Career-Discovery vs Career-Improvement: Your Career Development Skills

The article “Career-Discovery vs Career-Improvement (Career Development)” aims to elucidate the distinctions between these two processes. While the terms may seem self-explanatory, it is important to note that Career-Discovery is the initial process, and Career-Improvement follows as the penultimate process. Below, we will explore the differences between them.

What is Career-Discovery?

Career discovery is the process of exploring various career paths. It’s possible to pursue multiple careers throughout one’s life, and even simultaneously. For instance, teaching is my primary profession at the moment. As someone who naturally gravitates towards teaching, I compose these posts and articles to impart my knowledge to the best of my ability.

I am a book publishing consultant, translator, persistent writer, author, motivational speaker, and ICT consultant. I engage in many activities, some for profit and others for pleasure.

You too possess multiple careers, perhaps awaiting discovery.

Career discovery entails exposure to a potential career before recognizing one’s aptitude for it. For instance, how can one ascertain their proficiency with computers without ever having encountered one?

Indeed, while theory remains crucial, practice leads to perfection. The adage ‘practice makes purpose’ resonates with me, and I would be interested in reading a book with such a compelling title.

Indeed, practice is essential not only for honing existing skills but also for discovering new career paths. Often, you must attempt something to realize your aptitude for it. For instance, I never knew I could score a goal in football until I played at a friend’s encouragement in 2008. Although I generally don’t enjoy playing games, including football, I would never have discovered my proficiency if I hadn’t tried.

Sometimes, you might have an inkling of your talents, and trying them out could lead to your next career. In today’s technological world, even activities enjoyed for leisure can evolve into successful careers.

Taking myself as an example, I strive to excel in three areas: theology, ICT, and translation. Through theology, I gain deeper insights into myself, God, you, and the entirety of creation. This knowledge enables me to produce content like this, which I hope is beneficial to you.

In the realm of ICT, I share my processes for creating websites, publishing and marketing books, and earning online income from my work. In translation, I assist others in translating their material into either the Dinka or Nuer languages of South Sudan. Additionally, I educate those interested in learning the skills I am passionate about. I never coerce anyone to emulate me, but I am always ready to teach or share my methods with anyone eager to learn.

Theology, ICT, and translation can serve as both educational subjects and fee-based services. I am capable of teaching theology and utilizing my knowledge to provide services for which people are willing to pay. Similarly, I can instruct in ICT and create IT products for sale. Whether teaching translation skills or providing translation services, compensation is expected in each case.

A career can be seen as both a gift and a talent, terms that generally describe one’s proficiencies. For instance, if someone excels at storytelling, they may be described as gifted or talented, or it may be said that their career is to craft compelling narratives.

While a career implies a professional role, title, or service, talent denotes a unique skill or innate ability. The term ‘gift’ often carries a religious connotation, suggesting a divine endowment. Indeed, it is believed that such abilities are bestowed upon us by a higher power, the Creator.

What is Career-Improvement?

Career improvement involves enhancing the careers one has identified and pursued. As previously mentioned, I am committed to annually refining my current careers, which encompass both teaching and service. In teaching, I instruct others in my areas of expertise, sometimes gratis or for a fee. Similarly, I offer my skills as a service.

Thus, I focus on advancing my abilities in teaching theology, languages, translations, and ICT. Concurrently, I work on enhancing the quality of my ICT, theology, and translation services. This article serves as an example of theological instruction and a service to you, illustrating how my teaching and service careers often intersect.

Once you have identified your career or careers, the subsequent step is to enhance or even alter them completely. Indeed, it’s feasible to change a misguided or fruitless career. However, you may notice that one career consistently accompanies you wherever you go. For me, that career is teaching.

Regardless of my knowledge, my passion is to teach others to be self-sufficient. I instruct individuals on writing, self-editing, self-publishing, self-marketing, and earning online through platforms like Amazon or Smashwords. I also teach self-discovery, which intertwines with theology. In essence, this article on Career-Discovery versus Career-Improvement is an extension of my theological teachings.

Enhancing your chosen career involves learning innovative approaches to your work. Similarly, self-publishing platforms like Amazon KDP and Smashwords continually develop new features to enhance their tools’ functionality.

I aim to better my writing skills by increasing the number of books I read annually. Reading is a key strategy to advance my writing career, as I often notice a lack in the self-help books I’ve read. For instance, while many books suggest that we can change ourselves, they usually imply changes in careers or in our vision and mission statements, rather than our inherent nature. I hold the belief that while we cannot alter our core selves, we can certainly discover and refine who we are.

What is the purpose of this article?

The purpose of this article is to elucidate the key distinctions between Career-Discovery and Career-Improvement. The former pertains to the exploration of potential careers, while the latter involves enhancing the careers that have been identified.

Understanding the difference is crucial because knowledge equips us with potential power. It enriches us, even if we do not utilize all of it immediately. Knowledge can be unexpectedly beneficial at any given moment.

Indeed, the article “Career-Discovery vs Career-Improvement” stands out for its clarity. It delineates the connection between the two processes while emphasizing their distinctiveness, thereby dispelling any confusion.

One must embark on career discovery before seeking improvement. While others may guide us in choosing a career, as adults, we ought to be aware of our passions. This is not to say we should ignore advice from family and friends, but rather that we should have a clear understanding of our desires in life.

Moreover, career discovery transcends mere wishful thinking. It involves recognizing and pursuing our innate talents and skills, whether it be in singing, writing, teaching, cooking, driving, cleaning, or any other field.

Remember, it’s common for others to have expectations of you, to want you to be or do certain things, and that’s perfectly normal. Many parents, for instance, may desire their child or children to fulfill their own unmet ambitions. This tendency is a natural inclination present in nearly every human culture.

However, my child is not an extension of myself. He or she is an entirely separate individual, regardless of any resemblance to me. We are two distinct people with our own preferences, skills, dreams, and goals.

As a parent, my duty is to assist my children in discovering their true selves. It’s about guiding them to find their passions and supporting them in excelling at what they love, even if it goes against my personal desires. This distinction between aiding in career discovery and career enhancement is crucial. Our role is to help our children identify and develop their natural talents.

I should not dissuade my child from pursuing an activity unless it poses a significant danger. Often, it is through facing risks that we learn the most valuable lessons. Indeed, experience remains the greatest educator.

I hope this article (Career-Discovery vs Career-Improvement) has been helpful to you, personally. Let’s discuss it further at facebook or learn more about my other writings at johnshalom.com, and may God bless you and keep you safe during and after COVID-19. Shalom!