Career change: the biggest myth
Posted by CathyG in career change, controversial, culture on 08 31st, 2008Traditional career change says, “Begin with your passion. Identify your strengths.”
I agree.
The next step, you hear, is, ‘Find a career where you can use your strengths.”
I disagree.
Usually you can find many ways to use your strength. You’re a good organizer? No need to start your own organizing firm. Chances are you will find a way to use these talents in most careers.
You’re an outgoing person and everyone tells you their problems? No need to be a shrink. You might be a great manager or salesperson. Jeff Herring, the Article Guy, is a former therapist. His talents serve him well during teleseminars.
Usually what kills people is the culture. Dress up or casual? Come and go as you please or tug on a tight leash? Early morning meetings or late nights for crunching deadlines?
Sure, if you each third grade it helps if you like kids. If you work in a finance office, it helps to like numbers. But I’ve seen people make vast leaps into careers that seemed totally unsuitable…and discover that once they’re tossed in the water, they really like learning to swim.
I bet many readers disagree. Click on the comment link below and say your piece.
read comments (0)New job = new crowd + new customs
Posted by CathyG in career advice, culture, new job, new workplace on 07 25th, 2008“At a recent potluck dinner,” Gloria said,”my friend Brian brought a six-pack of his special cider. We had more beverages than we needed. At the end of the evening, Brian went into the refrigerator and grabbed his untouched cider. He took it home.
“Our hostess, Nancy, was furious. She wrote Brian a strong email, claiming he had insulted her.”
My sympathies are with Brian. To me, a potluck means you bring a contribution to the party, not a gift for the hostess. And I avoid those events whenever possible.
So…what’s the relevance for careers?
Every time I changed jobs, even in the same career field, even in universities with similar structures, I bumped up against new cultures.
What do you ask the admin staff to do? Where do you get coffee (and when)? And if you miss a meeting or turn down a lunch offer, are you branding yourself as a maverick?
Inevitably I made mistakes. And I watched other newcomers do the same.
The reasons were innocent. If you’ve asked a staff assistant to make copies or calls for the last 5 years, you’ll automatically do the same at your new job. You probably won’t even stop to wonder, “Should I do this?” unless you’ve been made aware that customs might vary in that particular area.
But old-timers (who can’t imagine any other way either) tend to assume the worst. When I became an old-timer (or at least a medium-timer), colleagues would ask rhetorically, “Who does he think he is?”
The correct answeris, “He thinks he’s new, confused and lost.” Or, “He doesn’t think anything. It never crossed his mind to do anything different.”
I suspect Brian’s friends always take home the leftovers — their own and maybe everyone else’s. It never crossed his mind to leave his costly cider in someone else’s refrigerator.
That’s my own favorite part of a potluck. The folks who know how to cook never want leftovers. More for me.
Job Search Strategy: Do You Fit Their Culture?
Posted by CathyG in career planning, culture, job search on 03 20th, 2007| Q. I’m looking at a job offer from Mega Company that sounds absolutely perfect for me. A big step up: exciting challenges, salary increase, even a good location. But how do I know I can fit in with the culture? I want to land in a place where I can stay awhile.
A. Evaluating culture can be challenging, but it’s absolutely essential. Even the most competent professional can be challenged to perform effectively when she’s labeled a misfit or he’s branded as an outsider. A few tips: (1) How did you feel during the interview? Did you find your stomach clenching? Did all the wrong words come out of your mouth? Or were you relaxed – maybe even sorry to say good-by at the end of the day? (2) How did the office look? Clean desks or clutter? Casual dress or formal? (3) Was your interview smooth? Were you left sitting by yourself when someone was late? To get additional perspective on this challenging topic, I consulted with Dr. Janet Scarborough of Seattle-based www.bridgewaycareer.com. She brought up three additional suggestions: (4) How do your future colleagues behave outside the office setting? “People tend to let down their guard when they leave an organizational setting,” says Dr. Scarborough, “and it is more difficult to sustain a false good impression outside of the artificial interview situation. Especially note how they treat the staff at restaurants.” (5) Can you uncover people who know employees of your future company? Mention the company’s name everywhere you go. You may be surprised to find someone who’s got a friend of a friend at your future company. You may even be able to ask questions like, “What type of boss is Ms. Smith?” “The most reassuring responses are glowing,” says Dr. Scarborough. “Neutral or lukewarm comments are probably negative.” (6) Can you google some of your future colleagues? “So many people have Web sites and blogs these days,” says Dr. Scarborough, “you can find out as much information as most competitive intelligence researchers.” Of course in some conservative industries, you may be dealing with luddites who still live in the Dark Ages. In other fieldsl you’ll find people who share a lot more than they should. |
