The First Generation Professional | Improving Career Wellbeing

Navigate Your Career Using Four-Letter Words

Posted on 31 August 2010 | 1 response

While using most four-letter words is not the best move on your career path, there are two terms that will require your professional attention. Two of the scariest four-letter words in career development lingo must be G-O-A-L and P-L-A-N. Unlike those other four-letter words that can invoke a sense of giddiness and empowerment, these two little words seem synonymous with killjoy terms like drag and bore.

Coincidentally, setting career goals and making action plans have been major themes emerging within several conversations and showing up in my reading materials over the past few weeks.  So, I decided to embark on a journey to create a more inspiring relationship with these modest yet demanding concepts.

Many of us recognize that career goals and planning can help us experience a sense of achievement and bring us closer to realizing our dreams. Unfortunately, statistics indicate that 97% of the people in our society do not have clearly defined career or life goals written down (i.e., a plan). I personally believe that statistic is a bit overblown. At the same time, I have to admit that I have avoided creating career goals and professional plans at different times during my work life.

During my career goal setting and planning exploration, I stumbled upon an audio CD from Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker, author, and salesperson.  In Goals: Setting and Achieving Them on Schedule, Ziglar gives 4 reasons why people do not set goals:

1)    Fear: People have been conditioned with negative beliefs that goal setting does not work.

2)    Poor self-image: People do not believe that they can be financially successful or secure, graduate from college, or find an ideal mate.

3)    Lack of conviction: People have never been “sold” or convinced about the necessity of having goals.

4)    Confusion about setting goals: People do not know how to set goals.

Like many, I have set goals and made plans and experienced great success. There have also been times when I have made goals and plans, achieved exactly what I wanted, and hated the outcome. Still there are other times when goal setting and action plans seemed like a complete waste of my time because my desired result was never realized.  Of course, we are counseled that the journey [of goal settings] and the growth that we experience is more important than the actual destination. All the same, the process of setting goals and making plans has seemed a bit fickle at times.

Did setting goals and making plans seem easier and uncomplicated in childhood? For me, the answer to that question is a resounding Yes! I set a goal to attend college when I was 12 years old. My lack of experience in the world made my dream seem possible even though no one else in my family had an undergraduate degree. I also felt a great deal of community support for achieving that goal. The goal of my 12 year old self, to go to college, feels like a much less daunting intention than trying to find and create professional work where I experience an ongoing sense of engagement, meaning, and purpose. The stakes seem much higher as an adult. Importantly, Ziglar states that many people do not realize that most goals require 10-20 hours of planning, while more complex goals typically require anywhere between 30 to 40 hours of planning! Who knew?

Ziglar also highlights a 1953 research study about goal setting conducted at Yale University for graduating students. In the follow-up to this study, the most successful graduates followed each of the 7 steps in this goal setting process that Ziglar endorses:

1.    State your goals/targets: Become clear about your goals and write them down.

2.    Identify the obstacles: Determine what barriers you need to overcome. What stands between you and your vision/goals?

3.    Identify the people, groups, or organizations that you need to work with to reach your goals.

4.    List the benefits to achieving your goals: Why do you want to reach the goals that you have selected?

5.    List the skills you need to attain your goals: What do you need to know to reach your goals?

6.    Devised a specific plan of action to achieve your goals.

7.    Set a deadline: What dates are feasible for realizing your goals?

Watch Zig Ziglar speak about goal setting in a short three-part series on YouTube:

Some people find that the S.M.A.R.T technique to goal setting is also very useful.  Specific emphasis is given to ensure that your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

No process can completely eliminate all of the questions, complexity, and challenges related to goal setting for career and professional success. However, using these techniques can make the process feel less daunting. I have discovered that creating a compelling vision is the key to navigating the risks and dips of career goal setting and planning.

As you dedicate time and effort to achieve complex goals, you will encounter instances when you feel defeated. In those moments, giving up may seem like the best option.  So, it is essential to develop a compelling vision that inspires your goals and planning and that will continue to sustain you throughout the process of working toward your dreams. 

Ziglar did successfully “sell” me on the importance of setting goals and making plans with the following quote and simple question:

“Most people will go to their graves with their music still in them.”
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

“How can you hit a target that you don’t even have?”

Goals: Setting and Achieving Them on Schedule is an excellent resource for any professional! I checked-out a copy from my local library. Find out if a copy is available in your area through WorldCat.org.

I also created some daily and weekly goal tracking templates, available for download on the Resources page.

May we all discover and create worthwhile dreams that inspire us to set goals and make plans as we live our greatest potential.

Unleashing Your Career Potential

Posted on 31 July 2010 | 7 responses

I kept hitting a wall. Every time I thought about creating a 3 to 5 year career plan, my mind would simply go blank. I had no idea where to start on such a project. In fact, the whole idea of a 3 to 5 year plan seemed like a total drag to me. How the heck was I, a 22 year old, supposed to know what I’d be doing in 3 to 5 years? In 1999, a plan sounded like a good idea and like gibberish to my young adult mind.

