Finding work that works for you

While she usually gets blank looks when telling people her job title as a “career psychologist”, Sinead Brady says that her job is focused on helping people's careers work for them.

“I specialise in career development for individuals and within organisations. I help companies to adjust their systems and structures to retain people by allowing them to move with agility within the organisation. Instead of expecting people to change, we try to facilitate people in the workplace.”

She wrote a book recently titled 'Total Reset: Quit living to work and start working to live', where she covers a range of issues frequently faced by people in employment.

“I decided to write a book that would resource people with skills to manage their career. We look at systemic and cultural issues that they face and remove the friction between the policy and procedure to create a better work environment.

“I’m working with companies who want to change their internal systems and structures to support their workers to be agile in their careers.”

Tipping point

A big part of these are people who are returning to the market place after taking periods of leave.

“I also support women returning from maternity leave. It’s not fixing the woman who returns, rather it’s about how to make sure these amazing women who are brought back into the workplace are facilitated on their return.

“Whatever the makeup of the child’s parents are they need respect and support on their return to the workplace. We haven’t been good at that in this country.

“I think we have reached a tipping point where people are no longer accepting workplaces that have an authoritarian approach to them. It’s all about ensuring people have a sustainable career, especially after maternity/paternity or if they are returning from mental/physical illness or being a carer.”

She encourages all parents to take leave, especially in the early days of parenthood.

“It often takes both parents working to raise a family. Where maternity leave isn’t paid it falls on the other partner to earn a living so they intensify their workload, but it’s really important for both parents, irrespective of gender to form a connection with the child, and to support the birthing partner. Even if you’re the only person in your company to do it and you have to jump through the red tape, then you set the tone and normalise it.”

Commute

Covid-19 has changed the way many of us work, opening the doors to remote working, and in doing so removing lengthy, energy sapping commutes. However, the commute still has a part to play in the lives of some sections of the workforce according to Sinead.

“People who live alone or in shared accommodation, those who don’t have a workspace at home or those who have a busy home may like the commute. They have the chance to build a psychological bridge to teach themselves to switch off from work. But when it’s something you have to do 10 times a week it becomes exhausting.”

While we’ve gained autonomy on most areas Sinead says that our working life is the only part of our lives that hasn’t been personalised.

“On social media, clothes, food, music hobbies etc. we choose what we want to do. We haven’t allowed people to find a pattern that works for them [in their career]. It needs to work for the organisation, but people do their best to do their best. But if people are mandated to do unsuitable hours then that organisations won’t hold on to talent for very long.”

Meaning

Another reason for Sinead writing the book is to provide direction to those looking to make a change in their career but don’t know how.

“A lot of people made a decision at 17 or 18 that doesn’t suit their adult self and have no real way or skills to help them to progress in their career. They want to change because they want meaning from their role. We have a brilliant education in Ireland but we don’t have structured career education in our schools. We have a facility for guidance. But it’s not done or resourced well.

“A lot of people I talk to were upset. It was either manifesting as a physical illness or they were emotionally exhausted, because they didn’t know what to do, or how to change. It was a core reason for me to write the book - to make it insightful but practical on how to make a change.

“I can’t tell you what to do, no psychometric test can tell you the one job from the 12,000 families of jobs that are out there. You can have more than one career doing lot of things.

“If you stay in one profession, you can change within it, but people need to have the skills to manage their career in the workplace.”

With the Leaving Cert recently finished she offers the following advice for those who are entering college in the hope of equipping themselves for their future career.

“You have no way of predicting the future. Pick something you think you will enjoy.

“When you are choosing it tell yourself it’s not for life. It can be a skill you bring with you for the rest of your career. Postgrads are available to transfer to other areas.

“You can upskill or retrain, often for free. There are graduate programmes available. What you chose now doesn’t mean you’ll be doing it in 20-30 years.

“Don’t discount trades. People might think - they’re not for me - but deep down they want to do something with their hands.

“They offer a great career and livelihoods, just because nobody in your family did one, doesn’t mean you can’t.

“Parents should stand back, trust their child and allow them to make the best decision for them right now.”