Why we fight

Some fight work, others fight for work

I have definitely done both in my career

What about you?

Looking out to St Just
[Image courtesy of Brron on Flickr.com]

Fighting work is a losing battle

Fighting for work comes from the heart.

There's no guarantee of a win on either side

But only fighting for work is worthwhile,

For the work it delivers in the end

And any work we get along the way.

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Proof that You're Making Progress

Everything we do on a job search counts towards the final goal

Every effort, every rejection, every unreturned email and phone call plays its own unique part in the end result.

It doesn't feel that way sometimes

But those feelings couldn't be further from the truth.

Infinity: The art of reflection [Image courtesy of Mrs Logic on Flickr]

Let me make a comparison,

In October 2008 I said the following on this blog...

When choice - even limited choice - is available,

knowledge and understanding are available too.

Reading it back today, what I really wanted to say was this...

Our choices always teach us something.

I'm still the same person but for some reason I'm now a bit clearer. A little bit sharper and more to the point.

[By the way, I could choose from a hundred other examples that show the same thing. How "No one is born with knowledge of work. Knowledge of work is something we have all acquired." now becomes "Anyone can learn anything about work." How "Personal success is a particular way of considering success. Not better or worse in comparison to anyone else, just appropriate to your unique perspective." can be simplified to "Measure success by the way it makes you feel."]

If I hadn't said or done any of the above, and then looked back to see how to improve it, I wouldn't be able to prove that you can make the same progress.

When it feels like the right time, take another look at your job search. Look at what have you said and what have you done. How could you do things differently now? In what ways are you clearer now or easier to understand?

A job search is just another way for us to learn about ourselves. To get closer to the facts, to keep the things that feel right, work hard on the things we want to change, speak as clearly as our voices will let us today and do our best to be even clearer tomorrow.

A job search can be proof that you're making progress.

All the best for now,

Paul

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work/life & belief

Without belief we’re just jobseekers
Just workers, just commuters, just numbers
What we believe brings our work to life
Belief creates attraction around our careers
Belief makes us memorable to others and keeps us true to ourselves.

When we talk about belief (whatever we believe in)
We’re powerful, we get excited and we want to move forward
When we examine, understand and communicate with belief
(And we can do every one of those things)
We take real steps towards our beliefs coming true.

["I believe in the freedom of music." by Chuck Olsen on Flickr]

Some of my career beliefs...

I believe we are the experts when it comes to our careers
I believe our expertise is at its best when we talk and come together with shared aims
I believe work and life have a unique relationship within every single person

(A relationship too complex to separate but the perfect depth to explore)
I believe every moment in our working lives can be better understood
I believe every career has potential and every person has the potential to look forward

(and I am yet to meet the person who disproves that last belief)

All the best for now,

Paul

Experienced Job-Seekers Wanted!

We all struggle with a job search at some point in our careers.

But not all of us struggle with the same thing.

Someone out there (looking for work right now) could use your experience.

Someone else has experience that can help you.

Some people call this the wisdom of crowds.

I prefer to see it as the best reason for job-seekers to start helping themselves.

Discovery begins with experimentation
[Visual experimentations shared by Sanchtv on Flickr.com]

What it does for job-seekers?

If you're a job-seeker and you want to get involved (in something with the potential to help you and people just like you) to get the ball rolling just answer this short list of questions I'm calling The Job-Seeker’s Interview.

You'll get immediate pay-back if you do because this interview helps you understand your job search experiences and learn more about the support that you need.

Your pay-back for taking part will also grow as more people like you take this interview, adding to the knowledge and experience within the group.

If enough job-seekers share their stories and talk about the things they are struggling with (and I'm making it my job to see that they do) a cross-over of experiences will start to take place. Job-seekers will start helping job-seekers. People will be helping themselves as they help others.

OK, I'll take the interview. What happens next?

When you have submitted your interview, I’ll get back to you with a unique reference number for your answers. Right now the counter stands at ‘00000’, which means the first set of answers I receive will be labelled ‘00001’ and we'll go upwards from there.

When you have your number, I’ll post your interview up on the Explore Your Career blog so that you and other job-seekers can read it and the exchange of experiences can begin. Only you will know what number you are, so the whole thing can be anonymous if you want it to be.

Each numbered interview will have its own permanent page and can be commented on and even linked to other job-seeker's interviews where cross-overs happen. You and anyone else can comment on any interview and talk/network as much as you want. When you comment, you can use your own name, a nickname or your unique interview number, it's your choice how you get involved from there.

Looking Further Ahead

I see a community of job-seekers helping themselves. Sharing their 'real-world' job search experience. Encouraging and supporting one another as they go. It will take time to arrive at a place like this but I believe it can be done and that there is genuine potential to move careers and job searches forward along the way and when we get there.

