Do What You Love

Jennifer Fry
Careerminds Consultant

I've heard it phrased several ways, but it always hints at the same point: "do what you love and you'll never work a day"; "do what you love and the money will find you"; "do what you love and do it often." The ideal job is one that you love to do, and the best way to ensure that result is to simply do something you're passionate about right off the bat. The trouble is, job seekers are often unsure of how to translate a beloved personal interest into a real job that earns them money.
If you find yourself in a career transition and wanting to explore your interests, or even if you're not totally sure what those interests may be, here are a few tips:

• Passions must be made: It's easy to think that your life's passion is just going to fall into your lap, but if you ask me, it isn't quite that simple. The trick to finding an area of real interest-- real enough to become your passion-- is to develop both interest and skill in the same thing. A healthy interest in painting is just fine, but in order to make a living you need some kind of skill to go along with it, and incredible math skills will get you no where if you truly despise doing math. To find your passion, go out and look! Try new things or spend more time doing the things you already enjoy. Once you've built up that balance of skill and interest, you'll be in the perfect position to do what you love and get paid for it.
• Ask questions: In conjunction with previous tip, forget what they say about curiosity killing the cat. Curiosity is the perfect attribute for someone trying to find work they're passionate about. Does someone you know do something that you're not totally sure about? Do they have a hobby that seems interesting or even a little weird? Did you read about something recently that caught your attention? Ask questions! Learn more and you may find a fantastic new interest to pursue-- this tactic works even better if you know someone who already does what they love.
• Education is still a must: It has become a fact of life that the right credentials can impress potential employers, co-workers, strangers, etc. There may be rebellious souls out there who scoff in the face of convention, but the fact remains that academic and/or professional experience are a must. After all, these institutions can give you some of those much-needed skills that you'll need become a success, so before going rogue, think about the eventual opportunities presented by education and experience.
• Immediate payoff is not guaranteed: But don't let that stop you! The truth is, getting paid well to do what you love probably won't happen right away. Most people start at the bottom, then become so good at doing what they love that they're paid accordingly; or they start off getting paid to do something they're good at, and develop their love for it over time. Regardless of the path you take, it is important to remember the end goal (making a living off what you love) and that it doesn't happen overnight or without hard work.
• Don't force it: If you think you may be passionate about something, but later find out that it isn't quite your cup of tea, drop it. Don't waste your time doing something you've really lost interest for. It's ok, not to mention totally normal, to one day decide that you want to take up the guitar, then decide that you aren't all that into it a few weeks down the road. Again, you need both skill and interest to do something you're truly passionate about for a living, and if the interest dries up, there's no use forcing yourself to continue on that path. Whatever the activity or area of study may be, it is clearly not your life's passion. Just be careful to know the difference between losing your interest and hitting a learning plateau.

It seems like everyone's goal is to do what they love and get paid for it, but it also seems that not everyone is willing to put in the effort is takes to get there. They say that finding a job is a job in itself, and finding a job you're passionate about is no different, but the rewards of achieving that goal are worth the effort.

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.

Turning the Snack Into a Feast: The Seasonal to Full-Time Transition

Jennifer Fry
Careerminds Consultant

This weekend marks the official beginning of the holiday shopping season, and with the onslaught of shoppers crowding the stores and shopping malls, retailers are quickly filling up temporary, seasonal positions. That's good news for those of you in career transition looking to make some money for the holidays, but what happens after the season is over? You keep the job, if you've gone about it the right way.

Last year, 49% of temporary employees were expected to remain employed after the holiday season was over, so if you're one of the many seasonal employees just getting started in a position this year, there are a few things to keep in mind that will help you make the most of your seasonal experience, and hopefully turn this employment “snack” into a full-time “feast.”

1. First, be up front about your intentions from the very beginning of the process. During your interview or even on your application, indicate that you'd be interested in continuing to work even after the holidays are over. This will immediately indicate to your employer that you are highly motivated and willing to work hard, and that you'd like to be considered for any regular employment opportunities that arise. Just don't be demanding about it-- you're just letting them know.
2. Once you're hired as a seasonal employee, work as if you already are a regular, full-time employee. Show your manager that you're dedicated to the job by displaying proactive behavior and impressive work ethic-- ask for additional tasks, go above and beyond expectations, and keep productivity up at all times. When it comes to keeping seasonal employees on once January rolls around, employers will be looking for those who will continue to put forth their best, not those whose efforts dwindle when the temporary stint starts to wind down.
3. Show that you care about the company, the customers and your co-workers. Regular employees are not just there to make a few extra bucks during the holidays, they are committed to the company year-round. Practice excellent customer service to keep customers coming back even after the season has ended, and your manager may be tempted to keep you coming back, as well. Another way to show your dedication to the company and the position is to network with your co-workers and managers; develop a good rapport and create positive professional relationships at work to further set you apart from your seasonal co-workers.
4. Lastly, continue to make your interest in full-time work apparent. Express your goals to your manager and those in other departments so that everyone is on the same page. Again, the point is not to be pushy, just to make it clear to all those concerned that you're willing and able to stick around.

