Help me find a career. Is this a request you commonly whisper to yourself? If so, you are not alone. The number of unemployed people in our country today is more than the entire population of the state of Ohio. Before turning to anyone for help I recommend you complete the statement: “Help me find a career in…..” If you do not finish the thought, then you are short changing yourself on finding a long term and rewarding position. You have to be specific.
Here’s an example from a conversation I had with a discouraged job seeker this week. He reached out to me through LinkedIn. Like most of these initial conversations, which does not begin with the phrase “help me find a career”, by they way, he asked me if I would review his resume, which I always oblige. This gentleman has over 10 years of incredible experience in media, writing, editing, and has worked freelance for some of the largest publications on newsstands. Yet, like many, he was stuck. He was going about his job search like everyone else, which is to use conventional methods and reach out in conventional ways. As I started typing an e-mail related to his resume review, I realized what I wanted to say required a dialogue, so I called him.
I asked him to describe his current job search. He had a four part strategy, which was not unlike the majority of other job seekers. He found positions to apply for partly by using specific trade journals, web sites, social media, etc. He had a couple of interviews, yet they did not pan out for one reason or another. I can almost guarantee you that he is not unemployed due to lack of skills. So, how does this answer the request “help me find a career” for this gentleman? His mindset, like so many others, was to squeeze, mold and pretzel his skill set into a job description that is not an ideal fit. We talked about branding and how he introduces himself. Within the first five minutes on the phone together, it was apparent that he was struggling with this. As the dialogue continued, something astonishing happened. What can typically require much more time and soul searching happened in a very short period of time. We revealed what his ideal professional situation would look like. From that, we put the pieces together in creating his brand. We set in motion a sales and marketing plan that will realize his objective. His next steps are crystal clear as he knows who he needs to talk to and how to position himself. His approach to these conversations and meetings will be starkly and excitingly different than what his agendas have been up until this point.
Sometimes, answering the plea “help me find a career” can take a series of experiences, conversations, or trial and error, especially if you are trying to do it on your own. For others, it can be immediate and ignite a new sense of energy and urgency because of how well it resonates with your values, your interests and your abilities. This was certainly the case this week.
Help me find a career. This action requires a much different mindset than just finding a job. Please contact me if I can help you.
