Faith

In the spirit of the holiday season, I thought I'd take a break from the career talk to mention a little something about faith.

I have never been what one would call "religious."  I have always felt, however, a pull toward the spiritual.  I tend to believe in miracles, serendipity, things happening for a reason, and knowing when you've found "your calling."  I also believe that it takes a certain amount of faith to make changes in your life. 

I don't know how else to explain why someone would take a chance on following a dream, make a long term commitment with a significant other, have children, try out a new path, or invest in themselves or their prospective business.  These acts require a person to have faith in themselves, their relationship, their talent, their abilities to cope with whatever problems arise.   Believing without seeing is what faith is all about, which is not an easy task, as many people will admit.

I remember a time when I had a really tough, life-changing decision to make, one that I'd been putting off making for way too long.  I'd procrastinated because I knew the repercussions would be personally devastating no matter the decision.  There was definitely a responsible, ethical choice , but I couldn't bring myself to make it because I knew it would be emotionally painful.  Finally, in a moment of desperation, I tearfully explained my turmoil to a friend who wisely told me, "Katie, sometimes you just have to make the adult, mature decision you know is right and live with that decision." 

"Live with that decision."

Those words magically resonated with me and I felt a huge sense of relief.  The fact was, I did have substantial evidence as to the right decision, but the fear of not being able to emotionally deal with the consequences of that decision had crippled me.  But for some reason, those words triggered an ounce of faith that I could live with that decision, no matter what happened.  This faith in my coping abilities enabled me go with the right choice.

Now, admittedly, it was extremely hard, but I had mustered up the faith in myself to live with my decision.  I braved through the after-math with a newly acquired confidence and strength. Making life decisions and commitments require nothing less than blind faith, knowing that even if the change involves a certain degree of failure, you can live with those failures, knowing that the decision is the right one.

So here's my holiday wish for you:  believe in your abilities, your ideas, your passions, your inclinations.  Have faith that you can make changes in your life that benefit you and those you care about.  Allow your faith to grow each day of the upcoming year and see what happens.  While you don't know for sure what the future will bring, you can at least know that you are choosing your actions based on self-confidence and faith, as opposed to choosing inaction based solely on fear.

So What the Heck is a Career Anyway? Part II: A Word by Any Other Name... Might Actually Sound Better

The term, "career" can mean just about anything these days, and to say the term comes loaded with baggage is an understatement.  That is why, when I tell people I'm a career coach, I get reactions as varied as:

"Oh, really?!  I (or my son, daughter, mother, aunt, uncle, friend, cat...) definitely need to talk to you!"

to

"Oh."  (As in, "Oh.  Did you pick that one out of a hat or something?")

to

“Ohhhh.” (As in Ohhhh... you’re one of THOSE people who are going to tell me to do what I LOOOVE and sing kumbaya and make no money and be happy about it. This is typically accompanied by a subtle roll of the eyes.)

I have searched high and low for various definitions, derivations, musings, and general nonsense about careers, and this is what I've uncovered:  the word "career," solely from a dictionary's point of view, centers around three words:  permanency, longevity, and commitment.

Sounds kind of daunting, huh?  No wonder adults, young and old alike, feel intimidated by choosing a career.

When I work with clients, I don't even bring up terms such as the above.  Instead, we simply uncover what they enjoy doing and determine what they are exceptionally good at.  Does commitment follow?  Absolutely.  Does this result in permanency and longevity?

Hmmm...

I'd prefer to use the term, "growth."

Growing entails learning, evolving, making mistakes, re-adjusting, mastering, and, ultimately, succeeding. However, this evolution needs some scaffolding to make the process efficient. I therefore help clients find the one brilliant spine or cohesive glue, if you will, that binds their cognitive abilities, skills, preferences, and passions together.  Once that spine is in place, their professional lives can naturally unfold and flourish. 

Successful careers are living expressions of our brain and body.  They may shift as our needs and lives change, but their essence remains.  This essence must be discovered, cultivated and put to use in order to meet the needs of others as well as our own needs.  They may take the form of one straight and narrow path or a combination of paths that we creatively weave together to satisfy our different interests and skills.  And though different types of people are obviously drawn to different kinds of paths, ideally all of these paths bring our talents and interests to life in the form of a career.

