Chris Targett

What is a “good career” anyway?

Illustration by Chris Targett

There are lots of people out there pushing what they think a “good career” looks like. In many cases this is “careers advice” masquerading as “careers guidance”. It is disconcerting on multiple levels, as it pushes people down paths that might not be for them. It applies pressure, via judgement, that only certain types of careers are “good careers”.

As a Registered Career Development Professional (RCDP), I make a point in my large group talks in schools, to explain that there isn’t a one size fits all answer to what is a “good career”. It will vary from person to person.

Success

A “good career” is often portrayed as a successful career. However, “success” is a subjective entity, dependent on individual judgement. What seems successful to one person is perhaps the complete opposite to another. I often ask clients, what does “success” look like to you? What is your individual metric for being successful?

This can be expanded. What does “just doing ok” look like? A middle road if you will, where this too can be seen as successful. Because this is the thing; not everyone has to strive for “outstanding” or reach the limits of their capabilities. Just doing ok, is actually … ok. In fact, it can be quite a nice place to be … just having enough money, and having sufficient challenge at work to make life interesting but not stressful. Why can’t contentment be a form of success, if that is your metric?

“Good careers”

What are some of the other explanations of “good careers” that I have seen being pushed on social media or in conversations?

One chestnut is that individuals should strive for greater autonomy and greater responsibility and therefore greater pay. This is sometimes argued as a natural or social good with no downside, as the individual is seen to have seemingly more of everything so, therefore, it is “good”.

What is sometimes missed, is that more autonomy can sometimes also come with greater stress and the potential for mental health issues.

I once worked with a client who recognised this explicitly. Her mum was a primary school teacher and her daughter was considering following her into working in education. Many of those around the client were telling her that a “good career option” would be to become a teacher, just like her mum. However, she had decided to train to become a teaching assistant instead, because her lived experience growing up had been seeing her mum coming home exhausted from school, preparing lessons in the evening and not being present for her own children. The client recognised the autonomy, pay and personal rewards including the job satisfaction her mum attained, yet reasoned the pay off was not enough for her.

Another “good” that I have seen is the idea of getting a job that pays as much as possible with a view to early retirement. I’ve worked with several students who see striving for work in the finance sector as a way to do this, regardless of whether they actually like the idea of the work and the hours that may come with this.

Then there are the students who have been told that getting a “trade” is the way to go, ideally as a plumber or electrician. Training in one of these plumb jobs is a “good career” according to many of the students I’ve supported over the years, regardless of whether they would enjoy it or feel happy with the technical requirements associated with such a role.

These are all different ideas of “good careers” and each have their merits but equally, so do other careers. For instance, there’s the parent who works a portfolio career so they can be at home with their children or the individual who chases their dream to be a digital nomad, working whilst travelling.

The risk of assuming or championing a singular idea of what a “good career” might be is to close down or ignore a myriad of other possibilities. It also assumes that our definitions of “success” are static rather than fluid over our lifetimes. Success at one point in our lives will vary considerably to another. To discern what it is we each want or consider to be desirable, is to be prepared to reevaluate and reflect upon what a “good career” is for each of us, as we change over time and have different priorities.

To be flexible, curious and open to possibilities is to challenge ourselves by asking what a “good career” actually means.

Support

If you need support to explore what is right for you, consider speaking to a qualified RCDP. They won’t tell you what to do or impose their individual opinion of what a “good career” might be.

Find a RCDP via the CDI Register of Career Development Professionals:
https://www.thecdi.net/professional-register or through the websites of the national careers services of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Please note: The thoughts and ideas expressed in this article are my own and don’t necessarily represent those of my employer.

© Chris Targett


Chris Targett
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