The things that are obvious to us about the people closest to us are often the things that they just can’t see.
My best friend recently had a huge life change, and was let go from her job. She has taken the time between jobs to reflect on her life. I sat on the phone with her one afternoon as she went on and on about how a career coach had recommended that she look into being an event planner.
A real job…
See, she had never considered event planning a career. Instead, she had been going after law or medicine – you know – a real job. And, while she felt like she had been turned on her head, I was scratching mine. It seemed so obvious to me that she would be a brilliant event planner, and that she would love it.
I see so clearly that she is at her best when she is working in service of others. And she has a creative way of thinking through the kinds of details that make guests feel special.
You can see their value. Why can’t they?
And what was obvious to me was a revelation to her.
I’m sure the same is true for you, too. You can see so clearly that your brother is dating a girl that’s all wrong for him. Your best friend is way more capable then they even realize. Your mom should have asked for that promotion years ago.
You see it. And they don’t.
I’ll bet the same is true for you, too. You have talents, strengths and power that are so obvious to everyone around you. And you just don’t see it. You are even more awesome than you realize. You just need some help seeing it.
Why would I need a career coach?
As a 20 something with a vision for my future, I would have never imagined that I needed a career coach. The thought never crossed my mind. My “I got this” mentality leads me to believe that I can navigate a quickly changing, competitive job market alone.
I wasted a lot of time trying to pursue jobs that weren’t a good fit. I let bosses suck out all of my energy because I didn’t know how to say no. And as much as I appreciate the support my family while I was trying to find the right job, they were of no help.
No one in my family works in my industry. They even gave me bad advice for creatives! My dad has been working as a contractor for the last 10 years. And my husband practically has job offers thrown at him. No one told me how to handle the massive, stressful, seemingly impossible task of convincing a company that I was worth hiring.
Career coaches help you own your awesome!
If you hate your job, or haven’t even found the first one, using a career coach can help you stand out in the job market. It’s all about playing to the strengths you already have and owning your power. And, yeah, that means résumés and LinkedIn and networking. It also means having a person who can help you understand what makes you awesome, and how to find a job/career that not only makes you happy, it makes your heart dance.
This guest post is by Cynthia Bartz. You can find her at wearefiberly (she also designed my crazy awesome logo and website). When she sent me this, she called it a “Spontaneous Post.” I am the coach she’s referring to.
Read. Watch. Learn.
via Careerealism
via Forbes
via Harvard Business Review
Escape Your Problem By Solving It via me! Becky Berry Career Coach