If career planning is such a great idea, why do most of us encounter such difficulties with actually creating a 3 to 5 year plan? Why do so many of us suffer from what feels like writer’s block in our career and professional development? Why have many of us never put a plan on paper? As I have been reflecting on these questions, a few ideas have come to mind: 1) we are limited by narrow agendas, 2) we are conditioned to accept a plan that we did not help create, 3) we need an inspiring vision.

1) Limiting agendas. What education, mentoring, or coaching was I provided in the area of career planning? None, that I can recall during my primary education. Everything had been laid out for me and my peers: 6 years in elementary school, 2 years in middle school, 4 years in high school, and another 4 years in college. I had been very committed to that plan and successfully accomplished each educational milestone on that track. Then, at 22 years old, I hear that I “should” create a 3 to 5 year plan. My plan, like most first generation professionals, was to graduate from college, get a “good” job, and climb the corporate ladder. I know that many others continue to share that same agenda. I was not prepared to think beyond that limited plan.

Guess what? A 3 to 5 year plan never materialized in my younger professional days. Instead, I proceeded from project to project as a consultant, knew that the career track of becoming a “partner” in a firm was definitely not for me, and, like many people, escaped the corporate world by going back to graduate school. My young adult mind was right! I had no idea that I would return to graduate school in order to pursue a masters degree in Transpersonal Psychology in 2004.

2) Following the steps on the ladder. The idea of “climbing the corporate ladder” was planted in my mind at a very early age. I grew up in the 1980s culture of “big business.” Of course, my impressionable mind was enthralled by the glamorous images of business professionals making their mark in New York City. I have a belief that the greatest period of success with “climbing the corporate ladder” occurred in the 1980s and then peaked in the 1990s.

Since then, the corporate ladder has fallen on hard times. In fact, last year, I read about the “career ladder” being replaced by the idea of the “career lattice.” Instead of progressing in a linear fashion up a career ladder, many people may find that their career takes them in a variety of directions because of multiple job changes due to global trends like outsourcing, balancing work priorities with other life responsibilities, economic downturns, etc.

Unfortunately, I believe that we continue to give the idea of “climbing the corporate ladder” a lot of influence in measuring our career success. More significantly, our attention to this traditional and somewhat obsolete idea limits our ability to think creatively as professionals.

Consider the fact that a corporate ladder is controlled and defined by a business organization. As a new professional, I was aware that the set path in my company went like this: 2 years as an Analyst, 2 years as a Consultant, 2-4 years as a Senior Consultant, 2-4 years a Manager, 2-4 years as a Senior Manager, and ultimately Partner. By accepting such a linear model, it is very easy to just follow the track and conform to what’s expected. There’s no need to think about a 3 to 5 year plan, it’s already been defined for you.

3) Putting the plan before the vision. What do you want to be known for? What skills do you want to develop? Have you explored multiple career options for using your talents and living your values? What professionals inspire you? How much free time do you want? What type of impact do you want to have on people and the world? These and many other questions that appeal to your imagination and essential motivations will inspire you to create a plan that you will happily put into action.

My early professional vision was limited by the types of companies that I was exposed to during my career search and then by what I thought was possible within the firm that I selected.  I now know that I started my career by accepting a position that had little connection with who I was or wanted to be as a professional. I skipped the valuable phase of career and professional exploration. Therefore, the most skillful 3 to 5 year plan for my young professional self would have been to answer those introspective types of questions.

Ironically, I have always loved the process of planning and organizing.  This week, I visited one of my favorite free assessment sites, SimilarMinds.com and took a 58 question “Career Inventory Test”. My results: The Planner.  Even I, a natural born planner,  encountered a creative block on the subject of the 3 to 5 year plan. The simple and common sense truth is that you have to know where you want to go in order to make a resourceful and effective plan to get there.

The High Stakes of Career Development

Posted on 29 June 2010 | No responses

“People usually underestimate the influence of their career on their overall wellbeing…If you don’t have the opportunity to regularly do something you enjoy–even if it’s more of a passion or interest than something you get paid to do — the odds of your having a high wellbeing in other areas diminish rapidly.”
~Excerpted from Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements (2010) by Tom Rath and Jim Harter.

The Gallup organization, which has done extensive research on the epidemic and costs of employee disengagement is now offering more insight into what it takes for us to maximize our sense of wellbeing throughout our lives. Gallup has identified five key factors (described in the book Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements) that influence our ability to thrive in life: career, social, financial, physical, and community wellbeing.

My dedication to the study, advocacy, and facilitation of professional development stems from an understanding of the critical importance of discovering who you are and ways to successfully apply that knowledge to optimally develop yourself over the course of your career (e.g., life’s work). Helping myself and others maximize a sense of wellbeing is a core motivation of my work. Consequently, I was intrigued to read about this wellbeing study and the associated wellbeing assessment that has been created.

