Creative Cultivator

According to a BNet article, the balance of power between employers and job seekers has shifted -- towards employers.  What does this mean for today's job seekers?  Here are a few tips:

So, you're graduating in a few months and wondering, "How am I going to get a job in this economic climate?"  Or maybe you've already graduated -- or are mid-career -- and have already experienced the tightening of the employment world.  It's certainly true: employers are reducing hiring at this point.  Well, many of them are.  Others are holding steady or, surprisingly, increasing hiring.  But we'll get to that in a minute.

So, you're graduating in a few months and wondering, "How am I going to get a job in this economic climate?"  Or maybe you've already graduated -- or are mid-career -- and have already experienced the tightening of the employment world.  It's certainly true: employers are reducing hiring at this point.  Well, many of them are.  Others are holding steady or, surprisingly, increasing hiring.  But we'll get to that in a minute.

One of the key qualities that employers look for in applicants is soft skills.  What are these nebulous skills that are so important?  Soft skills include attitude, communication skills, leadership abilities, character, business acumen, flexibility -- and on and on.  For a longer list, check out "On the Up" at http://blog.ontheup.org/2008/03/31/identifying-soft-skills-for-the-social-innovation-camp/.  Soft skills are the skills, characteristics, and personal attributes that are hard to define and even harder to teach.  Employers can teach you the basics of their business and help you develop your technical expertise in the area of interest; however, they have less ability and even less time to teach you the nuances of interpersonal communication, coping skills, and the other intangibles that will make you a valued employee.

It's great to be back on the blog after a summer hiatus.  It's busy season in career counseling with new college students seeking majors and soon-to-be graduates starting the job search.  In the midst of sharing resources and encouraging these students, I have come across a very thought-provoking article from Business Week on a data collection/curation project at IBM:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_36/b4098032904806.htm

Last time we talked about goals -- specific steps on the path.  Now, we'll talk about dreams -- the bigger picture.  Having your dream clearly in mind makes it easier to set goals.  Sometimes it's hard to see where you want to go, though.  Is it hard for you to imagine where you want to be 5 or 10 years from now when you're struggling with the realities of studying for tests, paying bills, taking care of family, and fitting in time for fun?

Here's one technique for finding your passion:

Imagine yourself on a desert island for 3 months.  This is a twist on the usual scenario -- it's a pampered vacation, not an isolated shipwreck/deathwatch.  You will be cut off from your immediate friends, family, job, life, etc. -- but you won't be completely alone.  The purpose of your elite vacation will be a 3-month intensive training period with a world-renowned coach of your choice.  If you follow the passion of your heart, what would you choose to do for the 3 months?  At the end of the 3 months, you will have received the best training available, and, if you possess the requisite skills, your personal coach will give you a glowing recommendation. 

Have you always wanted to learn to paint?  Would you follow your dream of learning a new language to enhance your career skills?  How about developing an area of talent/skill you currently enjoy and making it a core strength for you?  What is your passion? 

Keep in mind that the key ingredient to success here is passion.  Passion is the fuel that will take you places.  Passion can also be self-generating -- when you start to run down, passion rebuilds itself for the journey.  Skill is necessary, too, but passion for an area can be applied in so many ways.

For example, I love dance.  There is something about the music, the expression of the soul and spirit through the movement of the body, through subtle steps and gestures, that inspires me and exhilarates me.  I'm a fairly good dancer since I studied dance for a number of years when I was young.  I learn new steps quickly and can innovate.  I enjoy choreographing dance and have a feel for music.  I do not, however, have what it takes to be a professional dancer or to be a dance teacher.  My strengths are in the area of communications -- speaking, writing, web publishing.  If I chose to translate my love of dance into a career, I could draw on my knowledge of cultures and communications and do public relations or marketing for a dance company.   There are many tangential areas I could explore that would tie in my passion with my skill sets.  I know my passions and strengths, but I also know my limitations.  This is key!  For me, though, dance is my leisure pursuit, not my career dream.

I encourage you to take time and space to explore your passions in a way that makes sense to you.  Discover your dreams (try Hallie Crawford's "Vision Board" approach) and contemplate how you might live them.  A lived dream is a soul set free; an unlived dream is a caged spirit.  If you're ready dive into the deep end of exploration, try Quint Careers' tutorial on Career Passion. 
 

Let's start with goals!  You have some.  Everyone does.  Question is . . . do you know what they are?  Maybe you can't quite rattle off your 5-year plan, but you probably know full well the difference between what you want to do and what you don't want to do.  Preference?  Yes, partially.  But, embedded within, you probably have some goals that need to be brought to light. 

How do you do this?