All that said, I won't throw out the dictionaries entirely.  I've decided that as far as a dictionary definition is concerned, I'm going to pay homage to the origin of the term "career", which stems from the Middle French "carrière," meaning "course" or  "passage."  Moreover, "carrière" continues to be the French word for career.  (Most likely because the New French found no need to change what the Old French had started.  And hey, it sounds pretty.) 

I personally find "course" and "passage" appealing for a number of reasons:

1) they allow for a broader understanding of the word "career"
2) they just sound a little less daunting, and I'm all about taking the daunting out of life in general
3) they mesh well with the idea of growing and moving forward, all within a given path

So perhaps I should try calling myself a "carrière coach", making sure to amp up the rolling r's in the middle.

That'll put an end to the bad "Oh's."  And begin the new phase of people just looking at me kind of funny.

So What the Heck is a Career Anyway? Part I: An Enigma for Most People

As I compiled all of the career poll responses, both online and off, my inner monologue went something like this:

"Seriously, Katie.  Why do you punish yourself this way?
Gathering data (yay!!) must lead to sorting data (awww, do I haveta?)
And what do we say about sorting data?
'Avoid like plague!!'
So why on earth did you decide to open this can of worms?
How are you ever going to sort through all of these different responses?
Where does one even begin?"

(I just thought I'd be honest with you, if for no other reason than because I was raised Catholic and I'll feel guilty if I don't.)

Yes indeed, I did panic.  But then, 2 days, 2 minutes and 31 seconds later, I felt much better.  I just needed to let the overwhelming data overwhelm me for a while.  And then I realized how the variety in responses validates my theory of why the meaning of the word career is enigmatic for many people:  everyone has his or her own version. This also means that one post is not going to cut the mustard, as they say.  (That’s a bad saying, but I felt like using it anyway.)  Therefore there will be a sort of blog miniseries on the career definition.  Yes, my dear readers, you are getting your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa present early this year.

First of all, I’d like to share with you some of the interesting analogies and definitions I received:

Leslie said she thinks of a career as a "book with many chapters."

For Pat, the term "connotes a chosen professional path, which is probably a way to earn a living, but is also a way to build self-esteem and identity. The word 'career' is stronger than 'job' but weaker than 'calling' or 'vocation'."

Katherine said, "On occasion, when you choose a career and have been practicing in that career for many years, things can turn on you."  This comment pops up in so many conversations I have with people who've been in the same career for some time.  They feel as if something has gradually shifted, wherein tasks, responsibilities, environment, and/or colleagues have changed and now their days look nothing like they did during the first few years.  Sometimes liking a career and seeing it morph into something you never bargained for is just as bad as not knowing what career to pursue in the first place.  However, these two predicaments need the same solution:  think more about what you want to do everyday, and less about the title you possess.  

Another person has come to view a career as more of a "journey" than a "destination".  I definitely plan to elaborate on this career philosophy in the future, which I consider a key ingredient to successful career development.  It's kind of like when you are going on a plane trip and try not to care about how the airlines are treating you like sand in their proverbial swim trunks, and instead you just enjoy your time devouring that book you've been wanting to read or that Snickers Bar you've been saving for just the right occasion.  Now is the perfect time to whip that puppy out since it'd cost you about ten bucks on your flight.

But I digress. On to the career poll.

I personally find all of the poll choices legitimate components of my definition of career.  For example, the first choice, "a job, plain and simple," as basic as it sounds, has merit in its own right.   At times clients may take on jobs not only to pay the bills, but so that they may also reach their meta goal of pursuing their desired long term career path.  (See Alice's comment about her writing career.)  Many artists and performers may find themselves in this position quite often, unless he or she develops an equally satisfying parallel career along the way.

