Everybody's chugging along in the same direction: Whether you are a recent college grad, baby boomer, 30-something, 40-something, computer geek, seasoned pro, first-timer, man, or woman. We all want to move ahead, enjoy our jobs, and live a satisfying lifestyle. It doesn't matter whether you own a kiosk in the mall, run a home office, or head a multimillion-dollar conglomerate.
Our work helps to define us and tells the world who we are. Are you where you want to be? When you look over your career or the type of work you do, is it what you had in mind? If your work fulfills you, our hats are off to you. We have a hunch that everyday a good number of people are out there going to jobs they dislike and feeling underpaid and overworked.
Do you think it's possible to use the words job and satisfying in the same sentence? We do. Is it easy? Probably not because if it was you would have already done it. Is it worth it? You're worth it. The important element is what you think you can or cannot do. We know from our own experiences that when a job is wrong or feels wrong you feel out of sorts, to say the least.
This chapter can assist you in teasing out how you view your job and career. You may be thinking, “I know how I view my job—it stinks,” but that is not enough. Although you may feel that way and be justified in those feelings, saying you don't like your job doesn't get you anywhere. Examining why you feel that way and what you can do about it is a completely different story.
We encourage you to scribble in this book, make lists in it, and jot down all the ideas that pop into your head. Make this book your own. The questions in this chapter are intended for you to guide you to the place you want to be. Any change takes action. Ideas in your head are just like fish in a tank—swimming around, crashing into glass walls, and going nowhere.
What is the best part of your job? What aspects of your job do you value and consider assets?
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Sometimes your work is not what you want it to be. Perhaps you feel underpaid, underappreciated, or trapped. You don't like the stress it brings. Professional achievement may sound like foreign words intended for somebody else. Consider the question that follows:
What aspects of your job would you like to change? What are the concerns that have been wearing you down?
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What's your thinking style? Is it fuzzy or clear? If you're a fuzzy thinker you may sound like this, “I'm tired of this position.” You make blanket statements that provide little information about what's really eating you. A clear thinker might say, “I have the experience to seek a management position in my company.” The person who is a clear thinker is able to define what he or she wants.
If you want to make changes in your work life, then build a clear picture of what you're going for. You are walking through the fog unless you create a vivid image of what you need and where you wish to go.
Instead of Fuzzy Thinking | Think Clearly |
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I want to move ahead. → | I have the experience to pursue an administrative position. |
I feel stifled by my position. → | I want a position that enables me to use my marketing background and has opportunities for advancement. |
The stress of this job is wearing me out. → | I want a position with flexible hours and the ability to work from my home office. |
When it comes to hunting for jobs and professional opportunities, one of the most effective strategies anyone can do is to network. Whoever first said, “It's not what you know, but who you know,” knew exactly what he or she was talking about. Where should you network, when, and with whom? That's easy to answer—everywhere, all the time, and with everyone. We are surrounded by opportunities to network:
Community organizations
Clubs
Conferences
Professional associations
Colleagues and coworkers
Cocktail parties
Family gatherings
Hair salon
Golf course
Place of worship
Weddings, baby showers, and block parties
Sports club
Are you getting the idea? Remember—the world is small. You never know who you are going to meet. Sometimes the most unlikely individual has a wealth of contacts, “You wrote a book about fighter pilots? My brother's an executive producer for the History Channel. I'm sure he'll want to interview you.”
Here are a few tips for the next time you find yourself in a room full of opportunities:
First, learn to speak in sound bites. Turn on your television and watch how public figures and news people answer questions. Better still, time their answer. Public figures speak in 10-, 20-, and 30-second sound bites. Like a boxer trying to land an upper cut, they get in and out fast. They are savvy to the fact that they only have a short amount of time to make their point and keep your attention. This same rule should apply to you when you are networking.
Be prepared to answer these questions—What kind of work would you like to do? Your answer ought to be clear and concise. The person you're speaking with should walk away with a clear idea of what you want to do. Vague answers become fuzzy and quickly forgotten.
Avoid Fuzzy Statements
Make Clear Statements
I want to work in communications. →
I want to be a radio sports announcer.
I want to work in the fashion industry. →
I want to be a makeup artist for a leading women's magazine.
I'm interested in working in graphic design. →
I'm looking to design book covers and promotional materials for a graphic design company.
What are your qualifications? Be able to describe your qualifications and experience quickly. In fact, under a minute or less is best. This isn't the time to blather on about your scientific research into drosophila cross-breeding. You may think it's fascinating, but the person you're speaking with is likely to glaze over and slip into a trance. Instead, briefly state where you went to school, trained, and any experience you might have had.
Can you leave them with a dazzler? A dazzler is some exceptional skill or experience that is sure to get that person's attention and make them remember you. This is your opportunity to leave the person with lasting image of who you are.
Keep a business card handy. Get into the habit of carrying business cards because people will ask you for them. Phone numbers scribbled on cocktail napkins undoubtedly get lost and forgotten. If you don't work for a company, then make your own. There are great Internet sites where you can design your own card and have it shipped to you in a few days. Www.vistaprint.com is a terrific site not only for business cards, but also for promotional cards and stationary.
