5 Career Exploration Myths You Need To Stop Believing

The biggest turning point of our lives begins when we are starting our career, and that feeling of impending doom engulfs us when there is so much uncertainty to deal with. So what do we do when we feel stuck in the midst of nowhere when thinking about our career? Some of us look to get advice from successful people.

But with that comes the problem of being unsure whether the advice is even relevant or not, because even though we’re part of a fast-paced world, some things are not, and career advice is one of them.

That is why I am here to tell you about the most common career exploration myths that you need to stop believing, so your career can be saved from getting sabotaged.

I’ll apply only if I perfectly fit the job criteria

Should you hang your head in dismay if you find the perfect job to apply to, but it requires five years of experience, and you have four? No, you shouldn’t. Often people looking for jobs miss out on great opportunities just because they do not completely fit the criteria mentioned in the job advertisement.

Usually, a job posting defines the ideal candidate. But the good news is that a lot of times the employers have to adjust their requirements in accordance with the talent supply in the market.  The Bottom line is that companies are always adjusting their needs depending on the talent supply, so go ahead and apply even if you fall short on some requirements.

My job should be related to my major

This myth should be dismissed right away because it is the main reason many talented people are unable to work up to their potential as they restrict their job search to careers that are related to their major. With this restriction, those looking for jobs are unable to discover all the things they can excel at. As a matter of fact, most job postings don’t even specify the required degree. Furthermore, the technical skills and knowledge gained through your degree apply to various things. And most employees learn the skills specific to an occupation on the job. Therefore, don’t be scared of applying for those jobs that are not quite aligned with your major.

There is just one “dream job” for me

The reality is that there are many jobs that you’d enjoy in your lifetime, and you’ll learn from each one of them. The belief that “There is one perfect job for me” is very limiting. Your job preferences are going to change as you gain experience and become more aware of yourself and the changing trends of the job market. If you’ll limit yourself, trust me you’ll only be miserable, missing out on opportunities, and losing a chance to expand your knowledge and grow.  When you are more likely to be satisfied with having different kinds of experiences in your life, you have got to take advantage of that and keep an open mind when it comes to your career.

I have enough time to do what I want in my career

It’s quite common for people to believe they have plenty of time to do whatever they want when in reality they do not. Subconsciously, we all just about know that we are running out of time. That time is getting away from us, and we become conscious of it a bit too late. Unfortunately, the younger you are, the higher the chance of you thinking you have more than enough time to pursue a career you want in life. Dismiss this belief especially when you are young because that is when you have the most energy to act on things, keeping in mind that you don’t have all the time in the world. Time is never on your side, so doing things with a sense of urgency will work in your favor.

It won’t feel like a job if you love what you do

Absolutely wrong. It isn’t possible for a job to not have cons along with pros. Every job comes with its downsides. It’s good to build a career around your passion and something we all should strive for, but it won’t be all fun and games twenty-four-seven just because you love what you do. There will always be deadlines you’ll have to stick to, and performance pressure to deal with like any other job.

There is a lot of career advice that is thrown around nonchalantly, and it’s up to us to do our research before acting on any of it. Your future is in your hands and yours alone. So, to have a steep growth curve keep busting these age-old career myths.