On the other hand, some people are content filling their lives with various jobs (not necessarily draining jobs, but not abundantly satisfying either) that help support one or more passionate hobbies.  I'll be writing future posts about the pros and cons of piecing together jobs and hobbies, but I do like the succinct comment submitted by Rachel.  She explained, "I think of a career as something that builds related job experiences over time into something that means more as a collective than each job could on its own."   I love it.  There’s much to be said in having a common thread, gradually building up your range of expertise over time.

The next, most popular, selection, "following my life's calling and/or passion(s)" has always been a necessary component of my definition of "career."  And come on, if I didn't believe this one, why would I even bother calling myself a career coach?   Job listings and forecasts tell you where the money and jobs are and will be, but not where you personally have a chance of thriving and succeeding.  For example, if you have no passion or interest (or talent) in medicine and healing people, who cares if the job forecast says the nursing profession is a financially promising field because of aging baby boomers?  Without the motivation or interest or talent you will probably find it difficult to compete professionally with those who have a real passion and gift for nursing.  And then you are back to square one, but with college or grad school loans piled on top as well.

The third choice, "uncertainty and aggravation," unfortunately, have their place in careerdom.  (Don't bother googling that word, I just made it up.)  As much as we all wish this weren't true, these discomforts come with the territory. Even when you courageously follow your dream career path, wherein all of your talents and skills and interests line up perfectly, you'll still have moments of doubt and frustration.  (In fact, if you had absolutely NO trouble at all, I'd wonder if you are truly challenging yourself.)

Younger clients, quite understandably, often feel frustrated and overwhelmed with all of the possibilities presented to them.  My poll didn't reach many high school age and college age students, who would probably have selected this choice in greater numbers.  I personally remember feeling overwhelmed with career uncertainty in college and in my twenties;  however, my experience predates the onslaught of information (Facebook, Twitter, bing, google, and so on) that barrage young people today. 

One young person has described career coaching in terms of helping to "tame the monster," or making the ordeal of career selection more manageable. In light of this clever metaphor, isn't interesting that one of the most popular job sites today is called "monster.com?"  Surprisingly, doing a typical career search by itself results in far more frustration and anxiety than self discovery.  One would think the exact opposite is true, perhaps because the classifieds and career search engines such as careerbuilder.com and monster.com seem so easy, so accessible, so immediate. And we as a society- both young and old alike- don't like to think about long-range life planning.  It's difficult to see the immediate gratification.

Add to that the degree to which organizations inundate us with ads declaring that they can meet all of our career needs for success RIGHT NOW. In doing so they make it seem as if it takes less emotional energy to look to the outside for self-definition.  The great secret lies in searching for clues by looking at our own talents and interests;  however, remember this entails steering off the information highway and answering some questions about ourselves.  While it may seem easier to ingest lots of extraneous information (something we're addicted to now) than make a life decision, it's actually much more debilitating.

And the good news?  Great career design helps to ensure that the uncertainty and aggravation are only moments, not incessant daily occurrences.  Furthermore, being in a career that fits makes these moments feel like bumps in the road, not huge potholes that can swallow you whole. The more a client can look within for clues rather than search desperately for outside guidance, the more successful his or her path finding will be. 

Next up on the list, "a journey of trial and error."  Not a very popular choice, but a definite career component.  Sometimes what looks good on paper, in your mind's eye, on You Tube, TV, or on a glossy brochure isn't so perfect in real life.  That's why I recommend trying on a career for size before taking the plunge.  Take as much time as you can to shadow, volunteer, work part-time, intern, set up informational interviews... do whatever it takes to get a true look at a typical day "in the life of" said profession.  As one respondent pointed out, a career is "more than a job title."

And finally, "filling a need in society."  This is the entrepreneur's calling card.  Innovators know they don't get paid for doing or providing something no one wants or needs.  And if the need isn't apparent to society, they show society the need.  For example, computer programmer Craig Newmark founded Craigslist in 1995.  Before that time we all just assumed we had to pay for classified ads.  Craigslist and ebay, Google, Facebook- seriously, where would we be without these innovations?

Well..., probably more sane, but that’s a different story.

Often clients first come in thinking they need to fit in somewhere, when in actuality they discover they are the ones who have the upper hand.  They soon learn how empowering it is to learn that they have something others want.  It’s hard to see an innate talent because it’s innate!  If something comes easily for us, we don’t naturally recognize our uniqueness and that others need what we have.

