…starts with knowing what you want from work.
For some reason, this isn’t where a lot of smart people start.
Here are some questions they ask instead.
- What other jobs are out there? Who’s hiring right now?
- What am I qualified to do?
- What would impress other people?
- What pays the most?
- Is it too late for me to start over?
- Do I need to go back to school?
- Is there a quiz or assessment that can tell me jobs I would like?
- What if I never find something better?
- What’s realistic at this stage?
None of these are terrible questions, on their own. We might address some or all of them in the process of a coaching relationship. We can’t ignore reality, and figuring out where you fit and what tradeoffs you’re willing to make are all part of finding a good fit.
A metaphor I like is a ordering up a good meal. You’re hungry, and you want something nourishing and delicious. Can somebody pass me the menu?
When you’re holding a menu, you know what to do. You review your choices, and pick the thing that appeals the most. There are tradeoffs. Do you want the most delicious, or the healthiest? Do you want to try something new and novel, or stick to something you know you enjoy? If you’re on a budget, you’ll consider price; if you’re in a hurry, you might weigh how long something takes to prepare. But assuming you have your priorities in place, and you’re ready to speak up, the menu is the tool you need. Right?
But there’s a step before looking at the menu. It’s determining which menu we look at — or even whether we are looking at a menu at all. The chalkboard on the side of a food truck is going to offer us different choices than the fancy sushi place, and neither of those will give you a great mushroom-and-cheese omelet. What are you hungry for? Is the grocery store a better option? Raise your hand if you ever ignored your hunger on a long road trip, and then found yourself searching a gas station convenience store for something — anything — you’d like to eat.
What will nourish you? Where can you find that? These are the questions that are likely to lead to something satisfying.