The fact that the extent to which we enjoy what we “do” everyday enormously impacts our overall sense of wellbeing is obvious. Notably, the authors of Wellbeing go as far as to state that “[Career Wellbeing] may be the single most important element of one’s wellbeing.” Yet, I don’t believe that, as a society, we have given nearly enough attention to preparing young people to skillfully address this most essential element of their ability to thrive in life. Instead we leave a lot of our career development to chance and external influences that do not adequately represent the true strengths or potential of an individual.

I began to question the source of power “work” has in our lives even more deeply after learning that the vital importance of career development was further validated through this extensive global research project.  Fundamentally, we are renewed and can experience a great deal of joy when we are able to use our strengths, contribute to the world, recognize our powers, and be acknowledged for the unique and collaborative value we bring to our communities.

The time and work it takes to become aware of your true strengths and passions while having the faith that you can incorporate that key aspect into your career path can seem overwhelming. The sense of tremendous uncertainty around one’s career often leads to paralysis as in the case for many undecided college students or to a speedy attachment to a professional choice (e.g., professional foreclosure).

As Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements highlights the fact that we continue to undervalue the great impact of what we “do,” my mind constantly gravitates back to questions about “how” we go about choosing what we do and “why” we do what we do (i.e., motivation and meaning). We have a vast array of options available to use our skills and contribute to the world. How do we go about optimizing career choices? Engaging in professional development activities is a critical avenue to understand the how and the why of your career development.

We have a large gap between the high stake impact of career development and the amount of meaningful attention and effort we put toward our own professional development. Professional development remains heavily shaped by a position that one holds as an employee within a specific organization. It’s a great benefit that employers often pay for professional development activities. At the same time, those “employer-sponsored” professional development opportunities can seem like a chore and may direct our energies toward learning that holds limited or no appeal. The growing fluidity with which we move among positions and organizations throughout the course of our career is calling us to embrace a new version of professional development.

It’s important that each of us take the time to explore professional study and opportunities that will allow us to grow and to connect with others in ways that help identify and cultivate areas of enjoyment and passion over the course of our work life. A more expanded view and intrinsically motivated version of professional development will help provide an overall sense of coherency and connection among the sometimes disjointed  positions we may hold. Professional development is a vital factor that is intimately intertwined with the essential element that career plays in our overall sense of wellbeing.

A Passionate Professional Life Awaits You

Posted on 8 May 2010 | No responses

This time last year, I was working as an independent contractor while I waited to start a career development facilitator (CDF) course that began in June. Now, I continue to work as an independent contractor, who has finally gotten clear on what passions she wants to develop in her work as a professional.

I began 2009 with two undergraduate degrees, a masters degree, and a decade of diverse professional skills and experience. Yet, I felt lost in terms of my professional direction and experienced a deep yearning “to have something to work toward.” I voiced that desire out loud and in a two hour time span, with the the aid of the internet, I had discovered a CDF training being offered in a city where I knew that I would have a place to stay with friends.

The idea of helping people with career-related needs had entered my thoughts on and off over the course of several years. I had aided various people with writing resumes and cover letters and I had volunteered through agencies that assisted people with job searching and acquiring computer skills.  However, I had no idea about how or if that spark of interest would ever develop.

As I was surfing the internet that fateful evening, the idea of career coaching arose in my thoughts again and my web searching turned in that direction. Thankfully, my business and technology background has helped me perfect an art in terms of finding what I need on the internet. After reviewing several costly options to pursue this interest, I discovered a very economical training offered through the North Carolina Workforce Development Training Center. I felt like I had my answer to “something to work toward.” I conducted more research on the program, called and spoke with one of the program directors, confirmed my place to stay, and registered for the class.

As I worked my way through the course, I realized that the class materials were helping me answer questions about career and professional development that I didn’t even know that I needed to answer. As I recognized the career confusion I felt after graduating as a first-generation college student, the idea of the first-generation professional came forth through this study. I was able to experience compassion for myself as I reflected on all of the “bumbling around” and “trial and error” I had experienced in terms of my work and career. As a first-generation professional, the likelihood of confusion and a lack of vision is high, especially without recognition of this experience, mentors, and support.

I completed some career assessments for myself during the 120 hours of training, started the process of considering what I am truly passionate about learning and developing, and finally understood the vital importance of career and professional development. Through this class, I learned about the North Carolina Career Development Association (NCCDA) and conducted my first informational interview with the contact for this organization, who is a professional in the field. I had three degrees and had never conducted an informational interview with anyone in any fields related to those degrees! Having earned three degrees with no career conversations with actual professionals in the field is absurd to me now.

My informational interview with that career development professional revealed a commonality between our paths and interests. I left that first meeting greatly inspired and energized by our interaction. In contrast, I felt like a misfit in the cultural environment of my first professional work position, from day one. Due to the profound sense of professional disconnect at the beginning of my career, I heeded my intuitive warning signs and decided not to pursue licensure as a marriage and family therapist (MFT) after my graduate studies.  My graduate school program director strongly advised me to continue on the expected MFT track and I could not. I grappled with and second-guessed my decision as I worked with the fact that I felt no professional direction a year after graduation.