Goal setting is actually a process of constant refinement as new experiences and information are processed, not a matter of writing goals down and saying, "Well, there, I'm good now for the long haul."  So, if you haven't revisited your goals lately, it's time to do that.  You're saying, "But, I don't know what I want ... yet.  I don't know what my goals are!"  Then I'll bet one of your goals is self-exploration and discovery of your path; at least, that's a good place to start.

Setting Goals
Setting goals can seem intimidating, like writing on a blank page or painting on a fresh canvas.  Here are some tips:
* Brainstorm -- make a list of possibilities that occur, that come from your heart; don't rule any out yet -- winnow later
* Aggregate -- can you group possibilities into categories? do you see patterns or directions?
* Separate -- consider short-term versus long-term goals, realistic goals given resources at hand, and reasonable/viable action plans for a core set of goals that will be your primary focus
* Implement -- write down your action plan for the core goals (and find a goal partner, if possible) including what you want to accomplish, timeline, details, and outcomes
* Clarify -- take a holistic look to see that your core goals will keep you on track and fit in with your lifestyle, your values, and your personal dreams
* Change -- revisit, refine, and revise your goal plan as necessary to align your goals with your dreams and to maintain a balance between head and heart and happy living

This BASICC approach makes it sound so simple, right?  It isn't; I know that.  If it were that simple, I'd be done with my PhD and doing my own research.  Goal-setting is a complex process because we are complex creatures, so I am still working at my studies and trying to set my own goals for when I finish my degree. 

For another template or approach to goal-setting, take a look at Success From the Nest.  It can also help to work backwards from dreams to goals.  Look at the big picture (the dreams) and try to figure out how you get there (the goals).  Think of your goals as your car and map your route to your destination.  We'll talk more about this topic next time!  For now, start thinking about your goals and how they will help you reach your dreams.

First of all, I apologize for the long hiatus . . .  I took a little break after the spring semester and did a little traveling and a little teaching (and not so much resting). 

Secondly, I have focused a lot on career tips, the pragmatic aspects of career opportunities, so I am going to shift for a while into the more nebulous arena of creatively cultivating career directions.  What is that, you ask?

Let's start with dreams.  I don't mean the psychoanalysis of dreams, their interpretations and meanings.  I mean dreams for the future -- hopes, aspirations, big goals.  Eventually we'll talk about goals and goal-setting, but we have to start with dreams.

I have a dream . . . of finishing my PhD and doing something fabulous with it.  I'm not sure what that "something fabulous" is quite yet.  I have a goal of finishing up sometime this decade.  I need to hurry; time is running out on that!  The dream is the bigger picture, the goal is detail of the picture.  Cast another way, according to the Teaching Moments blog, you shoot an arrow (goal) at a target (dream).

I like to think of it in terms of a journey: you have the destination (dream) and the vehicle (goals).  Both are equally important.  Why own a car if you don't have any place to go?  Conversely, if you have some place you want/need to reach, you need a way to get there -- just wishing yourself there or clicking your heels three times isn't likely to work!

So, what kind of car do you want to drive?  By this, I mean in the realm of opportunities and possibilities, in career and personal pathways --

* Sports car:  You want the fast track. You like to accelerate from 0-90 in a heartbeat. You want to stand out from the crowd with your style and features, get noticed, be envied. You are in a top-tier price group.

* Compact car:  You are efficient and effective; you get the job done. You can be just a loaded as features as the next car, but your emphasis is more on pragmatics. You may not get noticed for your extra features or flair, but you bring things in under budget.  You're great at going the distance.

* Hybrid car:  In today's world, you're a mix of the practical and the possibilities, down to earth and head in the clouds.  You have style, but you're sensible about it and you're looking for the best solutions for everyone.  You're globally-focused and team-oriented.

* Concept car:  You are the future, baby!  The world is in your hands, and you are ready to run with your ideas -- as soon as someone gives you the company charge card.  You are a visionary and a decision maker.  You take risks and lead others.  You are bold and people notice you and know who you are.

* Minivan:  You always have a lot of people around, and you have a unique way of providing the help that people need when they need it.  You can take charge, if necessary, but you probably prefer to be part of the support team.  You're very organized, detail-oriented, and you like the add-ons in life.  Your family values shine through and are at the heart of your aspirations.

* Pickup Truck:  You're practical and hands-on.  You like to be involved in making the details happen, not just planning them out, and you take initiative.  You're usually traditional, conservative, and a problem-solver.  People come to you to fix things -- and you do. 

Now, not everyone fits perfectly into the above categories.  Some people see themselves in more than one.  Some people may not quite see themselves (but can picture themselves as a different type of car).  You get the idea, though.  Your personality, your work style, your approach to life and values -- all of that influences how you work out your goals.  If you don't have the right type of car (goals) to get where you're going (dreams), now might be the time for a change!