drive was there, the hardest part
for the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) graduate was
realizing that a career change was not something of which
she should be ashamed. "It took me six years to figure out
that just because I want to do something that I didn't
study, doesn't mean I failed."
Once she accepted the change Stephanie registered at New
York University's School of Continuing and Professional
Studies, in its meeting, conference, and event management
certificate program (see some study options on the right).
"I got the course guide and I couldn't decide what I wanted
to take next," she says. "Just meeting the people and the
speakers was a great networking experience."
Kay agrees about the power of networking. "The best way to
find a new job is to hold meaningful conversations with
people," she advises. "Talk about your career with people
who can guide you and refer you."
Ultimately, it's up to you to find a job in which you can be
happy. "When you notice yourself not feeling challenges, not
feeling energized, and watching the clock, start taking
note," says Kay. Once your motivation to move on outweighs
your fear, she says, you're ready to make the leap.
"It's a lot easier to quit than you think," adds Cameron.
"Life is way too short to wake up in the morning and hate
what you do."
You're not alone.
Fifty-nine percent of college-educated professionals in New
York City say they expect to have three or more different
careers over their lifetimes.
Source: Research by New York University's School of
Continuing and Professional Studies
Career Change Tips
Review your skills and understand how they can be applied in a
different environment.
Explore your options, set goals, and make plans to
develop yourself to fit your new career path.
Acquire new skills by returning to school and/or
volunteering
Do something you enjoy.
Source: Tony Lee, editor-in-chief of CareerJournal.com
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© 2006
Classes USA, Inc. All rights reserved. |
|
Occupational Employment Projections (2002-2012) |
|
Career Fields |
2002
|
2012
|
Change
|
|
|
Business
|
5,445,000
|
6,606,000
|
21.3%
|
Find
a Business Program
|
|
Criminal Justice |
3,116,000
|
3,885,000
|
24.7%
|
Find
Criminal Justice Programs |
|
Education/Teaching
|
8,530,000
|
10,639,000
|
24.7%
|
Find
Education Programs
|
|
Engineering |
1,478,000
|
1,587,000
|
7.4% |
Find
Engineering Programs
|
|
Graphic Design |
212,000
|
258,000
|
21.7%
|
Find
Graphic Design Programs
|
|
Healthcare
|
3,310,000
|
4,452,000
|
34.5%
|
Find
Healthcare Programs
|
|
Human Services |
2,190,000
|
2,764,000
|
26.2%
|
Find Human
Services Programs |
|
Legal/Paralegal
|
1,168,000
|
1,357,000
|
16.2%
|
Find
Legal/Paralegal Programs |
|
Nursing
|
2,284,000
|
2,908,000
|
27.3%
|
Find
Nursing Programs
|
|
Technology
|
2,911,000
|
3,954,000
|
35.8%
|
Find Technology Programs
|
Source:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Imagine loving
your job. Imagine the prestige of being
among the best at what you do. You can
change your life today by deciding to launch
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Starting
Annual Salaries for Ten of
PrincetonReview.com's Most-Viewed Majors*
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|
Major |
Salary |
|
Electrical
Engineering |
$51,372 |
|
Accounting degrees |
$41,110
|
|
Economics/Financial |
$40,906
|
|
Business
Administration/Management |
$38,188
|
|
Marketing |
$35,321
|
|
Political Science |
$32,999
|
|
English |
$31,169
|
|
Biology |
$29,750
|
|
Psychology
|
$27,791
|
|
Journalism |
$27,646
|
*NACE Summer 2004 Salary
Survey
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Content Information Articles
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