Over the course of this path year, others have shared similar stories about struggles with confusion and a sense of “trial and error” throughout their educational, career, and professional development. Some educational and career decisions, which were later discovered to be a mismatch, have been financially and psychologically costly to many. I know that there are strategies, methods, and support that can help optimize and better facilitate our paths as developing professionals.

If you have not already given dedicated time to your professional development and 1) feel bored, stagnant, confused, or blocked, 2) are in career transition, or 3) are starting your work path, now is the time to immerse yourself!

Based on my own immersion process (dedicated study and experimentation over the past year), here are 7 practices and some insights that can aid you in your own process of professional development:

1. Complete career assessments to help focus your professional research and reveal interests, skills, passions, challenges, and strengths.
2. Read, listen to, or watch general career and professional development resources in order to structure your own understanding to skillfully navigate your work life in a way that works for you. For example, I’m an introvert and many traditional extroverted ways of seeking work and professional connection do not appeal to or work for me.
3. Read, listen to, or watch targeted career and professional development resources in areas that you have passion. For me, reading about higher education, environmental sustainability, professional development, and intuitive eating have been key.
4. Conduct professional outreach through completing informational interviews and making connections with people doing work that interests you through social media options like LinkedIn.
5. Attend general networking events with professionals and business owners in your local area. I’ve learned a lot about different professional options that I had never considered. General networking is a great way to get exposure, to practice presenting your unique professional interests, and to refine those interests.
6. Attend strategic networking events such as events and conferences with people in your fields of interests.
7. Volunteer with organizations and professionals in your field and at conferences.

You can find the seeds for a passionate professional life within you and your experience. The next steps are to plant them and then give some ongoing attention and care for those passions and interests to bud, to grow, and to come to fruition.

The Global Mind Awakens in a World of Pink

Posted on 14 April 2010 | 2 responses

Last month, I read a statistic that 30% of incoming college freshman are first generation college students. That same USA Today article went on to highlight that:

“24% [of first generation college students] — 4.5 million — are both first-gens and low income. Nationally, 89% of low-income first-gens leave college within six years without a degree. More than a quarter leave after their first year — four times the dropout rate of higher-income second-generation students.”
[source article].

Whether or not these young people succeed against the odds and graduate with a degree, they will soon encounter a whole new world changed by a global economy.

As a first generation professional, I have been earnestly trying to find my place and bearings in the working world. Because I was not exposed to any maps or models about how to navigate this terrain, I’m busily creating one of my own. A part of that map-making process involves me exploring and learning any knowledge and insight that will assist in skillfully finding my way over the course of my working life and sharing those discoveries with others.

My most recent indispensable find is Daniel H. Pink’s book A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. I was told about this book a year ago. However, I now believe that I needed this past year of dedicated career exploration and professional development to truly appreciate the new world and whole new mind that Pink describes.

After reading Pink’s book, Oprah Winfrey purchased 4,500 copies of A Whole New Mind and gave it as a gift to Stanford’s class of graduating seniors following her commencement address in 2008. Why is this book so compelling? Because it simply makes a lot of sense. On a certain level, this book provides support for my very uncharacteristic pursuit of a masters degree in transpersonal psychology after earning undergraduate degrees in business and information and decision systems. In a parallel shift, a good friend of mine, a born artist, decided to pursue an MBA. I had imagined that I would be the person to get the MBA in our relationship. It’s a world turned topsy turvy. Pink’s book makes a convincing case for why we now find ourselves in a world economy with different values and emphases.

Those courageous and quirky students who chose to pursue art degrees have consistently been counseled to get some other type of degree, like business, to fall back on. A Whole New Mind implies that students who choose degrees like business and engineering also need to be counseled to get design and art related skills or minors in order to differentiate themselves in a global market flooded by knowledge workers. In an economy where the portability and ease of knowledge is exponentially magnified by technology, it’s exceedingly alluring for businesses to pay much less for a worker in another part of the world to do the same knowledge work (e.g., computer programming).

I have been operating with a very limited vision of the economy. I’m sure that I am not alone in this narrow focus. I have heard a lot about the “global economy.”  However, I did not really understand the true impact of the global shift until reading this book. With an American-centered view of the world, I was confused as to why I was not able to easily find work again after obtaining my masters degree.  The truth is that my undergraduate degrees, even though they were earned from a prestigious university, have undergone devaluation in this new global economy. My degrees are simply not worth as much as they used to be! Interestingly, Pink mentions my undergraduate university, Carnegie Mellon, several times in this book.

Pink does a great service by offering a description of six essential senses and related exercises to help the newly initiated global worker better navigate this new era of connectivity.  Hone your design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning making senses. These six aptitudes are fun, creative and inspiring human abilities that will help reveal the unique contribution that only you can make to this world.

