Paul Catmur: The worst career advice you can get

When choosing a career, assume that you are not Jay-Z. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION:

Whether we're the superstar outlier or in the mediocre majority, at some time in our life we are all probably going to have to get a job. But doing what? Not only does this decision fall upon us when we are kicked out of the nest; but it may well happen again at a time of upheaval when things haven't gone quite to plan. For example, if you move to a new country and your old skills are deemed as unnecessary; or if you find your old industry closing around you; or maybe just because you hate your job and can't stand one more day of putting up with "that crap".

The easiest solution to getting a job is to do something that people are queuing up to pay you to do. Like working in McDonald's, being an Uber driver, or fronting up as Leader of the Opposition. You're unlikely to get paid a lot, but the work probably won't be too taxing. For me, leaving higher education to work in the toy department of a large retail store was not part of a larger plan, I just really needed something to pay for regular visits to the pub. As kids will tell you, toys are quite fun, and I was even contemplating staying there, but luckily they moved me into china and glass which was so excruciatingly dull I quit after a week. There are plenty of people who stumble into jobs then wake up 20 years later and wonder how they'd ever become an octopus farmer, chicken sexer or vibrator salesperson in the first place. As John Lennon pointed out, life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

Avoid your passions

If we are to attempt any rational decision making about career choices I believe it would be helpful to consider the thoughts of Professor Scott Galloway of New York University. Prof G, as he likes to be known, believes strongly that you should ignore anyone who tells you to "follow your passion". As he says: "The people who tell you to follow your passion have generally made their money in iron-ore smelting. Do your passion on weekends. Jay-Z followed his passions and became a billionaire. Assume you are not Jay-Z."

My passions over the years have included punk rock, football, travelling and fishing. Despite a comprehensive search, I have never found anyone remotely dumb enough to pay me a living wage to do any of these. The closest I came was a couple of assignments as a travel writer, but had I relied on these wages for sustenance I would still be somewhere in Paraguay going through dustbins looking for half-eaten burritos.

Finding your sweet spot

Sidestepping your passions doesn't mean you have to do a job that you hate. Prof G's recommendation is that you find something you're good at, invest some time and effort into becoming really good at it and once that happens you'll find you become passionate about it anyway.

Have a look at his diagram:

Following your passion is terrible advice. Image / Professor Scott Galloway

This pinpoints the area in which he believes you should be concentrating your efforts. His advice is that you should aim to do something that you're quite good at, which somebody will pay you to do, and which you don't actually hate doing. You might think that this is a low bar compared to being an All Black, a pop singer or the next James Bond, but it can be tricky, nonetheless.

A lucky escape

When I set out to become an advertising copywriter in my late twenties I had a pretty good idea of what the job entailed, and it seemed to be something that I'd quite enjoy. What I found difficult to gauge was whether or not I'd actually be any good at it. I nervously took a punt and stumped up the cash to go to advertising college. It was only after several months on the course that I concluded that with a bit of luck I might actually be mediocre enough at it to be able to make a living. The universe had somehow led me to a reasonable job, that I wasn't atrocious at, and that somebody would pay me to do. I was lucky.

I certainly could have done worse. If I'd followed my passion for fishing and become a charter skipper I'd have had to get up every morning at 5am to take out a party of incompetents who moaned all day because they'd run out of beer; were feeling seasick; and weren't killing enough fish. To be honest, I get enough of that at the weekend from my mates.

Passions are best left as hobbies.

• Paul worked in advertising at a quite good level across New Zealand, the UK and Australia including co-founding an agency in Auckland. This is a series of articles about how to make the best out of maybe not being the best.