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No 67                                                                               August 2005

Want to Work for Yourself or Work Portfolio? - Part 4

Continuing from the last NEWORKer the list of myths that discourage the entry to Portfolio work

We can often create this myth to justify our lack of action when it comes to making a change in our careers. We convince ourselves that our ideal role doesn’t exist – so why should we even try looking for it? If this myth sounds familiar – then you need to ask yourself what you’re basing this statement on. Is it fact or fiction? Have you truly researched your options? If you haven’t then again, be honest with yourself and ask yourself if this is really the case or if something else is lying beneath this statement. Often our fears can drive many of the decisions we make – or don’t make. It is only by being honest with ourselves that we can take back control of those areas of our lives that fear has been dictating for too long.

When we start a statement with ‘what if’ we’re often looking for an ‘out clause’ or an excuse not to try. We all know from experience that the job market can be an unpredictable beast. We have all applied for roles we would have liked to have been offered and have been unsuccessful at one time or another. But what we need to do is learn from these experiences and not let them become a barrier. Even if you’ve been unsuccessful in applying for several roles – ask yourself "what can I learn from this experience?". It could be that you need to look at how you’re marketing yourself or you may need to brush up on your interview skills. Whatever the reason, don’t let your lack of success in the past dictate how you move ahead in the future. The past is past – the future is now – you’re creating it at this very moment. So if you think you could benefit from some external advice – seek it out. Do whatever you feel you need to do to take the pause button off your career aspirations.

I’m a great believer that we attract in to our lives what we put our focus on. If we approach something thinking, "I don’t why I’m bothering I probably won’t get the role anyway" then that’s exactly what you’ll get. In creating the life we want to live – which includes playtime as well as work time – we need to be congruent in our thoughts, words and actions. Let me give you an example. Say for instance you are applying for a role you’re really keen on and you’re saying to your friends and family "I really want this job" but inside you’re thinking to yourself "I probably won’t get it anyway" then your actions in your interview will be visible. Your body language and general energy will give you away. Why? Because you’re out of balance – you’re not being congruent. We have the amazing ability to attract in to our lives the very things we desire – but all too often we’re focusing on what we don’t want – which is exactly what we end up with - more of what we don’t want. So if you think this may be a problem area for you, look at how congruent you’re being with your thoughts, words and actions.

This is an interesting myth. The ‘myth’ part isn’t related to those bills we have to pay – unfortunately they’re very much a reality for all of us. The myth comes in to play when we’re considering the various ways in which we can earn the money to pay those bills. You’re only restricted to doing what you’ve always done to earn a living if you allow yourself to be. There can be many options open to you as an alternative way of paying your bills while you make your career transition if you allow yourself to explore them as a viable possibility. And, let’s face it, when we’ve been faced with an unplanned career change through redundancy or similar, we have an amazing capacity to suddenly get creative when it comes to our job search. So, use these skills to help you now to explore your options and make a decision based on fact not perception.

My response to this myth is : "You’re networking all the time, it’s just that sometimes you just don’t think of it that way". Think about a time when you may have needed someone to work on a job around the house. What is often the first thing you do? Most of us talk to people we already know and ask them if they can think of anyone they’d recommend to us to call. This is the essence of networking – talking to people, talking to people about other people and then making contact. If you think of it from this perspective then you’ll realise that you’ve been ‘networking’ for most of your life – you were just doing it in a different context. Use your existing network of contacts to explore your career options, and if you need more information go to the next stage – informational interviews. Which brings me very nicely to the next myth.

Informational interviews are all about gathering information. You’re not asking people for a job, you’re just exploring your options before you make your career move. To do that – you need information, so why wouldn’t someone want to talk to you? I’ve followed this approach for years and I have never been turned down. The key is to state up front that you’re information gathering only and offer to meet in a neutral space, say over a cup of coffee. Most people are pleased to talk about themselves and their work (especially if they love what they do) and this way you’ll find out ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’ so to speak, what the pros and cons are of a profession before you make the decision to follow that path. It’s an invaluable part of the career transition process, so think about what you need to know, keep it short and concise and then make that call.

That’s the beauty of both of the above approaches – networking and informational interviews. You can start with a small number of people in both cases and build your contacts as you go. The secret is in tapping in to other people’s networks too. In either scenario, before leaving your contact, ask them if they can recommend anyone else they think it might be worth talking to. Also ask them if they would mind you using their name as a referral point. Most of the time they’ll say yes on both counts and this is a great way to expand your contacts and feels a lot less like ‘cold calling’ when you touch base with your new contact. All you have to do is pluck up the courage to get the ball rolling and let the rest happen. If permission is not granted, don't use their name in any way that they may be identified. Respect the wishes of members of your network.

The short answer is no. Richard Bolles clarifies the difference in What Colour is Your Parachute rather well, so why re-invent the wheel? The objective of networking is "to gather a list of contacts now who might be able to help you with your job search at some future date". The secret is in maintaining your list of contacts; after all, no one only wants to be contacted when you’re looking for a job. Bolles describes informational interviews as a method of "screening careers or jobs before you change to them rather than afterward". You’re there to find answers to specific questions about that career or role and your time may be limited, so it’s important to be clear about what you want to know before you make contact.

Unfortunately, a more common myth than you might think. There can be many reasons why someone might feel this way about themselves, for example, a lack of confidence or self-belief, undervaluing their skill sets or the good old fashioned ‘making career decisions based on perception and not fact’ scenario. Whatever the reason for feeling this way, it’s important to remember that in another six years or so, a large majority of the workforce will be 55 years or over. It’s all about understanding your own unique mix of skills and experience, how to leverage those skills and experience and also keeping your skills current. Unfortunately many of us undervalue the contribution we’re already making in the workforce, so it’s no wonder we feel we have nothing to offer anyone else. Take time to think about your strengths, skills and experience and essentially what makes you unique, because this is an essential foundation from which to market yourself effectively.

There's more and they will be included in the next NEWORKer

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