In an ideal world we all would know the job we love, find the job we love and do the job we love until early retirement bliss without killing said love in the process. Not unheard of but also not reality for the majority of those in the workforce. Assuming you don’t find yourself in that perfect situation, my suggestion would be to find the right situation and take it upon yourself to own your own path to success and happiness.
A series of events drove me to Montana from the east coast for college. I made that decision based off my love of fishing and the outdoors, eschewing less ideal college choices that would have been based off athletic opportunities. That would have been the choice I made had more ideal opportunities not dried up due to injury. Best decision of my life. I made another impulsive decision and studied Anthropology and doubled down and got a Masters in Anthropology with an emphasis in Forensic Anthropology (because there is a ton of demand for them
). Finished grad school in my mid twenties, I did some archaeological work for a Cultural Resource Management firm and decided I needed to make a more pragmatic decision and find a job that would that allow me to pay off student loan debt, provide benefits and save for my future.
The field I chose was not anywhere in my wheelhouse practically speaking. It was corporate and significantly different than the career path I expected to take. It was in the analytical job family though and allowed me to do what I really enjoyed in work; solving problems. I love challenges, “how can we get this done” is music to my ears. Using data in an applied manner to find a solution is what I enjoy doing. I found out early that I don’t even care what the problem is for the most part. In essence, I discovered the type of work I liked to do and put an emphasis on that over finding work in the field I loved. That decision impacted my life in a very positive way. A handful of years into my tenure I took on a new set of solutions to solve for - people. Managing is not for everyone but I find figuring out ways to develop and engage different types of personalities as interesting as most other types of issues I have been asked to work on in my career. Building high performing teams and developing talent successfully, requires a lot energy and can be frustrating at times. It’s also really rewarding when it all comes together though. It’s not for everyone but I really enjoy it.
IMO, engagement is the key to success in whatever career path you take. Even if it’s not your preferred field. Do everything in your power to stay engaged, and the best way to stay engaged is to find the type of work you enjoy. Even if it’s not in your preferred field. Find a role where you are intellectually stimulated or challenged. When I find myself not engaged, it’s time for a new project or role.
Also do what you can to find the right employer. I tend to work a lot. 50+ hours a week or more depending on what’s going on. That said, my company provides flexibility. Start time, end time, flex schedules. I can take half day Friday’s every week or full Fridays every other if I’ve worked the hours. That flexibility keeps me from burning out (and allows me to fish a good amount!).The flexibility allows me to get the work life balance I need as an individual. 20 years into my career I still work as hard as ever but I play a big part in setting the terms on how and when which keeps my burn-out risk low. I lucked out in finding a company that allows for that kind of flexibility and also provides a very respectable pay and benefits package. That said, if I was forced to make a choice, I’d prioritize flexibility and fit over pay to the extent it makes sense to you. I had a version of this decision to make early on my career when I moved on from Archaeology. Pay was important to me at that time when looking ahead to my future. Since then, I’ve had opportunities to chase roles that would have higher pay potential and chose not too. I know not everyone can make that choice based on their own situation at any given moment.
That’s my advice. Discover and seek out the type of work you enjoy doing even if it’s not the field you intended. If you’re not engaged in your job, find a project or role that gets you back there. Staying engaged is critical to happiness and success career wise IMO. Finally, search out the right fit company wise. It can make all the difference. Don’t chase money or titles to a shitty company fit wise.
Would I have been “happier” if I had followed the career path I intended and built a career in archaeology? Maybe? Depends on the route I took. Has my current career been ideal? No, I play the part in the corporate world it’s not always easy. I have worked hard to find the kind of work I enjoy in that world though, and it’s led to an enjoyable career. It also has put both my wife and I in a position to travel and retire early comfortably if we choose. That would not be the case if I stuck with archaeology. Not a benefit I take lightly considering we came out of college with a small mortgage in student loan debt.
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