Interviewing Authentically Workbook

July, 2006 Newsletter

Should I Take a "Job-Job" or Pursue My Dream Job?

This month, I've gotten a bunch of calls from people who are trying to figure out what to do next in their careers. Many of them have exciting ventures they want to pursue -- including making and selling crafts, writing a book, producing a play. They have exciting dreams to follow.

And yet they tell themselves things like, "Oh, I'll never make money at that." or

"There's no security in it," or

"What will my colleagues/family/friends think?"

Is this your dilemma, too? Do you have a dream in your heart, but feel uncertain of whether to follow it, or how to follow it?

Two suggestions:

First, I invite you to attend a teleclass called "Should I Pursue a "Job-Job"
or My Dream Job?" It will be held Wednesday, August 9, from 12-1 pm Pacific, and is just $5.00!

Second, read on:

Suggestions for getting clear about whether to take a job-job or pursue your dream job...

How clear is your dream job? If you can really articulate it, so that a stranger might understand, that's an important start. Can you fully imagine a day, a week, a month, and a year in this role? If the dream job is fuzzy, you either need to get clear before moving on, or you need to take a small step to investigate the idea further. That's a great time to involve a coach, or get a friend to help you clarify the idea. It doesn't need to be super-crystal clear, but certainly you need to know how to launch it and initially keep it moving. The more unique the idea, the less you'll be able to have certainty about how it will work. For example, one of my clients wants to sell food products. Those are pretty straightforward. But another wants to write humor books -- we know what those are, but these will be pretty unique. In the latter case, it can be helpful to "test the waters" with a small-scale experiment.

How secure do you need to be? Some people have a great big need for security. That's fine. Just acknowledge it. Some people like to take more risks. Where do you fall on that continuum? Your dream needs to align with where you are right now. If you are not much of a risk-taker and your dream means financial or other risks, think about what you can do to cover the risk and start moving towards your dream.

Often, clients think they have to quit their current job to pursue the dream job. Not necessarily true! It's more likely to be true when you're totally burned out, or your current job totally demoralizes you. It's hard to start up a dream when your energy is low. But what about moonlighting? Testing out your ideas on the weekends? One of my current clients has a great idea (it's under wraps -- I hope to share it with you in a few months) for a service business. She's keeping her current job, even though she dislikes it, and spending weekends testing out her concepts. That lets her have fun, and she knows she's building knowledge, confidence, and a company of her own.

Speaking of company, look at the company you keep. In this case, I mean the support system you have. If you want to start up a dream, there are two classes of people. Believers and non-believers. In the beginning, you need to stay away from the non-believers. They will be toxic to your idea. And you need more time with the believers. They will add their own magic elixir to your concepts. If you don't already have a set of believers and supporters, look to join organizations where the members share similar interests. I'm assisting an attorney right now who is interested in mediation, but has very little experience in it. She recently attended a mediation conference, and voila! She made a bunch of great contacts who all want to help her find jobs. They are helping to build her confidence and experience.

Confidence is powerful energy. And, one great way to get it, in my opinion, is to keep a journal about your dream. Keep clippings that inspire you. Jot down ideas that you get. Interview people about your dream and keep the notes in your journal. Even when you feel scared, nervous, shy, or any other strong emotion, use your journal to get clear. Ask yourself, "What's going on with me now? What am I telling myself? Is it true? Does this belief feel good? What belief would feel better? What positive next step can I take?"

I hope this is all helpful to you. I encourage to join the August 9 teleclass.

Give Yourself a Hand

Your hands get quite a workout at work. Whether you are shaking hands at an interview, typing at your keyboard, or chopping vegetables for your evening meal, you've gotta hand it to your hands for all they do.

Here are some suggestions for giving yourself a rejuvenating hand treatment.

Palm Rub: Place your two hands, palms up, facing each other. Let the fingers of one hand weave between the fingers of the other, so that only your thumbs are free. Then, take the thumb of your left hand and rub your right palm. Switch and rub your left palm with your right thumb.

Finger Extension: Unlink your hands. With your right hand, grasp and gently pull or tug, one at a time, each of the fingers on your left hand. Then, switch hands.

Finger Rotation: Using your left hand, take each finger on the right hand, one at a time, and rotate it in its joint. Change hands.

Warm Up: Finally, rub your palms together and get them warm and relaxed.

Aaaah!