Finding and Choosing a Career:
Your Personal Work History

I would like for you to take a step of belief with me from this point forward.  I would like you to begin believing that everything in your life has happened for some particular reason related to your purpose in life.   I know it sounds rather hard to believe but whether it is really true doesn't matter.  What does matter is that you see things from this perspective.  With that thought in mind lets consider your work history.

Review your work history. Take the time to go back over your entire work history and think about the jobs you had, the functions you served, the companies you worked for, the people you were surrounded by and try to make some sense of any connections there might be between all of these elements.   Try to find common elements and themes between your various jobs.  It could be as simple as noticing that in each of your jobs you were placed in a situation in which you ended up having to listen to someone tell you about their problems.   Or it can be that in each of your jobs you were at some point requested to take the lead and make decisions in order to do your job.  Look for symbolic aspects as well.  Perhaps all of the companies you worked for shared a symbol or some name.  How does this symbol or name help you understand your purpose?

It also helps to think about the difficulties you had in each job experience.  By understanding what we do not do well or have trouble with we can be lead to the opposite, which is probably where our talents lie.  If you have had a difficult time in personal relations in every job you have ever had then the universe might be trying to tell you that you are better served self-employed working alone.   What could the problems you have had in your job experiences be telling you? What special message are these experiences trying to impart to you?

It will be helpful for you to think more abstractly about each job you have had.  Try not to think of the job itself but instead think of the life experiences that took place during that period of employment.   What else was going on in your life during that period?  Think about the larger picture and how that job experience fit into your overall experience as a human.  You are looking for patterns and meanings in the things that happened.

Another important thing you need to do is to think about the things you longed for in the jobs you had and the things you enjoyed.  What were the experiences you cherished? What were the experiences that made you feel uncomfortable?  For example, in my own experience I worked for seven years as an investment advisor.  I found that the most satisfying experiences took place when I was talking with my clients about the meaning of their lives and how to reach their ultimate happiness.  This knowledge was useful in helping me to understand the subject matter I wanted to write about.   Essentially, I was longing for those experiences during my previous employment.

Get a notebook and make a list of each job you have held and just dialogue with yourself on the meaning of that job and what gifts it brought you and what you learned from that experience.   Let your mind be open and write down the first thing that comes to mind.  Get in touch with your subconscious mind and in so doing you will get to a deeper level of understanding about your life experiences regarding employment.

Information is for educational and informational purposes only and is not be interpreted as financial or legal advice. This does not represent a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Please consult your financial advisor.