I believe that 99 percent of the public “does it backwards” when it comes to the process of looking for a job and developing their career. This conclusion is the result of my more than 25 years of experience working as a career coach, during which time I have had the opportunity to work with literally thousands of clients. When I think about it now, I believe that this viewpoint has been growing in my head for a considerable amount of time. However, it was only lately that my views began to solidify into a shape that I was able to articulate in a message that was concise. Many new clients report feeling apprehensive about their current professional circumstances and expressing a strong sense of urgency or even fear about the prospect of obtaining a new work in a short amount of time. Almost all of their attention is directed on the work, as shown by phrases such as “I need a new job; I have to obtain a job quickly; please help me get a better job today,” etc. Despite the fact that I am familiar with this experience, I constantly make an effort to redirect the conversation’s attention to other subjects that are of more significance. “What could possibly be more crucial than finding a new job as fast as possible for a person who is in the process of transitioning careers or who is already unemployed?” It is my view that there are more significant things to take into consideration than “the work.” In order to get to know my clients better, I ask them questions like, “What kind of life do you want to lead? What kind of lifestyle appeals to you the most? What are your biggest priorities? What are your core values? What do you love doing the most? What kind of work do you do the best? How do you want to spend your time? What would be your ideal quality of life? How important is salary to you?” How would you describe the ideal day at work for you so far? and so forth etc. To put it another way, instead of focusing on the sort of work you desire, you should be thinking about the kind of life you want to have! In situations when customers are confronted with queries such as these, they often look at me in a bewildered manner, asking “what language I’m speaking.” When asked about the questions, people typically react by stating, “Those questions are all well and dandy, but I have to get a job!” My response to that is, “Why do you feel the need to look for a new job?” Kind of work do you do? In what ways can your new position help you achieve your professional goals? When compared to the jobs you’ve had in the past, which you often loathed, what gives you reason to believe that your new work will be any better? How does your professional life fit into the bigger picture of your life? The customer will next, as is customary, often ask, “What is your life plan?” What is your life plan? According to what I said before, the issue is that the majority of people “have it backwards.” Rather of saying “ready, aim, fire,” they are saying “fire, aim, ready.” As a result, it is reasonable to say that they “miss the target.” It should not come as a surprise that a great number of individuals become lost or bewildered in their professional life. It is not surprising that a large number of individuals might feel trapped and “angled in knots” in relation to their professions. Don’t blame them, I don’t! In point of fact, I am able to sympathize. The early years of my life were marked by the challenges I faced in my professional life. Within this culture, this is the manner that we are brought up. Every day, we are instructed to concentrate on “getting a decent job.” The phrase “always have a job” is taught to us, even if the job we are now doing is causing us to feel unhappy. As opposed to just pursuing a profession or finding a job, no one recommends that we should pay attention to the process of establishing a life for ourselves. This is the message that the majority of us are taught, and it is the one that we do our best to live by: type 1 model: Job comes first, followed by career, and then lifestyle. the following is an explanation of model number one: come out of school and acquire a job (generally by mistake or by chance). the job (or sequence of jobs that are comparable to the job) forms your career, which subsequently decides your entire life experience. This kind of thinking is often “unconscious” and passive, and as a result, your job will become nothing more than a routine or habit. However, the issue is that this approach does not work in 99 percent of the situations — at least not over the course of a lengthy period of time. Rather than that, I encourage my clients to change the formula, and I also encourage you to do the same. I am of the opinion that this is a far more productive and healthy construct: second model: First, lifestyle, then career, then job, and last, job: the following is an explanation of model number two: Imagine in great detail the kind of life you wish to have and the kind of life you want to lead. After you have achieved perfect clarity in your mind about this vision, you should fully devote yourself to it. Determine the career(s) that would make that specific life and lifestyle possible and which would provide support for it. After that, do study and analysis on the work market in order to choose the precise job or jobs that would allow you to actualize the life you envisage in a sustainable manner. This approach is proactive and intentional, and it puts you “in the driver’s seat” with a sense of purpose and enthusiasm! It may also be maintained for the whole of a career. It is clear to me that this paradigm