Career Confusion: Why Does It Happen?

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Career confusion is not a rare case in the workplace. This has become a dilemma in recent years and there are a lot of factors that add up to it. In parallel, the economic climate of the Philippines made job searching more competitive. Job opportunities in the country are limited, to begin with, so some have no choice but to make do with their situation. 

This tangle has underlying causes which can then possibly lead to a further concern. On that note, let us discuss what prompts this crisis among employees below:

Uncertainty

Not everyone has it all planned out since the beginning. You can say that we are hounded by doubts whenever we enter a new field or phase in our careers, and this might be one of the roots of confusion. 

Another thing about uncertainty is the limited number of opportunities in the Philippines. The crisis within one’s self is one thing, but if you add more to the mix, it gets more complicated. But, remember that this situation is a two-way street. You don’t have to criticize yourself, because some things are out of your reach, and that’s okay.

Lack of information

Picking up from the last point, it’s hard to proceed to a path if we don’t have enough assurance. And most times, we can’t solely blame ourselves for being in an uncalculated position, because we may be lacking information. 

On that note, whenever you have the time, there are a lot of resources that give you enough knowledge to help you navigate a better path toward your ideal future. Moreover, self-reflection helps. Take some time off and gather yourself, before making any decisions to better your chances of settling for the right option.

Job availability

An equal work opportunity is hard to come by these days. Everyone may have different encounters with jobs, and that’s why you should take your own pace accordingly. 

Although there might be job listings that you can apply to, not every one of them is an exact fit, per se. Let’s say that you get hired, but you aren’t able to tick all your boxed. When that happens, there is a job skills mismatch.

When an employee is unfit for a position, job skills mismatch happens; there is either an over- or under-qualification. To illustrate, a person might incorrectly execute their job if unqualified. 

Fortunately, this is not a dead end; there’s always a way around this pickle. Job seekers should follow these tips to avoid career confusion and, potentially, prevent a job skills mismatch as well:

Define your interests

We’re all passionate about certain things where our interests come from. Most people keep track of their interests up to their professional careers and pursue them further. Once you have listed them down, you have something that you can consult when you feel disoriented. 

Work on your skills

Learning never stops. You need not limit yourself to what you’ve learned and keep acquiring knowledge to promote growth. The industry changes, so you should adapt to everything. Continuously hone your skills to benefit in your consequent career.

 Much like keeping track of your skills, it is not enough that you only know them. You should improve yourself as much as you can.

Career path change

If you don’t like where you’re at presently, then you can entertain the idea of changing paths.  This is not an isolated idea, especially for an employee struggling to find their footing. 

The number of segues that you take does not matter, as long as you’re still on the way to your goal. Remember that we have different journeys, and comparing yourself with others will not serve you right.

Identify your preferred specialization

In school, we take majors or electives necessary for our careers. We do as we see fit because we see ourselves working in such fields in the future. A specialization usually aligns with our skills, so that we can excel.  Once you are confident with your skills after some contemplation, get ready to explore specializations to minimize career confusion.

LAHAT Jobs’ Job by specialization feature

LAHAT Jobs has a job-by-specialization feature. It allows users to particularize their choices. To utilize it, follow these:

1. Visit the LAHAT Jobs website. Hover to “Jobs Info,” then click “Jobs by specialization.”
career confusion article job specialization screencap
2. You will get taken to the “Job by Specialization” page. Choose a main category, and subcategories will get displayed on the side.
career confusion article category tab screencap

More specific search results will appear after. 

Career confusion is not relieved overnight. In hindsight, job search engines exist and are everywhere; they help lessen these occurrences. Moreover, they are systematic and easy to navigate for easier job searching.

Start finding the right job opportunities in the Philippines. Check the LAHAT Jobs website today or download the app for any time of use. You may sign up and register your resume to receive updates regularly.

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