A client recently asked me – “I see so many unhappy people at work, including myself, and I wonder how/why this happens.”

That is a very interesting question, which I can answer most effectively with the use of a story.

When I was growing-up the career services offered at my school/university were not the best. It was the usual mass/high-level career advisory, that is prevalent in many places even today. Since I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do with my life, I went with what the majority of people were doing at the time and completed a masters degree, specializing in finance. I then worked for a few years in areas such as equity research, investment banking, capital markets, commercial banking and operations. The experience was fabulous and the learning was amazing. Also by trying out various roles/companies, I became more aware of what I liked and what I didn’t enjoy.

Then once again, for lack of a better idea, I decided to do another masters degree, in the field of business management. It was one of the best years of my life and also an eye opener in many ways. The career services offered was much better than usual and I went through a few sessions, some career assessments and a bit of introspection. Among other things, the output was pointing at the field of HR and a need to help people in some way. However, I thought that was too far removed from my past work experience and the idea seemed too alien, so I left it at that. Therefore, after completing the degree I still wasn’t sure of what I really wanted to do and like many others in the same boat, became a management consultant. Again, the learning and experience was great but two weeks into the job I realized that it was not for me. I stuck on for a few years and then on one of the usual/weekly 5:00AM flights to some far away client location, I decided that I HAD to do something to find work that I enjoyed.

That was a turning point for me and it was when I really started in-depth career planning. I did a lot of research, spoke with many people and tried out many things. In the end I realized that the field of HR and career counseling were in fact attractive options for me. After that, I got the relevant training/experience I needed to get into the field. It took a few years of working, a degree in organizational psychology/career counseling and other specialized training/certification. Then when we moved to Singapore and numerous practical aspects of family/finances were at the right place, I founded Sandbox Advisors (a career management and HR consulting firm). Since then, it’s been a great ride and I just can’t get enough of my work! The business has done well and all my past experience played a large role in that.

So, here are some of my conclusions, which are based on my own experience and some insights from research in the field of careers:

• The shortage of proper career guidance is one of the reasons for unsatisfactory careers. However, people’s inclination to avail of such services only when things reach boiling point also plays its part

• There is no such thing as the perfect job. There will always be things you don’t like in the workplace. However, the goal should be to have as little of what you dislike as possible and to avoid things which completely drain all your energy at work and make you detest Monday mornings

• Most careers will follow a zig-zag path. It is hard to land-up in the perfect career straight away because you need some work experience to get a better idea of what you like and don’t like. Only with that knowledge can you move towards a work situation that meets many of your likes. Having said that, some planning early on is useful to have an overall/general plan in mind and can ensure that you don’t steer in a completely opposite direction

• From each of my jobs I learned a bit more about what I wanted and all the varied experience/education is an invaluable asset for my career, both now and in the future. So if you think you are in the wrong field and don’t want to change careers and waste years of experience – that doesn’t always have to be the case. There are many options available for changing careers and not all have to be drastic. In fact I do not recommend drastic move but more of a phased approach, which makes use of the education/experience you have amassed.

• The important thing is for people to take charge of their career and actively work towards a career they will enjoy. All it takes is a bit of planning and commitment. Majority of people do not do this and that’s where the problem lies. They stay on in work they do not like and change companies/industry/etc. without any planning, hoping that the next job will be great. But all they get is more of the same. They also succumb to the usual barriers which prevent a proper career change – prestige of their job, social/family pressures and fear of the unknown

• Career planning is an ongoing activity. It’s like your teeth – you need a dental check-up every now and then to keep them healthy

To wrap-up – work does not have to be a pain. It can be fun and financially rewarding at the same time. It will/might take effort, time and commitment for you to manage a transition to reach such a stage. However, what’s a few years of such transition, when you have the rest of your life to enjoy it.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.