As I was completing my graduate studies in transpersonal psychology, which does impressively include all of these essential six senses, I felt like I was becoming a more whole person. In effect, I was creating a whole new mind through a new educational and professional path. May you also find the ways and means to a whole new mind on your professional development journey. Reading A Whole New Mind is a very beneficial step in the direction of becoming a global professional of the 21^st century.

The message in the modified eye exam chart? America is the only economy that I need to give my attention – things have changed.

Pursuing What You Love With the Risks & Dips

Posted on 17 March 2010 | 3 responses

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
~ Howard Thurman

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a celebration for a friend who gathered her family and friends together to rejoice in the fact that she has spent the last twenty (20) year studying and earning income through teaching yoga, a thing that she loves. After, my fellow attendees and I enjoyed hearing the poignant and laughter evoking stories about her journey, sang joyously together, and participated in a exhilarating circle dance, the celebration turned to eating and mingling.  Another attendee and I began to converse and I shared about my path as a “first generation professional,” that oftentimes bewildering phase after being a first generation college student.  I spoke with her about how I now see that a true sense of wellness requires that we discover the things that we love, find ways to work at them, and then hopefully earn a livelihood from one or more of our interests.

This very kind woman communicated that she loves all types of animals and that she determined earlier in life that she would not be able to make a living by pursuing her passion. She had considered being a veterinarian and the schooling and having to work with blood was enough to deter her. Instead, she found work that “pays the bills” and makes room for that “love” by taking care of any stray animals that she encounters. As I considered her response, I wanted to believe that there were other options for her to apply her passion in the world and earn income. Maybe work through a local animal shelter or through the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), something. Ironically, we were having this conversation at an event for someone celebrating doing work that they love for the past twenty years.  I suppose that if everyone was doing work that they love, we all would be attending beautiful celebrations like these all of the time! Wouldn’t that be a lovely world?

One distinct theme that this woman shared with me related to “risk”. At her age (mid-fifties), she was not willing to “risk” pursuing a new career area because she highly valued the benefits provided through her employer. She went on to comment that she knew that there was no guarantee that her benefits would remain at the same level and she was uncertain about if retirement benefits will be available. I have had so many conversations lately about how pursuing what you love and stepping out of the box of traditional employment feels intense and at times overwhelming. Unless a person has discovered what they love, feels a compelling need to walk in the direction of their vision, and has support and resources, most dreams are not realized. It feels much easier to simply find “good enough” work and live your life. At this particular point in time, even finding “good enough” work is a challenge….and of course poses an opportunity for many.

In my current career exploration phase, I’ve been on a “reading bender”: integrating as much knowledge related to professional development as I can through books, audio, and online materials. Some of my recent acquisitions of insight came from reading Seth Godin’s books The Dip (May 2007) and his most recent publication Linchpin (January 2010). I love the public library system!

The Dip, an extremely small book and a quick read, helped me develop a much better understanding of the troughs or low points that I have experienced on my professional development path. I unintentionally became a consultant working for a prominent international management consulting firm. Becoming a master consultant (i.e., a partner) in that environment required certain sacrifices of time and my life as well as cultural adjustments that were simply incompatible with who I am and what I love. I also started a masters program geared at training me to be a therapist. I then discovered that there were certain sacrifices of time, energy, and additional compromises to my fundamental beliefs and experiences that made the process of becoming a licensed counselor unappealing to me. Those sacrifices and compromises were the dip, whose uphill slope I could not overcome. Similarly, additional schooling and working with blood represented a professional dip for this woman, whom I engaged with briefly.

In Linchpin, Godin addresses why many of us settle for the good enough or “stable/safe” job or life conditions through the idea of the lizard brain (i.e., the limbic system).  The lizard brain and the protective resistance it generates was not a new concept to me. What I loved was his emphasis on being remarkable. Discovering what we love and finding ways to share it with the world in a remarkable way is one of the most motivational, sustainable, and enlivening missions that we can nurture. I am happy to report that I feel as though I have finally identified a list of things that I truly love: professional development, intuitive eating, environmental sustainability, easeful technology,  and energy work (e.g., Qigong) and movement practices. The next move is to find ways to include these areas in my income generating work and to add some remarkable contributions to this world. The dip is no match for a person with a compelling vision and a strong desire to experience true mastery.

What dip(s) do you want to surmount?

Solving the Mystery of Your Own Professional Development Story

Posted on 27 February 2010 | 1 response

Like many adults, I have not walked the locker lined hallways of a high school for some years.
What brought me back into that teen-centric world last week? I was invited to exhibit at a local high school career fair honoring National Career and Technical Education month (February). This year’s theme is “Invest in Your Future.” I have absolutely no recollection of a “career fair” happening at my high school and had never heard of National Career and Technical Education month. So, I am now informed and I am definitely pleased to know that career fairs do occur in the high school environment.

