Why Do I Always Pick the Wrong Job?

If you feel that you’re in the wrong job, you are not the only one thinking that. Truth is that even people in the right job can sometimes wonder if they made the wrong choice. It’s human nature to question the choices we make in life.

But if you find yourself going from job to job and always feeling like a stranger in a strange land, it’s worth looking deeper. Sometimes it’s about how you choose your jobs. But job happiness can also be about things we do within a job — any job.

How do you recognize wrong jobs

That’s actually a tougher question to answer than it may at first seem. As I mentioned, sometimes there are things we do — habits, attitudes, expectations — that can make any job feel wrong. After all, the one thing every job we have has in common is us. And I’ll get to that possibility later.

But there is often the very real possibility that we actually chose the wrong job. And it’s not all that uncommon to keep making that same mistake — especially if we don’t have a solid picture of the right job for us.

Clues that job is wrong for you

• You have absolutely no interest in the company, its mission, or the work you are doing.
• The company culture (how people are treated, type of humor, safety, aggressiveness, values, intensity, expectations, etc.) feels very uncomfortable to you.
• You are an introvert and yet the job often requires you to be social — and you hate it. Or you love working with people, but the job sticks you in a corner with no social interaction.
• The job deals with tiny details and that makes you crazy. And bores the heck out of you. Each and every day.
• You never get to use your real skills and are always being judged on skills you don’t have / don’t want to have.
• You’re stuck inside all the time, but prefer outdoor work or at least something not in a hermetically-sealed office.
• The pay is so poor you find yourself getting deeper and deeper into debt, without any hope of getting a raise or promotion.
• Any and all the negatives above (and whatever you can add) are not balanced enough by other factors such as pay, pleasant working environment, convenient location, good boss, nice coworkers, chance to get ahead eventually, etc.

If you find yourself constantly working in jobs that feel wrong — or you just plain hate — maybe it’s time to look at the bigger picture.

How do I find the right job?

While this article can’t cover the vast topic of job search effectively, there are a few good starting points. Finding the right job and career may take time, but it’s well worth it in the long run:

• Take time to figure out who you are. What you like. Your skills. Bigger goals. Your dreams. This is not the time to limit options. You’re simply opening yourself up to a new picture that may stop you from making the same old mistakes.
• If you need help, look for a career coach and / or assessment tests that help you learn more about yourself.
• Read about things online and see what interests you most. Is there something you always wished you could do?
• Try things. Classes you might enjoy to test the waters. Part-time jobs or volunteer work to do the same.
• Get yourself into social media to connect to others with similar interests. Or clubs / associations you can join. Networking is great for finding jobs later on, but also helps you learn about a whole new world of work you never imagined.
• Explore through reading or any other way you can. You may not even know about all kinds of jobs out there that could be right for you. Clearly you already know how to find jobs that aren’t!

Interviews are for you too!

People often feel so desperate to find that next job, they forget an interview is not just about selling themselves. Many job candidates twist themselves around to fit into what they hope the interviewer wants. But they forget that they need to make sure the job is right for them too.

Once you know who you are and better understand the type of job that’s right for you, it will be easier to find jobs that fit better. Even when you initially look at ads or network for jobs, you’ll start to recognize things that match you and your skills more closely. [Remember to research the company too.]

Maybe make a list of things that you’ve learned are absolutely wrong for you. Get familiar with what doesn’t work. And then, when you interview, keep your antenna up for clues about the office environment, company culture, and even what the job requires on a daily basis.

Now, I’m not suggesting you grill the interviewer. You still want to be likeable and connect to their needs. And help them see how well you fit their job. But you’ll also be able to listen differently now.

And when it’s time for your to ask your questions, still do your best to show sincere interest in / excitement about the job. But also do your best to get a picture of what it would really be like for you to work there. {Apart from any online and networking research you did in advance.]

⇒  EXTRA:  I Can’t Stop Feeling Like a Failure

 

Can you make a “wrong job” better?

I’m glad you asked. Sometimes jobs that feel wrong can be made better. This blog is dedicated to that. While there are indeed jobs that will never work, many times there are ways to improve both the job and how we feel about it.

It may be hard at first to find out how much you might be contributing to the situation. And, of course change doesn’t happen overnight. But the good news is that knowledge — especially self-knowledge — can give you the amazing power to change things for yourself. Now and into the future!

Some articles to help

Real Problem (Maybe) If Your Job Feels Wrong

How Changing Your Attitude Can Change Your Job!

How To Change Your Job Without Quitting

 

Boss Won’t Let Me Transfer To a Different Department

How To Deal With a Bully Boss

Workplace Culture: Putting a New Perspective To Work

 

What To Do If Your Job Makes You Miserable

Do You Feel You’re Not Appreciated at Work?

My Boss Doesn’t Respect Me No Matter What I Do

 

When Emotions Take Over In the Workplace

5 Questions To Ask Yourself If You Hate Your Job

Reasons You’re Thinking of Leaving Your Job

 

And just in case you do need to leave

⇒   How To Quit a Job (Without Hurting Yourself)