Who’s responsible for your career?
It’s safe to say many people aren’t happy with their careers right now. Who is responsible for that? And who can change how they feel about their careers in the future?
According to the OECD, the average American spends almost 1800 hours per year at work. Many professionals work way more than that. Here’s an extreme example.
In 2021, a group of junior bankers at Goldman Sachs conducted an informal survey about what work was like for them. The results made their way to Twitter. The junior bankers reported working 95 hours per week on average. Most of them reported being victims of workplace abuse and suffering declining mental health. (Since that time, Goldman has reported improving working conditions, and reported 236,000 applicants for internships in 2022.)
So, who is responsible?
Goldman is responsible for its working conditions. I believe no company should ask its employees to work consistently in conditions like the ones the junior bankers reported.
But ultimately, it’s up to us how we spend our careers both in the short and long-term.
It’s well known that investment banking is lucrative. It’s also well known that junior bankers work crazy hours. These junior bankers likely understood how tough it would be before they started. And then, they experienced it for real. Now, their future career choices are up to them.
I bet your working conditions are much better than this.
But I talk to people often who aren’t happy with their jobs and careers.
They crave something different. The specifics are different depending on the person.
Do any of these examples describe you?
Working too many hours while missing out on other parts of life
Wanting more fulfilling job responsibilities
Desiring career advancement or to take on a bigger scope
Wanting to make more money
Craving drastic career change
Disliking how you’re treated by mangers or peers
The list could go on.
Employee engagement surveys show that there are large numbers of workers who are missing something in their jobs and careers. Only around a third of workers are “Actively Engaged” according to Gallup, while almost a fifth are “Actively Disengaged”.
Yet most workers choose to “shelter in place” rather than make a career change.
If you choose not to take action, you’re deciding to keep your career conditions the same.
Your current career situation results from the decisions you’ve made, and your future career situation will as well.
At your core, you know what you really need and want, and it’s in your control to get it.
Trust yourself. Confront the thoughts and behaviors that are holding you back. Decide and take action to achieve a career that is fulfilling for you.
If you’re going to spend 1800, 2500, or more hours at work each year, make the best of it!
I’m passionate about helping people navigate career choices so they find work that is engaging, meaningful, and fulfilling for them. I serve as a thought partner, advise and guide clients based on my background in Organizational Psychology and 20+ years of experience as a talent management leader, and help clients overcome mindset issues that are holding them back.