My most ingenious ideas for engaging with students included bringing candy (starbursts and mini reese’s cups) and providing miniature bookmarks with the following inspirational quote that I discovered recently:

“The goal of career development is to uncover one’s gifts and passions, and to link them to the practical needs of the world. We call that ‘being in the right place,’ ‘finding a good fit,’ or ‘making the best use of one’s talents.’”
~Bill S. Frank, www.careerlab.com

Each “exhibitor” was given a table situated along the first and second floors of the main hallway in the school. Having arrived an hour and a half before the fair started, I began to formulate an introductory question to connect with the students. I felt comfortable with “Do you know what a consultant does?” as a lead in to share about my professional path. I had no idea about what a consultant was or what a consultant did at their age, so I was curious to hear the responses. The #1 response? “Consults.” I have to admit that I was a bit surprised by the fact that students still have no clue about consulting even 15 years after my own high school graduation. Obviously, a career fair is an excellent opportunity for young people to learn about different options. So, I definitely commend the organizers of this event for making the effort to expose their students to diverse career paths.

As I stood on my feet for four hours engaging with students as they changed classes, I took the opportunity to ask them about their interests and to encourage them to explore career assessment options. A few students, whom I spoke with, did have some preliminary ideas about career paths that they wanted to pursue. One young woman shared that she wanted to be a lawyer and that no one else in her family had attempted that career path. I encouraged her to arrange an informational interview in order to talk with an actual lawyer or to do a job shadow to get a better idea of the day to day work of that profession.

My interactions with students made it clear to me that career development is analogous to “solving a mystery”. We are the protagonists in our own professional development story. We need to develop the skills of any competent detective, such as interviewing, investigation, and surveillance, in order to discover the clues that will point us toward academic degrees and work that best match our skills and interests. Did you know that the word “mystery” actually meant “a craft or trade” in archaic times? If we so choose, we are each tasked with solving our own professional life puzzle.

If I had truly gotten clear, during high school, about the fact that I was going to spend 8 or more hours of 5 or more days of the week doing work, and that my chosen work would affect my overall health, wellness, and happiness, then I would have spent some time doing career exploration. Instead, I now realize that due to uncertainty and limited knowledge and skill to acquire career knowledge, I chose the “business” path because I felt uncomfortable with not knowing what I would do with my professional life.

I have been thinking about a psychological term from Erik Erikson’s developmental theory, which I learned about some years ago: identity foreclosure. I believe that I experienced professional identity foreclosure during my teen years. I found the following passage about four distinct identity statuses, which includes a description of foreclosure:

“Identity Statuses
* Identity achievement occurs when an individual has gone through an exploration of different identities and made a commitment to one [or more].

* Moratorium is the status of a person who is actively involved in exploring different identities, but has not made a commitment.

* Foreclosure status is when a person has made a commitment without attempting identity exploration.

* Identity diffusion occurs when there is neither an identity crisis or commitment.

Researchers have found that those who have made a strong commitment to an identity tend to be happier and healthier than those who have not. Those with a status of identity diffusion tend to feel out of place in the world and don’t pursue a sense of identity.”(source article)

In my experience, simply having a strong commitment to an identity did lead to the postulated increased happiness and health effects in the short-term. In the long-term, professional identity foreclosure eventually caught up with me and I have had to finally embark on the career detective work that I skipped in my younger years to discover sustainable joy in my life and in my work. To our high school students, I say with the wisdom of hindsight, “Start your career exploration now!” To parents, counselors, and educators, I implore: “Encourage and cultivate that exploration now!” There’s a long and sometimes winding road ahead…

The Age of the Employee is Dead. Long Live the Professional.

Posted on 10 February 2010 | 3 responses

“Job security is gone. The driving force of a career must come from the individual.”

~Dr. Homa Bahrami, Senior Lecturer at Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, California

Being an “employee” is an antiquated paradigm that we can no longer afford to maintain. With only a 30% national satisfaction rating, the role of “employee” leaves an estimated 70% of the working population “checked out” and even despondent. In contrast, having a perspective of being “employed” is the more accurate depiction of what actually happens in the work world today. We are all “employed” for a time through different organizations and projects. If we can no longer enjoy the felt security of being an employee, what then can provide us with a sense of stability and coherency that we, as human, seek and need through our work? I constantly keep coming back to reclaiming the model of a “professional”. Consequently, I believe that transitioning from an “employee” work model to a “professional” working paradigm is key.

I can only offer anecdotal evidence supporting the end of the Age of the Employee. In the past 13 months, our economy has lost a total of 3.6 million jobs. The chart below shows a striking contrast to the loss of jobs during the two previous recessions.

“This chart compares the job loss so far in this recession to job losses in the 1990-1991 recession and the 2001 recession – showing how dramatic and unprecedented the job loss over the last 13 months has been. By comparison, we lost a total of 1.6 million jobs in the 1990-1991 recession, before the economy began turning around and jobs began increasing; and we lost a total of 2.7 million jobs in the 2001 recession, before the economy began turning around and jobs began increasing (Source article)“.

Of course, this level of job loss is scary on some levels and has impacted many people around the country and throughout the world. These challenging times have also afforded many people the opportunity to re-think their educational and career paths. This period has also seen an increased emphasis on the importance of developing one’s own personal brand.  Developing and cultivating a personal brand requires a level of self-knowledge and exploration, which is oftentimes lost, stifled, or unsupported when trying to conform to an employee role.

