Crisis or Opportunity?

It really is true that crisis and opportunity are often closely intertwined. The current financial crisis is no different. Some of us are being (or will be) shaken out of our comfort zone by circumstances beyond our control. Here's one example from Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish:

In order to be able to afford a place to live, pay my student loans and maybe even save for my future, I took a job in finance. I fought myself the entire time. It never felt quite right.

Long story short, my company is in a bad way.

I am going to have to look for a new job now.

The writer goes on to say he's considering pursuing work he enjoys rather than work that will make him rich.

These are decisions we don't consider when times are good because it's easier to just keep going along. I should know - I spent many years in a corporate executive job that I hated because it paid well and because I didn't know what else to do.

It wasn't until a lay-off forced me out that I re-evaluated and decided to start this business - a decision that was one of the best of my life but one that I would never have made if not forced into it.

This is not to say that people won't suffer or that this financial crisis is something to cheer. Just to say that crisis and opportunity really are often one and the same. If your job is in danger, think twice before pursuing another one in the same field. Do you love what you do? Do you wake up eager to get to work?

If not, this might be your chance to rethink.

Comments

[Mark McClure]

Louise,

Interesting times we live in... if some governments effectively nationalize their own bigger banks will they (or organized groups of tax payers) start to demand a say in the remuneration structure?

So that "working in financial services" just to get the salary uptick on a comparable job (or at least skill set) elsewhere might become a career planning relic.

I suspect many unsatisfied folks still employed in that business sector will be/are doing some serious lifestyle planning over the next few months.

[Louise Fletcher]

Good point Mark. My own feeling is that if limits on compensation are enough to make you rethink your line of work, you're probably in the wrong one!

[bill]

I recall reading a comment by Robert Half to the effect that he was doing an outplacement interview with a fellow who'd been laid off as an accountant. Part of the interview was an aptitude test, at which the guy scored very low in numerical ability. Apprised, he remarked 'Maybe thats why I never liked being an accountant?'