Recently I added a new brick to the foundation of my entrepreneurial dream. I have begun working with individuals on a one-on-one basis as a personal coach.
Although my ‘ideal’ job is working for myself, I realize that this is not everyone’s dream.
When I first decided to coach people and help them find a new job, career, or business, I realized I needed to go beyond helping them identify a industry, title and salary. I needed to help them find a way to build a better, more rewarding work life.
I thought back to the process I used to find my current job/career-a career I have enjoyed and been successful. It is also the same process I used to envision and begin building my life as a writer and entrepreneur.
A big part of finding the career that ‘fits’ and the right job, is knowing yourself. When you find the job that ‘fits’ it will benefit both you and your employer, or customers/clients. Why? Because you will be happier, more motivated, more productive, more creative and a positive influence in the world around you.
When working with my coaching clients the first thing I have them do before we ever talk about what kind of job they want, or job titles or salary, is to describe their ideal work environment.
Here are some of the questions I may ask:
- What does it look like?
- Is it big, Fortune 500 company, or a local ‘mom and pop’ organization?
- Do you have an office or cubicle? A window? Do you work from home? Do you work outside?
- Do you work with your hands? Is it a physical job?
- Is your job in the service industry? Do you associate with your customers in person, on the phone or virtually, online?
- How much is your day spent alone? With others?
- When you are working with others, what is your role? Are you a team member or team leader? Manager? Mentor? Teacher?
- Pets? Childcare?
- What are you wearing?
- Do you see yourself supervising others? If so, how many?
- Do you travel? How often? Domestic or international?
- List five keywords to describe what you love to do.
- Describe a typical, ideal work day
These answers are used as a guide for each person to create a list of at least ten things that are important to them in their ideal work environment.
The next assignment is to go online to websites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com and find at least three dream jobs – regardless of location, title, salary, etc.
Reviewing the dream job descriptions we will add details to their ideal work environment list they may have missed the first time around.
This list is then broken down into ‘must haves, non-negotiable’ and ‘love to have but negotiable’. Sometimes a clients list ends up having all or 90% ‘must haves’ and that is okay.
Next, we begin identifying potential jobs and careers, validate the income potential of the position(s) being sought, determine if additional training or education is needed, how to get and what to do in the meantime, begin developing a resume template and cover letter that can be tweaked for each new position applied for, begin searching for and applying for new positions, and practice interviewing techniques.
One last thing we do, is duplicate their ideal work environment list on index cards. My clients will use these as a guide during the interview process when the interviewer asks, “do you have any questions?” Depending on the situation and type of job being sought, some of these questions may need to be held until a second interview or until a job offer has been made. Each situation is different.
Whether you are just starting out, looking for a new job following a job loss, seeking to change jobs or careers, or considering starting your own business this is a great exercise to help you clarify what you want and what your ‘ideal’ job looks like.
I’m curious, what does your ‘ideal’ job or work environment look like? Reply and leave a comment below or email me: Sandy@TheDreamingCafe.com
And, for more ideas and inspiration listen to this great BBC interview with John Williams, Creative Maverick, “How to Find Work You Love, Even in a Recession“.