Be willing to reciprocate. Be alert for opportunities to help other people. Sometimes you can meet someone who would be a great contact for your friend or business associate. If you do pass on someone's name, give them a call to let them know you have done so. This way they can follow up with a phone call or a visit. Even if the opportunity or contact doesn't work out, he or she will remember that you tried.
Stop here for a moment and consider exactly where you would like to go in your professional life. Maybe your dreams aren't huge—you just want your coworkers to stop interrupting you a hundred times a day or you feel ready to take on more responsibility in your department. Maybe you do dream big. Your dream is to be the largest distributor of Australian wine in the United States. It doesn't matter; you still need a plan to succeed.
What are your professional goals? (Remember to be specific and measurable.) What concerns would you like to resolve?
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Don't skip ahead because this next part is important. There really is something to that creative visualization talk. Most successful people will tell you that they had a visual image of where they were going. Imagine for a moment that you have accomplished everything on your career list. Answer this question:
What will your life be like when you have reached your career goals? What will your life be like when these professional concerns are behind you? What will you be doing?
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Finally, think about this next question. If you're creating a map to get you to your goals, then you will need to know the first mile-marker you will see as you succeed in changing your professional life.
What will be the smallest signs that you are moving in the right direction and away from your job stressors? Remember—think small.
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Small does not mean insignificant, but rather, it increases the likelihood that you will achieve your goals. Bigger signs will appear, but not before that tiny clue that indicates things are starting to happen.
Too Big | Just Right |
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I'll land that Webster Technology account. → | I will set up a meeting with the financial controller for Webster Technology. |
I'll open a ladies-only workout center. → | I'll research available franchises and do a study of workout centers in my community. |
I want a raise. → | I'll look into what others are being paid in my position before I approach my boss. |
As you can see, it's a wise idea to start with small signs. It is a step in the direction you want to go. It is your plan. We may live in a fast-paced society, but career changes frequently take more time. Often our career doesn't move along as fast as our dreams. If you plunge ahead with just your ambition and without your head, your goals will take longer to reach. Consider this advice as you consider the changes you want to make in your career.
Keep in mind that everything looks greener in their backyard. It's only human nature to think that successful people got to where they are by crossing theirs arms, blinking twice, and wiggling their nose. The reality is that nearly every one of them paid their dues with long hours and hard work.
When you get the ball, run. Often the one defining moment in a successful person's life is that when they were given the opportunity to get ahead, they took it.
What work issues keep repeating over and over in your job?
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What is your typical way of handling these concerns?
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How would your family and friends say you usually handle these concerns?
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Take some time and think about your job and career goals. Once again, keep in mind that to get where you want to go, you first need to know where you are going.
Write down your top five goals toward having a more satisfying career:
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Now ask yourself this question:
On a scale ranging from 1 to 10, with 1 being “the worst,” and 10 being “great,” how well would you say you are taking care of your career right now?
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How have you managed to keep a strong career so far? What is working for you?
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What could you do to bring your score up half a notch, say to 9½? If you gave yourself a 10, what can you continue to do to keep your score at a 10?
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If you notice that your scores are on the low end, then ask yourself this question:
What kinds of things have you been doing to keep your score at a two or five? Think about it —you didn't give yourself a zero so you must be doing a few things correctly. What have you managed to do right?
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If you're coming to the conclusion that with scores this low you'll end up without a friend in the world, you're wrong. If you didn't write down a zero, maybe it's because you have realized that there are a few redeeming signs about your job.
What's that, you say? You can't find anything positive to say about the old 9-to-5? Then think smaller.
What is one more small thing you can do in your career to bring your score up a point?
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What will you do to ensure that you keep doing that one small thing?
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How will your life be different when you manage to get your score up a few points?
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What will you be doing that you are not doing now?
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Who will be the most surprised about these positive changes?
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Balancing your job, family, and you is more than a tightrope walk. Some days it's more like an audition for Cirque de Soleil. You balance your steps, wobble a bit, and hold on tight by your toes. To close this chapter, we leave you with a few tips for staying up on your wire:
Establish and keep a workable routine in your household so that everyone knows what to expect.
Get up before the kids and take care of your needs first.
Have your day organized the night before.
Keep in contact with your children's teachers via email.
Take notice of the things that stress you out and eliminate whatever you can (kids and spouse not included).
You don't have to say yes to everything; in fact, practice saying the word no in the mirror. Make the commitments that matter most.
Find the time to play and just relax. You not only deserve it, you need it.
Divvy up the household chores with everyone. Even little ones can help out in some way.
Build an exercise routine into your life.
Hire a babysitter and go out as a couple at least once a month.
Stop procrastinating and start doing what needs to get done. Even a little bit at a time is better than having anxiety over a growing “to-do” list.
As cliché as it sounds—don't sweat the small stuff.
Focus on all that's positive in your life.