I believe that in these times when we hear so many people focused on “bad times” it is good to turn it around – reframe it, and rather say – “this is a wonderful time for me to align myself with a career that I would love to be in”.
So often I see people who have taken a position because circumstances have been such that they have grabbed the position, and at a “heart” or “soul” level are really not happy in that position. Often people change positions because of “wanting more money”, “wanting to be recognised”, etc. All of these things actually cloud the underlying reason that they are not happy with what they are doing, and the reasons they give are not the real reasons for the move. Unfortunately, within a matter of time, in the new position they will manifest the same circumstances and up will come those same reasons to look around for another position.
I believe that in fact most candidates actually don’t know what they want. They have not taken time out to find out who they are and where they would like to go. Oftentimes people do not believe that they can have a career that excites them, and put it on the back burner, or make excuses about family commitments. Yes, we all have responsibilities, and we need to handle those, but the size of business and opportunities abound. Economists will say that we are experiencing a Recession, and the GDP has fallen by 6% - so everyone focuses on the 6% and forget to look at the 94% that is still operating, still working well, still making money, still keeping people in jobs and careers.
We read time and time again of people who lose their jobs, and suddenly they are presented with a catastrophe, or so it initially seems. They can sit around bemoaning their fate, or choose differently. I am fortunate enough to receive many newsletters from the USA which include stories of this nature. For example, one lady had been working in the banking sector for 20 odd years, having joined straight from school, and had worked herself into the bank manager’s position when she was retrenched. She took time out and looked at a favourite hobby of hers – pastry cooking. She got herself organised, and opened a little shop, and everyone loves her pastries. She is doing what she loves, and says that she is making more money per week than she used to make in a couple of months in the bank.
I read a short while ago of man who loved being a dentist, but decided at a 72 years old, that maybe he should give up being a dentist. So instead of sitting around, he established that what he loved with dentistry was his dexterity and his ability to create really good work. Lo and behold he took up needlepoint. He didn’t worry that traditionally women did that as a hobby. Soon he put his pieces onto shows and was winning many awards all around the country. At 82 he started working on his biggest piece, and his daughter asked him how long he believed it would take to finish – “about 4 years” he replied. He not only finished it within the 4 years but continued with his hobby until he was well into his nineties.
So just know that there is something out there that is your niche, your special place in the sun. It is something that you will love doing, and in the love of doing it you will find a way to earn money with it.
A number of years ago I used to run workshops assisting candidates to establish careers for themselves that were aligned with their “loves” and interests, jobs which would bring them joy, jobs in which they would not get bored, jobs in which they felt completely at home in doing, and found themselves gravitating towards.
The following exercises are still most appropriate for helping you establish who you are, what draws you to it, what you gravitate towards. And doing these exercises will help you to get clear on what you could be looking at in a future career, or how you could possibly be upgrading your present position, etc.
I suggest you take time out, on your own, and just play. This is your time – no-one else needs to know what your answers are. Take the time to brainstorm each question and write down your answers. In writing down your thoughts and discoveries it will start the creative juices working for you. Those ideas you will then be able to work with in a later step.
Good luck and have FUN! A Check-List of My Strongest Traits.
taken from What Color is Your Parachute - Richard Nelson Bolles
Note: In general, traits describe:-
How you deal with people and emotions.
How you deal with authority, and being told what to do at your job.
How you deal with supervision, and being told how to do your job.
How you deal with impulse vs. self-discipline, within yourself.
How you deal with initiative vs. response, within yourself.
How you deal with crises or problems.
Accurate
Driving
Persistent
Achievement-oriented
Dynamic
Pioneering
Adaptable
Extremely economical
Practical
Adept
Effective
Professional
Adept at having fun
Energetic
Protective
Adventuresome
Enthusiastic
Punctual
Alert
Exceptional
Quick/work quickly
Appreciative
Exhaustive
Rational
Assertive
Experienced
Realistic
Astute
Expert
Reliable
Authoritative
Firm Flexible
Resourceful
Calm
Humanly oriented
Responsible
Cautious
Impulsive
Responsive
Charismatic
Independent
Safeguarding
Competent
Innovative
Self-Motivated
Consistent
Knowledgeable
Self-reliant
Contagious enthusiasm
Loyal
Sensitive
Cooperative
Methodical
Sophisticated
Courageous
Objective
Strong
Creative
Open-minded
Supportive
Decisive
Outgoing
Tactful
Deliberate
Outstanding
Thorough
Dependable
Patient
Unique
Diligent
Penetrating
Unusual
Diplomatic
Perceptive
Versatile
Discreet
Persevering
Vigorous
Some Quick Strategies of Identifying My Transferable Skills. Taken from What Color is Your Parachute? By Richard Nelson Bolles
Take the job-label off yourself (“I am an auto-worker,” etc) and define yourself instead as “I am a person who can ….” Then think of how you would finish that sentence. What tasks? What skills can you do? Make a list.
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Think of some other line (or lines) of work that you could do, can do, and would enjoy doing. Perhaps it’s something you’ve already done, in a very small way, in your spare time (like: make a dress, repair sailboats, etc.) Then: what skills does it take to do that? Add these to your list.
Ask yourself, “What am I good at? What does everyone tell me?” What skills does it take? Etc. etc, Add these to your list.
What turns you on? If a thing turns you on, you’ll be good at it; if it doesn’t, you won’t. What energises you? List the work, and tasks, that energise you that give you your power in life. What skills are you using at such times? On the list you’re keeping, put them down, and put a plus in front of them.
Then: what exhausts you with very little effort and for very little reason? What skills are you using at such a time? List them, too, but this time put a minus sign in front of them. Skills that exhaust you usually do so for a reason: you don’t like to use them. Avoid them.
Ask yourself: “What have I done in the past that I really loved doing?” What are your hobbies? Astronomy? Aerospace? Airplanes? Bicycling? Birding? Boating or kayaking? Books? Cars? Caves? Collecting coins, or stamps, or dolls, or anything else? Cooking? Crafts? Dance? Electronics? Fishing? Flowers or gardening? Genealogy? Horses? Hunting? Juggling? Magic? Martial arts or other physical stuff? Minerals or rocks? Models? Motorcycles? The outdoors? Pets? Photography? Puppetry? Trains? Travel? Woodworking? Or what? Ask yourself, “What did I like about these things? What do I still like doing?” See what kinds of skills any of these might point to, for you. Add them to your list.
Ask yourself: Do I primarily like to use my skills with People, or my skills with Things, or my skills with Information? And, which ones? Add them to your list.
What natural sensitivities do you have, that you don’t think everyone else necessarily has? This could be things your eyes pick up (e.g. colours, facial expressions, bodies showing injury); OR things your ears pick up (e.g. birdsongs); OR things your nose picks up (e.g. faint odours in the air); OR things your mouth picks up (e.g. peculiar tastes); OR things your body picks up (e.g. air currents, temperature changes); OR things your brain picks up (e.g. connections, disharmony, remembering details), etc. etc. Add them to your list.
What skills, when you even hear their name, do you instinctively feel you possess? Here is a list (on page 6) to choose from. Put a check mark in front of each skill that you believe you possess. Put a star in front of each skill that you enjoy doing. And put a circle in front of each skill that you believe you do well. The ones, at the end, that have a check mark AND a star AND a circle are the ones you should pay particular attention to. Add them to your list.
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