Whether the needs of others involve healing, nourishing or teaching, or computing, advising, or investing, the fulfilled individual creates a way to fill these needs using his or her own vessel of physicality (strengths, agility, endurance), aptitudes, and talents.   In turn, using our own strengths (and you know something is a strength when your brain needs to do something, kind of like needing to exercise a dog that is pent up in a room all day) fuels us to keep filling others' needs.  Otherwise the vessel is depleted and there is nothing left to give.  I tell my clients that they must get energy in order to give energy, and they heartily believe me because they've usually had a lot of experience with one way giving in their jobs.

Stay tuned for my next post about defining a career, dictionary-style vs. Katie-style.  I'll attempt to help you make sense of the various schools of thought in career development circles.  That way when you go to the bookstore you can expediently identify the various philosophical camps without wading through the myriad career and self help books.  Unless you have that kind of time;  in which case have fun and let me know if there's some little gem I've missed, like, Bathroom Humor Part IX, or something...  (Is that in Self Help, by the way??)

The Results are In!

First of all, thank you all very much for the enlightening responses.  I enjoyed hearing your various perspectives.

And now, to put an end to your sleepless nights filled with tossing, turning, and anxious ruminations about the outcome of the career poll... you shan't wait any longer!  Your answers are as follows:

(Drum roll please.)

What mainly comes to mind when you think of the word, "career"?
a. a job, plain and simple received 13 votes (11%)
b. following my life's calling and/or passion(s) a whopping 62 votes (55%)
c. uncertainty and aggravation 2 votes (1%)
d. a journey of trial and error 31 votes (27%)
e. filling a need in society 7 votes (6%)
f. other 10 votes (8%)

I received some great comments from readers, so be sure to check out their thoughtful responses.   I'll discuss these comments and provide analysis of the poll in my next post, so stay tuned!

Career Poll

Please take a moment- because that's all it will take- to answer the poll on the right.

NOTE:  If you answer "other",  please leave a comment.  Otherwise your idea, no matter how insignificant you may believe it to be, shall remain in your head indefinitely, serving no purpose but to take up space in your brain.  And no one needs any more mental clutter, right?

How We Got to the Moon

Hint:  It wasn't by using approximations.

At least that's what my better half tells me.

Interestingly, this discussion of moon expeditions began when we were on our own little odyssey:  a journey to the post office to get the kids' passports.  Since only certain post offices process passports, we had to go to an unusual location, which was no problemo because I'd been to this post office before, albeit many years earlier, and knew I'd recognize the area.  However, despite my crystal clear ability to recognize formerly-visited locations, I've been married long enough to know that my spouse would want a number to look for, so, to humor him, I looked up the address before we left.

Once in the car, I relayed "8315 Richmond Highway" to Mr. Driver and off we merrily went... at first.  Funny thing was, when we got to that address we couldn't find the post office.  So, at my request, we kept on driving south.  I knew by sight we hadn't reached "The Area" yet.  Of that I was certain.


However, after a few minutes of still finding no post office Mr. Driver got antsy and said, "Are you sure that 8513 is the right number?"

I thought about it a second and said, "Maybe not." 


A long pause ensued while my brain searched its number archives. 

"No that's definitely not the right number,"  I concluded.  "It's actually 8315."

"Katie, that's a totally different number!" he responded, exasperated.

"I'm very aware of that.  I was just giving you an approximation."

"Oh, I see.  An approximation."  He shook his head and added sarcastically, "Yeah, that's how we got to the moon- by approximating!!"


He's witty, that one.

You see, numbers, and specifically, details, and I have never really clicked.  I have a blast researching and discussing complex abstractions such as literary theory, the varied nuances in career studies, and neuropsychological concepts.  And in my creative pursuits such as writing, art, coaching, performance and career design I am downright meticulous!  But ask me to mess around with Quicken and household appliance manuals and I just want to take a nap.  A very long nap at that.  Actually, one in which I wake up and someone else ((i.e. my better half)) has it all done.

