STRIKING OUT ON A NEW CAREER

Has the new year got you thinking about a career change? Sarah Harris speaks to four Kiwis who have given up their normal jobs for something a bit different.

Who hasn’t sat at their desk and dreamed of a different life?

A career of passion rather than the 9-5 and a safe salary?

The secure life path can be comfort and crushing.

New Zealanders change jobs often, according to Statistics New Zealand figures. Of those of who earn wages and salaries, half have been employed in their present jobs for less than 18 months.

But the most common reason men leave their job is to retire, data from the last Household Labour Force Survey reveals.

For women it is for parental or family responsibilities. Only a tiny 5 per cent leave their job because they are unsatisfied with the work or conditions, the survey shows.

Kaye Avery, principal consultant at Career Management Specialists, believes that number is likely to rise.

She says she has seen a shift in the past five years in the number of people looking for more meaning in their lives.

“People come to me just spinning, managing huge workloads, working long hours with high expectations. It’s unhealthy.

“Mostly people nowadays are really wanting quality of life.

“We’re over this ambitious, materialistic thing and a lot of people are wanting a more holistic approach to life and questioning why they get themselves into highpaying jobs and compromising their true self.”

A seductive pay packet can act as a trap and Avery often sees people who change their life to match their growing income, then find it very difficult to “get off the train”.

Avery, who has been a careers adviser for close to 20 years, encourages people who aren’t happy in their jobs to quit and pursue a passion.

But, she warns, do it gradually and think carefully before you leap.