Go Where You’re Needed, Not Where You Want To Be
How To Find A Job And Do Meaningful Work
You can smell it — there’s a new wind in the air, it’s time for a change, and you’re moving onto greener pastures. Except, you’re still in mid-air, with no ground in site, like a cat struggling to land on its feet.
Just a few months ago, I was just like you: searching for a new job with no end in site. I can still feel that air dowsing through my fingers and the fear of falling on my face.
With almost one of the highest U.S unemployment rates in history, many of us feel like the cat: in mid-air and directionless.
Not Where You Want To Be
It’s not easy to find things that you’re passionate about in this noisy world. Noise that comes from all sorts of places. Your peers, the media, FOMO, “your heart,” your bank statements — don’t listen to any of it. It’s all a distraction from two questions:
- How long can you go (practically) before making a change?
- What opportunities that you’re interested in currently exist?
There are practical (economic) limitations that will instantly put a time horizon on your search. Don’t take them as an omen of bad will. The need to provide for yourself and those around you is what helps ground you in reality.
Search on your favorite job hunting sites (LinkedIn, GlassDoor, etc.) and put together a list of your top 10 potential employers. Sort them from least attractive to most. Don’t be scared to check again and edit your list, but, stick to these rules:
- Don’t check more than a couple of times per week.
- Don’t spend more than an hour checking (Page 30 isn’t any better than Page 10).
Obsessing over a list is only leads to anxiety. Instead, proceed to the next step
Reach Out — Not In
Build a list of your strengths and weaknesses, but keep it short. Don’t over-complicate the things you do and don’t do well.
Keep steady.
Ask other professionals that know you well. What they say may surprise you, your biggest weakness could be your greatest strength.
The most trusted “rubber-ducks” I have was from building connections early and maintaining them. Those connections are event better when you naturally get along too; those relationships will last a lifetime.
Next, ask if they know about any opportunities they would recommend you for. Recommendations can make all the difference between being at the top of the resume stack or the bottom — but proceed with caution. Like any relationship, abusing it will only force it to an end.
Interviewing Sucks — Being The Interviewer Does Too
Pre-canned or manufactured responses make only make it harder to make out what’s real and what’s not. Use your list of strengths and weaknesses, contrary to popular belief:
It’s OK to say “I don’t know” in a Job interview
It’s not a race — you have nothing to prove. Remember, you’re catching someone up: where you’ve been, what you’ve been doing, and what you know. Not — to convince someone you’re “the right person for the job.” They want to know you.
Go Where You’re Needed The Most
I had a 25-year plan, and maybe the first two years were accurate, but the rest never happened
— Tim Cook
Throw away your ‘x’-year plan. Instead, think of what the company and its customer needs are. Is it critical to the company’s future success? Are they desperate for what you can do?
If the answer is yes, then this is the best place for your work. You will be appreciated and that: will drive you.
We all have short term needs, but don’t let that cloud your judgment. A full life means being able to look back and feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in what you have done.
This intangible substance that brings meaning isn’t found inside a plan. As I continue to interview people at the end of their careers, they regret not finding their stride earlier in life. Or worse — not having found one at all. This ethereal substance keeps us objective about what it is we want.
40/1,240/14,880/595,200 Hours
There are 40 hours in the workweek, 1,240 hours in the work month, 14,880 hours in a work year, and 595,200 hours in a career. Life is way too short to be complicit — and the mind is a terrible thing to waste. It’s hard enough as it is to live a happy life, don’t make it harder by surrendering nearly 10% of your entire waking life on something you hate.
On the other side, however, it’s not worth spending all your time chasing something that isn’t realistic. That “dream” job will keep being a dream if you ask too much of it. Keep your expectations on the ground, and in time, you’ll find yourself there too.
