The #1 Silent Killer Amongst Job Starters & Career Changers
Has your new job or position overpowered your thoughts in such a way that it’s hard to remain focused? Does it feel like it’s not working out for you? Read more
Posts
The 10 Worst Timewaster Job Search Tactics
You’ve been on the job hunt for weeks and still no interview? Welcome to the club. I reveal 10 Timewasters and how to avoid them if you want to reduce your stress and search time. Read more
Happy Friday! Please tell me something new.
Did you check your blogs and tweets today? Did you get your dose of ‘ same old – same old”? I have an idea…
Happy Pi – Friday! Pardon the punt guys Friday is most popular / corporate day of the week. Perhaps it consists of an unhealthy breakfast muffin with your double shot Chi Chai Soy Skim Latte, excitement about weekend plans or just the simple joy of knowing you don’t have to get up for work the next morning.
I have been very busy and productive all of this week and had no chance to launch a mid week blog this week. It made me feel bad, as I always want to offer something new or helpful or at least share some findings and news. So anyway … I got up very early this morning for some “ me time “ catching up with various topics and you guessed it, I read lots of twitter posts and blog posts.
After a very short time, I was thoroughly annoyed. I was looking for some unique entertainment on my favourite subjects, to learn something I didn’t know, or to hear some good stories. I found none of these things.
Every blog or twitter post seemed to be exactly the same:
- » Pursue your passion!
- » Follow your dreams
- » Escape the 9 to 5!
- » Leave your job to travel the world!
- » Live spontaneously!
- » Be a positive person!
- » 50 Days to your dreams!
- » Did I mention … Pursue your passion!
- » Cubical = Hell on Earth!
Seriously ? Bugger me .. This is so annoying. Not only is this advice the last thing I want to hear about on a Friday morning, every blog post on every blog sounded almost exactly the same.
Apparently I need to add some new blogs to my RSS feed (please give me some new ones, I’m dying here) and I think I need to delete some too.
Don’t get me wrong I love my gadgets and I am a sucker for news and blogs and I certainly don’t mind the commercial aspect of most career blogs, but I am asking myself , is it that hard to actually contribute something of value first before these bloggers give us their standard “Pursue your passion”! pitch?
Reading all of these posts made me feel like these guys think that we ( my generation included ) is living in a weird bubble when it comes to our careers. Perhaps you could call it la la land. In addition, many of us see success in only one way- and we’re kind of harsh about those who don’t conform.
I’m all about making a million dollars a year pursuing your passion. Who WOULDN’T be?! But do you really think that my generation and the Gen Y and the Millennia’s actually care about these phrases? Guy’s you need to come up with something new!
Oh and what the heck does passion mean anyways?
I think we build the word up to be way more than it is. Dictionary.com says passion is: any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate. Pretty simple definition.
The “p-word” is losing it’s fire. It’s an idea. Maybe it’s a fantasy. It’s overused. It provides false hope amidst people who look for work. It sets internet marketers up to make money selling dreams rather than valuable products and services.
Also sorry to tell you but here is NOT one definition of success!
Another point I’d like to make is that not everyone wants to work for themselves. Not everyone wants to leave their day job to travel around the world. Not everyone wants to sell all of their stuff and see where the wind takes them. Some people- GASP!- love their corporate jobs and are very happy moving up the ladder that way. Some people like money and want to buy nice cars with it. Some people like getting advanced degrees and going back to school.
Please, let everyone define their own version of success.
Success looks very different for everyone, and I feel that many Career bloggers are painting the picture only one way. Please refrain from it. Instead – offer real advice – genuine insight and help and actively point job seekers and career changers at some new trendsetting ideas and when you are done with that – do your usual sales pitch, as it is perfectly ok to do that – but really only if you have something to offer first.
Oh and while I am on it – Passion is PART of our career. For many, passions are pursued outside of work. And that’s ok!
So – to sum it all up. I love my blogs and the twitter feeds and all the other info, but I am over content without value. I believe good bloggers and tweeters and googlers and gurglers have something genuine – valuable – insightful and personal to share before they go onto their business – product pitch.
Maybe you can do some of that next week and I am sure tons of new Followers and Subscribers will sign up to you.
Do You want to throw some fuel on the fire
- » Do you feel the word “passion” is being overused in Career blogs today?
- » Do you feel like Career blogs tend to define success repeatedly in the same ways?
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» What would you do if you had the option to:Is taking the money such a bad thing?
A. Take a job you liked that paid you $15,000 more than you make now, or
B. Get a $10,000 salary cut to do something you are “passionate” about?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this rant. Maybe I’m being silly,( after all its Friday ! ) but I had to share my thoughts.
Oh yeah, and please when you go back to research and job hunting remember to hunt wisely!
Uli
It’s Time To Quit
One of the first questions I get asked when I deal with individuals who are in job transitions is: How do I know when it’s time to quit? Read more
Didn’t get the Job? …. Go Get Feed Back!
Bugger – it is frustrating, isn’t it, when you thought you’d nailed that job interview and then they call you to tell you that you weren’t the one they hired. What went wrong, what were they thinking? It pays to find out so I have 3 tips how to get feedback after an unsuccessful job Interview.
Why Working in Australia or New Zealand Could be Your Best Career Move
Ultimately, the decision to look for work abroad can be refreshing, modern and adventurous.
The number of people who choose to look for a job abroad is increasing. Working in another country can offer a great experience and the chance to learn a lot in a professional, social and cultural capacity. Read more
I hate my job. Does that sound familiar?…
So You hate your job?.. You are one of many people who spend 40 or more hours a week in jobs they can’t stand. Having to complete work we dread, helping colleagues we loathe or dealing with bosses who are driving us mad can be enough to make any of us miserable. Maybe you have muttered I hate my job under your breath at work. Maybe you have even said it while venting your frustration with your friends. So, what are you doing about it? Read more
Kick-start your job search
Job searching is a full time job and can be easier said than done. There is more to it than updating your resume and cover letter or your LinkedIn profile. There are plenty of things you need to know and think about before you embark on your job search, so I suggest that you prepare yourself to kick-start your engines.
Taking a break – turning Down-under!
After 18 months with the company Kate was called into a meeting room to have a discussion with the department manager, who she had hardly spoken to since she joined the business as a Marketing Assistant. Strangely there was also a member of the HR team.
Turning adversity into prosperity – the power of courage.
Guest Editor : Allan Sparkes CV, VA– Inspirational Speaker, Author – The Cost of Bravery
Job Seeking is a very lonely affair. Isolation, loneliness and depression are common side effects of a job seeker’s day, particularly for those candidates who have been on the hunt for more than 6 months. I regularly receive personal emails from Job Seekers who ask me to address this unspoken and uncomfortable subject in my blog.
I am very honoured and proud to introduce you to an expert in this area, a real Australian hero and Ambassador for www.beyondblue.org.
Allan Sparkes offers great insight, advice and encouragement on adversity and his guest contribution is far better than anything I could ever pen for you. I encourage you to read his guest blog post and his book, and if you find this contribution valuable or if you know of a friend or co-worker who is suffering from depression or adversity as a result of recent job loss, please share it. Read more