I recently read William J. White’s book From Day One: CEO Advice to Launch an Extraordinary Career. White’s book, first published in the mid-2000s, is another resource that I wish I had access to in my younger years. White illuminates an important distinction between the corporate world and the collegiate environment, when he writes about how individuality is prized in college, while homogeneity is strongly valued in the business world. I experienced an “ah-ha” moment when reading that passage. I have always loved academia, most definitely because of the degree of exploration, diversity, and openness to being who you are. I can now see why others and I made an awkward and uneasy transition into the corporate environment. Recently, I have been pleased to read articles demonstrating the importance of employers embracing and supporting alignment between corporate and personal brands as detailed in this article. So, personal branding, specifically, through social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, is creating a vital avenue for individual expression and recognition.

I love language because the way we choose and use words to narrate our lives changes with the passing of time and reveals new levels of understanding and maturity.  I simply esteem the root of the word “professional” more than that of “employee”. Professional includes at its root the word “profess” meaning “to make open declaration of, as of one’s knowledge, belief, action, etc.; To present to knowledge of, to proclaim one’s self versed in…” While an employee is defined as “a worker who is hired to perform a job.” I respect the importance of learning how to get gainful employment, which enables financial independence, through crafting resumes, presenting a professional demeanor that appeals to employers, etc. I feel like there has been an enormous emphasis in career advising and development on instructing people about how to get a “job” (i.e., how to become an employee). I want to see a new expanded emphasis on coaching individuals in their “professional” development (i.e., how to express and honor their authentic voice through work).

A few weeks ago, I was speaking with a friend about my ideas related to the importance of being a “professional” and professional development. She related to me that she did not know if she wanted to be a “professional.” She shared that she associates being a professional with images of women and men wearing suits and carrying briefcases. It is true that the business world has co-opted the word “professional.”  However, long before the corporate professional came onto the scene, a “professional” was represented by engineers, lawyers, teachers, counselors, doctors, etc. The marketers of business world have simply done a persuasive job of branding an image of “the professional.” However, I believe that now is a perfect time for the sense of a “professional” to reflect its diversity once again.

Career Hitchhiking: A Professional Pastime?

Posted on 25 January 2010 | 2 responses

I am in the process of reading any good book or article that I can find about student development, making the transition from college to work and professional development.

This continuing education study emanates from:

1) Realizing that most people, especially first generation professionals, can benefit from much more career exploration and mentoring earlier in their professional lives,

2) Needing to enhance my knowledge base as I pursue continued work in higher education and

3) Preparing to become a mentor through a new organization that offers guidance to recent college graduates.

Currently, I am reading Lindsey Pollak’s Getting From College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World. I have only read the first 26 tips and I know that this book is a MUST read for any student or recent graduate, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This book is extremely readable, with bits of wisdom provided in concise chapters with titles such as Start a Really Big List and Work to Change the World. Pollak does somewhat tailor the book for Gen Y (Millennials).  However, with a little over 10 years of experience in my own career, I am also benefiting from these tips in terms of being able to assess what I could have done to better prepare myself for the world of work and what I can do now to optimize my own professional development. This book was not published until 2007. So, I believe that there are a number of Generation Xers, who can also benefit from perusing the insights in this book. So, I also recommend this book for someone in career transition. Also, gift or suggest this book to any upcoming or recent graduate that you know.

Suggestion 19, Don’t Be Caught Hitchhiking: Assess Yourself caught my attention immediately.  How exactly does one “hitchhike” in their professional life? The following excerpt demonstrates a common pitfall that many, including myself, has encountered or will experience:

“Everyone knows people who have ‘hitchhiked’ into their careers,” says Jerry. “They come out of school, stick their thumbs out, and take the first job that looks halfway decent. With rare exception, these people are dissatisfied, if not downright unhappy, in their work. The job may not provide what it is that motivates them in their work lives. Or they’re not using the skills they’re best at, or most interested in using. Or the environment is wrong. Or they don’t fit well with the kinds of people with who they have to work.” (p. 55).

This very brief passage describes my experience with my first full-time position exactly! Wow. I did not realize that I hitchhiked into my career. Unintentional career hitchhiking is a good way to get lost and confused professionally. How do you prevent career hitchhiking? Reading books like this one, conducting thorough career exploration and participating in as much networking as possible are a few solutions. This chapter also emphasizes the importance of career and personality assessment, which I advocate as well.

Admittedly, career hitchhiking represents a path of least resistance, which is why it is probably so typical. Hitchhiking can get you to some very interesting places that you have never experienced or would have ever known. Deliberate hitchhikers also usually have a destination in mind. As a result, I am open to hitchhiking as long as it is done with awareness and intention!