In the meantime, whether your number is ‘00001’ or ‘01001’, I know there is value in this interview (even if you do it alone) because it gets to grips with life as a job-seeker and aims to do something positive with the experience. Something positive that has the power to benefit you and other people just like you. Out there right now looking for work.

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Be one of the first to take The Job-Seeker's Interview
Do you have any questions or suggestions?
Send them in here or add a comment below!

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A one-time neighbour of the moon

People achieve incredible things in their careers

Yet we still know so little about them.

What made them tick, why they were successful, what they put it all down to.

Take Michael Collins for example.

Discover more about Michael Collins, a one-time neighbour of the moon

[Image courtesy of Tambako the Jaguar on Flickr]

Michael Collins' career story is an incredible one but I'm not going to tell it here. Instead I want you to think about another career story. One that's too often overlooked. Too often in the shadows of the comparisons we make around it.

The career I want you to think about is still full of opportunity. Full of waiting-to-happen twists, turns and achievements and much more besides. A career with so much in it waiting to be discovered, one we can question as respectfully and carefully as we question the stellar careers of those we look up to.

This career is made up of old and new experiences for us to value and treat with a genuine curiosity. A story we can step inside and get behind with zeal, with zest and an insatiable appetite that leaves us wanting more.

All that and more is possible in the career I want you to think about right now, and that career is your own.

From a one-time neighbour of the moon, and from me, right back down here on Earth, explore your career for everything within it still waiting to be found!

All the best for now,

Paul

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I'm taking a break from blogging in August

but work/life fusion will be back in September.

Thank you for reading and for your continued support throughout the year. Have a great Summer where you are!

The Art of Meeting the World Head-On

Why bother?

I used to make the same train journey every day. One part of the line passed behind a row of houses. Written in big letters on the back of one house were the words, "Why bother?".

After years of seeing this question, myself and the other passengers on the trains were treated to a direct response. On the back of the house next door someone painted the words, "Why not?".

From that day on "Why bother?" and "Why not?" were seen together. Existential graffiti at its best :)

Why not?

Your answer to this question might be very different to mine but they will have plenty in common too.

Planning is one thing but being bothered and making things happen is full of work-arounds, imperfect solutions, bodges, kludges, compromises and pieces that hold together for no apparent reason.

If it ain't broke... Well, you know the rest.

The graffiti and even the houses are now gone

but the art of the existential statement lives on!

[Image courtesy of icathing on Flickr]

Why bother?

Maybe you'll be spurred on by the desire to figure out what you want. Maybe the catalyst will be an event, something that happens and makes you think twice.

Maybe it will be a gentle push or a not so gentle kick-up-the-backside from some of your personal 'What ifs?' or even your very own random graffiti experience perhaps.

Whatever it is, a simple thought will find you and for whatever reason it won't go away.

Why not?

This question brings us back down to earth. Ask yourself this question and be free about it. Find your own reasons to bother and learn what you're not all that bothered about. Treat "Why bother?" and "Why not?" with the same respect and discover a closer relationship with both.

I want to get better at meeting the world head-on. The little glimpses I've had so far, especially from the people who do it so well, make me certain it's something worth bothering about.

All the best for now,

Paul

Tying-up Loose Ends

I haven't taken up sewing or knot-fancying or anything else dubious that involves rope,

But I'm slowly knitting things together all the same.

You already know what I'm talking about. It goes on all the time.

Something happened to us a while ago, we forgot about it but then weeks, months or even years later and 'Boom!', it catches right back up with us and makes sense like it never did before.

It doesn't have to be something big and it's not always a 'Boom!' of recognition either. It can be a 'Flash', a 'Ping', a 'Boing' or even a 'Boink' for that matter (although some 'A-ha' noises have other meanings so we need to be careful).

The story that goes with this image is hard but it also has hope.

[Both story & image are here courtesy of Hryck. on Flickr]

Still not sure what I'm on about?

What about the job that never came off, the call that never came back or the interview question you could never nail. How about the difference of opinion with a manager or colleague when you usually got on with that person so well. What about that chance meeting or letter or little phrase you read in an article or a book that stuck in your heard for no apparent reason.

Well I'm talking about that reason and the very moment it came to you, switching on all the lights as it burst through the door.

Some loose ends we work hard to tie up and we're successful but it takes a lot of effort to get this done. Other loose ends, no matter how hard we wrestle with them, only make sense in their own sweet time, plus we usually need help or input from someone or something outside to get us moving.

Still not sure and think all this is hokum? Take a look at this personal example from exploreyourcareer.com yesterday. A few other things to do if you want to be sure before making your mind up: keep an eye on the little things as they happen to you and follow your nose when you're curious.

If something is interesting see where it takes you.

You never know when a loose end is going to tie up!

Enjoy your weekend wherever you are,

All the best

Paul

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