This energy drainage has a lot to do with a facility (or lack thereof) with small details versus big concepts.  Now, you can imagine which facility society tends to value most: the small detail orientation.  It's just the way things get done.  For example, imagine if IRS agents only gave rough estimates about what a person owes, or if librarians put books kind-of-sort-of-in the right vicinity.  Or, even worse, what if civil engineers sat around discussing only what a new bridge would mean philosophically instead of figuring out all of the specific measurements and mathematics involved.  I myself would not want to drive over a bridge that was all concept and no detailed research and calculations!

So, does that mean that the abstract-oriented people, or right-brain thinkers, are completely screwed?  I mean, if details make the world go round, where do those without that detail facility fit in?   At the back of the unemployment line? 

Well, that answer depends on the Right-Brainer's tenacity to find work in which details are necessary but don't comprise the majority of daily job tasks.  Psychologists, marketing whizzes, career coaches (phew!), therapists, and certain types of artists and writers exemplify just a few of the hundreds of careers that don't need to be detailed 24/7.  In fact, abstract concepts are the meat and potatoes of these careers. Furthermore, I've discovered pretty good employment news for abstract/ big concept peeps out there.  Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future,  writes convincingly,

"The era of “left brain” dominance, and the Information Age that it engendered, are giving way to a new world in which “right brain” qualities-inventiveness, empathy, meaning-predominate."

In his book, Pink specifically mentions the increasing importance of the new "six senses" necessary for a successful economic future, the first being design.  Not highly detailed, measurement-driven design, but a more right brain, visual, abstract design movement. Design that feels and looks rich in ideas and builds a rapport with its audience. Notice, for example, the way in which advertising using art and the printed word have become more and more concept-oriented, with collage cartoons becoming a staple.  Detailed realism seems to be a bit on the passe side.  He also describes at length the other five senses which will predominate business and society as we know it:  story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning.

Whether you believe his prophecy or not, Pink definitely gives us something to think about.  And thankfully he gives us Right-Brainers a glimmer of hope.  Now, I personally don't know if we'll rule the future (seriously- God forbid!) but I agree with him that society seems to be widening its horizons, recognizing minds that are not necessarily linear nor number-driven nor particularly detail-oriented.

Mr. Pink is not the only one foreseeing a shift in how business will need new types of abilities.  As quoted in a recent issue of Fast Company Magazine, Silicon Valley investor John Doerr, of Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, stated that the World Wide Web is shifting “from an old Internet of documents and sites to a new one that’s all about people and places and relationships.” The largest, leading edge companies, according to Doerr, see this relationship building endeavor- social media/networking and the like- no longer as "add-on's" but rather a core component of doing business.
In turn, billions of dollars have already been poured into creating these high touch, relationship-oriented corporate endeavors.

Given Doerr's sweeping statement, what does that mean for the next wave of hires that companies will be tracking down? Several questions come to my mind from a career standpoint:

Will those people who are more relationship and concept-oriented than fact and detail-oriented become hot commodities?

Will Monster.com soon be filled with more abstract, right-brain job descriptions?

And on the university front:

Will social science and art departments join ranks with business and engineering as "good choices" in the eyes of parents?  (English majors rejoice!) 

Could it be that corporations and small businesses will end up giving social science grads interviews instead of passing glances? 

Lastly, and most importantly, will the schools of Arts & Letters, sometimes nicknamed "Arts & Parties" at certain universities, now be known as Arts & Income?

Perhaps.  But I know you are thinking the same thing I am:  it's gonna take a looooooong while, if this is indeed the case.

Admittedly, despite the evidence I read on a daily basis, I myself am not convinced that society will no longer prefer detail-oriented individuals (like my significant other, for example.)  But I do know that the times they are a changin' and we will see an openness to talents of all shapes and sizes.  And if a right-brained, big picture person doesn't figure out what he or she has to offer (besides straining to fit into the standard fare of very linear and detail-oriented jobs), these same individuals may miss some very meaty opportunities.  Of that I am sure.

No really, I am certain of this fact, not like the number 8315, or 8513, or whatever it was I was only approximately sure of.

