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03/07/2012

Career Happiness = Reality – Expectations

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The TED takeover was awesome (check out pics on the Anderson blog).  The highlight was the campfire with the 6 talks by professors and students.  During Prof. Rakesh Sarin's talk on happiness, he referred to the equation:

 Prof

 

 

Happiness = Reality – Expectations

 I find this to be applicable to the job search process that over half of you are currently involved in.  Because of the varied career interests of Anderson students:

  • 40% of you will get your job through traditional on-campus recruiting 
  • Another 45% will find your job through Anderson facilitated recruiting (Parker classified, club events, career nights, DOJs, etc.)
  • And the remaining 15% will succeed through your own personal networking (undergrad network, conferences, external job sites, etc.)

 

Anyway, back to the equation.  Anderson students and alums tend to be pretty happy people, but by our nature, we have very high expectations for ourselves and our Anderson experience, which based on the equation can drive down overall happiness.  There are also two other variables impacting your current happiness. 

More options = less happiness.  There was a study with toothpaste.  The more options there were (gel, whitening, etc.), the less happy customers were.  They questioned their choices and even had buyers’ remorse.  You are talented and will always have multiple options.   Don’t let your career options be like toothpaste.

Your current reality is a state of flux.  You are also impacted by a loss of identity.  Yes, you are an Anderson student, but you have been stripped of your previous job title, which is so entwined in our social concept in this country.  And you are existing in a state of ambiguity about the future while dealing with the constant question of “So what do you want to do after graduation?”  Embrace the state of flux.  Those in change states produce more innovation.

 

This next big life decision will shape both your expectations and your reality.  As hard as you may try to optimize for the future, or find an equation in excel, it is impossible to do so.  My advice:

Coffee Talk: Have a lot of conversations with people whose jobs you would aspire to have.  Find out how they got there, what they actually do on a daily basis, and what keeps them there.  Discern whether they are happy and if their job would make you happy too.

 I Gotta Feeling: When it comes time to make the final job decision, even though you have invested so much in your brain, rely utimately on your gut.

 

-Emily Taylor '08, Associate Director of MBA Education & Communication

Posted by on 03/07/2012 at 07:54 AM |

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