“It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.”

I’ve had the privilege of working from a background in Careers Education, Secondary and Tertiary Education and Human Resources. I’ve worked with many people from all walks of life and have thoroughly enjoyed the experiences I have acquired.

However, like many people, I too have been in jobs where every day I struggled with the idea of “what the hell am I doing here?!” I preferred to reach for the snooze button rather than head for the shower. On Mondays I would think of how I couldn’t wait for Friday to arrive. I would look at my watch all day waiting until I could go home and often my sleep would be riddled with ever dreaded work dreams.

It may be shocking to some people, but work should be fun.  Work should inspire and sustain you, challenge and reward you. After all, we spend more time at work than any where else.

Many people fall into their first job without too much thought.  Whether it’s the need to start earning an income straight away or uncertainty about which field to enter, many workers take the first job they’re offered and don’t stop to examine the consequences for years.  Fear of the unknown is probably the biggest reason why people stay in jobs that make them miserable or simply not knowing what they want.

My aim is to take the uncertainty out of your career planning and assist with establishing a clear path to achieve your dream and give you the tools to start making decisions.  By answering different sorts of questions, you will start to build a clearer picture of yourself- what motivates and inspires you and where you belong in the world of work and dare to dream and shape your career destination.

Maria has a Graduate Certificate in Careers Education & Development, Graduate Diploma in Education, Certificate IV in Workplace Training & Assessment and a Bachelor’s Degree of Business (Management and Marketing) and is a Member of the Australian Association of Career Counsellors.