Check out the Fast Company article in its entirety by clicking below:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1696941/doerr-get-social-or-get-left-behind?partner=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company+Headlines%29


You can find Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind at most major booksellers or at http://www.amazon.com/Whole-New-Mind-Right-Brainers-Future/dp/1594481717/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289160174&sr=8-1



 

Is Every Day Halloween for You?

Once again, October 31st will bring much merriment to our household.

For starters, I plan on imbibing a shameful amount of candy corn and regretting it immediately.  There will be neighborhood Halloween parties, spider web cupcakes, warm apple cider, spooky jack-o-lanterns (on other peoples' doorsteps, not ours- we don't have the carving skills or the time.) New costumes will make their debut with unprecedented flourishes.  This year my son, donning a precious little monkey costume, shall amble shamelessly around the neighborhood foraging for candy.  And his older sister shall portray the monkey's pet dog, of course.  For didn't you know, every monkey needs a dog?

(That's okay, I didn't either until a couple of weeks ago when we picked out costumes.)  

And thus, in the spirit of Halloween, I thought I'd broach the subject of pretending, not just on Halloween, but all year long.  And who better to begin with than a recovering pretender such as myself?

Fortunately and unfortunately, the art of pretending comes to me quite naturally.  I played the role of a corporate account manager for quite some time before admitting to myself the job wasn't really me.  I believe it was actually an image of what I thought I should be, versus who I really was.  But I played it rather convincingly, as one would portray a character in a play. Behind the scenes, however, nothing about my performance felt satisfying or real.

Later on, as I forayed into theatre, pretending became my profession.  Throughout my theatre career I played a wide array of roles, including (but not limited to):  a nun, a baby clown, a sister, a mother, a French person, an Irish person, a British person, a Southern person, a feral child raised by wild animals, a Greek chorus, a smoker, a queen, a farmer's daughter, a peasant, a crotchety old woman, a self-righteous dowager, Marie Osmond, a maiden, and a scrappy newsboy.  I also played the part of a temp who tried to convince herself that endless entry level admin work was indeed worth it in order to sustain an acting career.

At one point I played the role of a tap dancer.  However, before landing the role, I'll admit that I couldn't dance my way out of a paper bag.  But I practiced like mad to appear like I could tap dance, and I think I ended up pulling it off fairly convincing.  Now, granted, I landed this show in the very beginning of my theatre career, and it took place at a less-than-reputable dinner theatre.  But that's beside the point.  I knew that pretending I could really tap was only as good as the gig I was in and lasted about as long.  Sustainable?  Hardly.  That's because pretending never lasts, no matter what field you are in.

I see a lot of people in the professional world playing the part of someone else, someone who pretends they enjoy their job/life and that it truly suits them.  These employees can often fake the role quite well, especially for the first couple of years.  After that, the fact that the job doesn't use their talents and interests becomes very real and possibly outwardly apparent.  Drama may ensue in the form of employee conflict, resentment on the part of coworkers, getting fired, legal issues, or perhaps internal strife that eventually causes health issues. 

Whether the person plays the role of a corporate exec, a lawyer or accountant, an engineer or banker,  he or she believes, deep down, that the job pays just enough for the cherade to be worth it.  Perhaps pretending to like one's job, at least temporarily, may truly be the only way to survive and pay the bills.  For example, paying off student loans, medical bills, high costs of living or supporting dependents, all provide ample driving force for a while.  But then what?  Once that impetus passes, where does that leave the pretender?  With some serious questions to answer about his or her future.

Which brings me to ask, what roles are you pretending to fill?  Are they genuinely you or are you playing a part rather than living authentically?  If your current role suits only immediate financial needs then it must be thought of as just that:  temporary.  What roles would better suit you as you look to the future?  Most importantly, can your financial "needs" change?  Perhaps you don't "need" as much as you thought you did, now that you know the price of pretending.

Or maybe you are indeed playing yourself, and your roles truly become you.  If so, I salute your authenticity.  Let's leave pretending for the last day of October!

Now I shall go and enjoy my Halloween... and pretend I do not like candy corn.