How to Easily Reinvent Yourself

In a recent blog I mentioned a friend’s eight-year-old daughter, who was torn between a career in either veterinary care or dolphin training. Her unusual aspirations prompted me to research jobs working with animals and I was amazed to find that the pet care industry is one of the major growth hot spots of the country’s business sector. This year I have been encouraging people to quit jobs they dislike and pursue their passions, but could your passion lead you into one of the fastest growing industry sectors in Australia? What are the fastest growing industry sectors in this country?

Health care is undoubtedly Australia’s fastest growing industry sector. The baby boomers are growing older and the average age is increasing. Health care is already one of the country’s biggest industries, but more nurses, aged care assistants, physios and medics will be needed in the future. However there are other jobs in this industry you may not have ever heard of.

PAT MESITI

TURN YOUR PASSION INTO PROFIT: MASTERCLASS

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My friend’s story

I’m going to tell you a true story about a friend of mine who used to work in office administration. She hated it. She thought her boss was ineffective and she was worn down by negative office-in fighting. My friend is an exceptionally kind person. If you have a small sniffle, she’ll arrive on your doorstep with a pot of hot soup. If you need a lift or a shoulder to cry on, she’s always there. She knew she had to leave her admin job, but wasn’t sure where she should head. She loved caring for people so she did a TAFE course and became an aged care worker. She enjoyed looking after older Australians and hearing their life stories, but she found aged care institutions (nursing homes) difficult. Often management wasn’t supportive of the aged care workers on the ground. My friend then applied for a job with a private company that provides palliative care in people’s homes. I have to admit that this is not a job for everyone, but it was the perfect job for my friend. She visits people in their homes, often in the last weeks of their lives and helps care for them – bathing and dressing them, but she also spends a lot of time talking to individuals and their families who are getting ready to say goodbye. My friend finds her job incredibly rewarding. She knows she’s making a real difference, and she meets an incredible array of people. Some weeks she visits multi-million mansions, other weeks she’s in ordinary suburban homes. She has cared for rock stars, human rights lawyers, actresses and war correspondents. They tell her wonderful stories as they prepare to exit this world and she is inspired by their dignity and courage. No, this job is not for everyone, but for the right person it is a wonderful career.

Not so long ago I met a hairdresser who travels to nursing homes to cut the hair of elderly residents. She also adores meeting older people and says she could now never return to working in a normal salon.

Education is another expanding sector of the Australian economy, but that doesn’t mean that the only jobs are in school. Do you have what it takes to teach at universities or at TAFE? These institutions pay casual teaching staff very well. Perhaps you are a builder or plumber, have you thought of applying for a teaching job at TAFE? What about private colleges? If you’ve had a career in hospitality, you could look to training the next generation of waiting staff and chefs. Try to think outside the box. Is there anything you could teach online that would generate an income? Remember, some of the most successful entrepreneurs just happened upon one good idea, so put your thinking cap on!

Since 1990, the size of the Australian financial sector has doubled its contribution to the national economy. Sydney is already a world financial centre. Yes, there are all the tradition jobs in the financial sector. You could become a financial analyst and help companies make investment decisions or a personal financial advisor, helping your clients build wealth. Accountants are still very much in demand, especially as Australian tax laws become more complex, and there is also auditing – you can prepare financial records. But again there are jobs in this sector that you may never have thought of.

PAT MESITI

TURN YOUR PASSION INTO PROFIT: MASTERCLASS

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The story of Sean Allison

Have you ever heard of Sean Allison? He wasn’t sure what to do with himself in school, but given he was good at maths he decided to become an accountant. He didn’t find the career satisfying. Perhaps it wasn’t exciting enough for him. Next he became a personal trainer at a gym, but intellectually the job didn’t fulfil him. He always found the stock market intriguing and was introduced to options trading by a friend. Options trading is also referred to as short trading – essentially you aren’t buying shares in companies, but the option to buy shares in the future. These options are often bought and sold very quickly and it is possible to make a good living trading options if you know what you are doing. Clearly Sean did, because he made a good living, but perhaps what he was missing was people contact. Remember he used to work in a gym, helping people get fit. Sean is still trading options, but he now also teaches people how to buy and trade options on the international stock exchange. He holds workshops and teaches online. Finally he has found a job that fulfils him, sure it is a job in the financial sector but it is not a conventional job – Sean has carved out this career for himself, and he couldn’t be happier.

Health care, education and finances are the three fastest growing sectors of the Australian economy. And within those sectors are opportunities and jobs. If you are adaptable, clever and creative you too can build a rewarding career in one of these sectors, but please don’t just sit in a job you hate feeling cheated. Life is too short.