By displaying admirable work ethic, flexibility and enthusiasm, you will be able to set yourself apart from your fellow temporary employees, and remain foremost in your manager's mind when the time comes to promote seasonal workers into full-time positions. If your job search is still on-going, a seasonal job may turn out to be just what you've been waiting for.

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.

CareerCompile- This week's top Career-Minded articles

Jennifer Fry
Careerminds Consultant

Each week we read articles we find on twitter, blogs and other social media platforms in order to stay ahead of the curve. We want to be able to present our clients, job seekers, HR professionals and recruiters with the most accurate and up-to-date information we possibly can. At the end of the week we always know which articles were the most valuable, so why not share that with all of you? This is the next weekly post compiling what we feel are the top career-minded articles.

50 Killer Questions for Job Seekers to Ask on Interviews
Rich DeMatteo (Corn on the Job)

Potential employers expect you to ask questions during your interview, so come prepared with a few of these killer suggestions ready to go.

The 10 Worst Pieces of "Good" Career Advice
Jenna Goudreau (Forbes)

Some of those tried and true tips you may have heard could be doing you more harm than good.

7 Tip for a Job Fair
ResumeBear

With several employers in the same place at the same time, a job fair could be a gold mine for the savvy job seeker-- and savvy is the operative word.

How to Conduct a Passive Job Search
Christina Pomoni (Helium)

While this method may be risky, a passive job search is not without its benefits.

Interview Preparation Series
Gulpfish

The folks at Gulpfish have compiled a ten-part series on interview preparation to turn you into an interview pro. Start here with part one.

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.

CareerCompile- This week's top Career-Minded articles

Jennifer Fry
Careerminds Consultant

Each week we read articles we find on twitter, blogs and other social media platforms in order to stay ahead of the curve. We want to be able to present our clients, job seekers, HR professionals and recruiters with the most accurate and up-to-date information we possibly can. At the end of the week we always know which articles were the most valuable, so why not share that with all of you? This is the next weekly post compiling what we feel are the top career-minded articles.

Tips & Tricks for a Lucky Job Search: Change Your Job Search Odds
GlassDoor (via MonsterThinking)

Don't let luck work alone-- help yourself by following these suggestions.

Cover Letter Tips: Is Sending a Cover Letter Always Necessary?
Kim Isaacs for Monster

It's always necessary to include a cover letter, right? Maybe not.

The Three Types of Multitaskers
Kimberly Weisul for bnet

How do you work best? Understanding your own habits can help guide you to the right position or help you adjust for the position you're after.

The 12 Most Essential Leadership Traits
Meghan M. Biro for The 12 Most

Employers are looking for leadership-- how do you measure up?

3 Ways to Boost Your Job Search This Weekend
Denise Felder

Three tasks you can complete right away to keep your job search going. Every little step counts!

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.

Words of Wisdom from Steve Jobs

Jennifer Fry
Careerminds Consultant

Last night, the entire world was abuzz with the sad news of Steve Jobs’s passing, and with Apple, the company he helped create, currently holding the title of world’s most valuable stock—an achievement only recently realized—it should come as no surprise that many have and will continue to look to Jobs as an inspiration.

In honor of the Apple founder’s life and accomplishments, we’d like to offer some words of advice on careers (and life) from the man, himself.

Think Different: This wasn’t just a slogan for Apple computers; it was a way of a life, a credo by which Jobs lived. Neuroscientists actually say that innovators and visionaries like Jobs do think differently, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use our own techniques to get our brains going. Seek out diverse experiences—even Jobs’s experience in a calligraphy course influenced the design of the first Macintosh computer, which made use of beautiful typography like no other computer had before. Consider the ways in which every experience can influence your present and future; everything you do and see has the potential to contribute to your work and life, even if it’s in ways you hadn’t considered before.

Don’t Settle: Jobs was notably adamant about his belief in doing what you love and not settling for anything less. In his commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005, he explained that your work is going to take up a major portion of your life, and “the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.” You may not even know what that is, yet, but keep looking and never settle for something else. Once you have it figured out, stick to your guns, and don’t be afraid to say no to anything that can deter you from your path; Jobs once said that the secret to innovation comes from “saying no to 1,000 things.”

Stay True to Yourself: Lastly, even Steve Jobs had to overcome adversity to achieve his goals. His vision was to “put a computer in the hands of everyday people”, but in the beginning, there were plenty of skeptics. Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment once told Jobs, “There’s no reason why anyone would want a computer in their home.” Lucky for Apple users worldwide, though, Jobs didn’t let his critics derail his ambitions. Even after he was fired from the company he’d helped create in 1985, Jobs was not discouraged. While the experience was devastating at the time, he later realized that “getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.” With the weight of success lifted from his shoulders, Jobs felt free to enter into what he described as one of the most creative periods of his life, and in 1997, he returned to Apple and helped make the company bigger and better than ever. The lesson here is never allow naysayers to get you down and accept every turn as a potential opportunity and learning experience.

While we may not all be Steve Jobs, we can all aspire to be the best we can be, and if Jobs is any indicationf of success-- I think we'd all argue that he is-- then it's clear that the key to achieving your goals is in yourself.

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.