is in direct opposition to the cultural and commercial standards that we have. On account of the fact that it is strange, unsettling, and maybe even menacing, it may even lead some individuals to get confused or disturbed. Let me reiterate: model number one is flawed, and it is the cause of a great deal of professional sorrow for a great number of individuals. Amazing things, on the other hand, begin to take place when individuals bring their thinking and conduct into alignment with model number two. My customers are far better able to describe what it is like to go through this experience than I am. The following is a selection of the feedback that I have gotten from customers that have successfully adopted model #2: It is as if I had regained my sense of self-awareness. The first time in decades that I have ever known why I am doing the job that I am doing, and I am absolutely smitten with it. I have reached a point where everything is in harmony: my life, my career, my goals and aspirations, my abilities and skills, my belief system, and everything else. “At this point, everything seems to be rather straightforward. that is quite easy to understand and it makes a lot of sense. There was simply something I didn’t get before.” “I get the impression that someone has finally put a stop to my professional advancement!” “I don’t understand why I ‘beat my head against the wall’ for such a long time. For the wrong reasons, I spent a lot of time chasing a job that was not the right fit for me. This is it, no more!” This was a challenging shift for me, but I am thrilled beyond measure that I was able to make it through. The behavior and thinking associated with model #2, as well as the rewards connected with it, may be assumed by some individuals to be reserved exclusively for executive-level positions and highly compensated professionals. On the other hand, I have repeatedly seen significant advancements in the careers of customers of all levels during the time that they have selected model #2. Other individuals could come to the conclusion that selecting model number two is too methodical, requires an excessive amount of time, and does not fulfill their pressing desire to “find a job right now.” The second model, on the other hand, has consistently assisted clients in being fully employed a greater percentage of the time and being jobless (or underemployed) a smaller percentage of the time. I often recommend to my customers that they take a few deep breaths and consider “the broad picture” while I am teaching this material to them. As soon as this “conceptual shift” to model #2 takes place, the client comes to the realization that she has a far better chance of obtaining the job she wants at any moment she desires, and of maintaining that work for as long as she desires. As a “added benefit,” when you approach your work-life via model #2, you will always be able to acquire positions that are a far better match of your personality and interests. In the course of the interview, you will have a completely other kind of energy that you convey. You’ll “show up” more confident, vibrant, and present than you were before. A clear distinction will be made between you and other applicants based on the degree of concentration, clarity, and purpose that you possess. Upon starting the new work, you will experience increased levels of engagement, alignment, and productivity. The reason you will be “in your power” is because you will be doing the appropriate task for the appropriate rationale. In order to provide a further illustration of the point, the following is a wonderful quotation from Richard J. leider and David A. Shapiro, authors of the book work reimagined: “there are jobs that pay the bills; careers that help us progress financially and personally; and callings that really give us a sense of fulfillment, engagement, and energy that we don’t have in the other two.” In light of this, I have a few questions for you now: Would you say that you are OK with having a job that “simply covers the bills”? Describe the profession that you are pursuing. Is it possible for you to identify the job that is most suitable for you, the employment that will provide you with a true “feeling of satisfaction, involvement, and energy?” In that case, how do you plan to find out? What is the significance of this to you? If we did not know, what would the consequences be in the long run? You are being challenged to take a deep, in-depth look at the belief systems and “internal messages” that have contributed to the formation of your professional experience up to this point. I would want to urge you to join the one percent of those who have “flipped the formula” and chosen model #2 if you are not completely pleased with your own work-life situation. I am fairly certain that, once some time has passed, you will see a favorable change, and not only in your professional life; it will be an improvement in all aspect of your life. Copyright © 2021, as owned by career potential, LLC. Ford R. Myers, a well-known career advisor who is also the author of the book “obtain the job you want, even when no one’s recruiting,” has granted permission for this article to be reproduced here. Please visit http://www.careerbookbonuses.com in order to get your free career success gifts right now. articles pertaining to careers, life work, career change, and similar topics also Send a friend an email with this story! Get stories like this one sent to your inbox directly from the source! Get a free subscription right now!
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