I never have hitchhiked in the traditional since. So, I was curious about the top tips suggested for hitchhikers. I discovered tips on the best places to get a ride, on how to present yourself and be pleasant during a ride, and of course safety tips for the journey. My brief review of hitchhiker tips yielded some amusing ideas adapted for the career hitchhiker:

The Top 10 Tips for the Career Hitchhiker

1. Sit in the front passenger seat. Be on the lookout for a better opportunity to exit.
2. If possible, find a reputable source for a ride through family, friends, a university/college career center, etc.
3. Hitchhike with someone you know. If possible, hitchhike with a friend.
4. Bring a map of your professional area, so you can determine whether a ride will actually bring you closer to your destination or provide a new set of useful skills or knowledge.
5. Learn the language of the work environment. Hitchhiking can be a good way to improve your communication skills.
6. Don’t mooch, actively participate and contribute while you’re taking the ride.
7. Bring the proper tools: an evolving resume, career portfolio, mentor(s), professional contacts, etc.
8. Sometimes you get an offer that brings you a little way in the right direction. This can be okay, but it could be a better idea to wait for an offer that brings you further.
9. If in doubt, turn down the ride.
10. If your ride isn’t bringing you to your final destination, ask for referrals.

Once again, I was reminded of the Gallup Poll, which indicates that approximately 70% of employees are not engaged or actively disengaged in their work lives. Could most of those employees have inadvertently hitchhiked into their professional lives?

Are You Trading Cards or Building Relationships?

Posted on 1 January 2010 | 6 responses

A couple of days ago, I was cleaning my apartment and unfolded a small piece of paper. This scrap of printer paper held the name and contact information for a woman that I had met through a temporary position that I had taken some time ago for income purposes. When I worked within that position, I gave her my business card and she not having her own, wrote her contact information on a piece of paper for me. As, I was looking at this crinkled note, I realized that I would probably never contact or see that woman again. My encounter with that information deepened my understanding about the fact that building relationships represents the heart and soul of networking. What motivation does one have to build a professional relationship, if you and another person have only traded contact information?

During our time within the same organization, this woman and I never talked about what we were passionate about or the vision that we saw for our work and personal lives. Therefore, a fundamental limitation to our association exists because I have no idea about areas this woman cares deeply about and things she wants to accomplish in her life. I could have access to resources that would be helpful to her, we could share similar interests, goals, or connections, or we could offer support for each other on our journeys. I know that it is not necessary, desirable, or possible to cultivate relationships with every single person I meet professionally. However, the thoughts triggered by seeing that contact information, again, helped me understand more fully the importance of:

1) Being clear about my professional direction

2) Revealing those intentions to the world, and

3) Encouraging others to dedicate energy toward the previous two areas.

This week, I had an opportunity to get clearer about my professional direction and to communicate my interests to other professionals. The opportunity came through my attendance of an ongoing networking event for local business people at a cozy coffee shop in the North Raleigh area (click the image to find a network in your area) . I had an extraordinary time meeting with local professionals from a variety of fields and chatting about a range of topics including technology, music, spirituality, and committed relationships. Interacting with that group of intentional professionals, who have invested time and energy in creating, working toward, and announcing a self-created vision and purpose for their work life, was definitely the highlight of my week. I believe that developing an evolving sense of professional direction and conveying what you love are cornerstones of being an intentional professional.

During the conversation, each attendee had a chance to speak about their work and interests to the group. I had not spoken in front of a group like this in some time and noticed a long-standing tendency of rushing myself and speaking quickly when I am sharing about who I am. I noticed that other people felt much more comfortable speaking at a slower pace than I. As a result, I gained a very timely reminder about taking my time and enjoying the opportunity to share who I am professionally instead of attempting to encapsulate all of my many interests into a rushed synopsis. As I am cultivating relationships by actually attending these and other networking events regularly, I will connect with and get to know these individuals over time. As a result, the contact information that we trade will have more value and meaning for both of us and gain more significance over time.

Some of you may have heard of the networking concept of the 30-second commercial/elevator speech. The idea being to create a verbal blurb about 30-seconds describing who you are and what you do. I have been resistant to this idea for some time due to the gimmicky sales nature I associate to this concept. However, I can now see the benefit of a planned “communique” that will help me feel comfortable enough to slow my speaking pace because I am confident that I am providing engaging and targeted information about who I am as a professional. I will be using a variety of sources to develop my professional promotion skills including this 30-second commerical exercise worksheet. With the intention of helping motivate the appropriate people to want to continue cultivating a relationship with me and helping make my contact information valuable, I plan to craft a creative service announcement.

When I arrived at that networking event this week, the coordinator of the meeting, Martin Brossman, introduced me to a professional networking tool for the 21st century. For decades, we have been sharing professional contact information via traditional paper business cards. At the dawn of 2010, I guess I should have expected to witness the immediate digital transfer of basic information as well as more detailed data (e.g., a LinkedIn profile, a Facebook Page) through a Poken, a new social media business card.  I plan to invest in one of these gadgets and hope that recycled materials are used to manufacture them. The Poken is a neat device, check out the video below:

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