I'm feeling a bit "shouty". :)
I'm not really a yeller but please pretend I'm yelling this to all of you career changers out there: Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Indeed.com, are not representative of the entire world and all of its humanity!!! (I'm happy to say this louder for the people in the back too!)
Social media and online job boards represent a small percentage of what's out there. They are a virtual representation of a tiny part of the world.
When we interact virtually, and forget it isn’t reality, we can lose perspective believing one day's job listings is a reflection of the entire world. We lose our perspective and start to feel disconnected. We only have to watch an hour or two of the news to see just how one-sided things can be portrayed. The subtle nuance of relationships are important--things like empathy, compassion and respect. These things are more difficult to convey in a text, email, or social media post.
Most of us can attest to the fact that humanity often isn't hidden behind a keyboard. The way to find humanity, is to get in front of humans. Of course, this has proved more difficult over the past couple of years but it's still not impossible. I would offer that this is the best time to grow and nurture our connections. I believe the way to job search or change your career is to engage the "3 Simple Steps". 1. Reach out to people. 2. Have career conversations. 3. Bring others on board. Re-engage. Reconnect. There is no downside. Set up coffee dates (in person or virtual), call your friends. Converse with your neighbours --even from a distance. Spend time with your family-virtually or in an otherwise "safe" manner. Connect with the cashier at the grocery store (even in a mask, even behind plexi-glass). Feel other humans’ energy. Sink deeper into what it's like to be human. Practice showing compassion. Lead with love instead of fear. Find understanding over outrage. For others, and of course for yourself. Social media is 50/50. It can be an amazing way to connect, free of charge, immediately. It can also divide us when we forget that there is a human behind that account or at the other end of the customer service email. We can feel immensely disconnected after an hour on the job boards looking for inspiration and come away feeling anything but inspired. My hope is that we'll make a conscious effort to use social media to CONNECT with others. Not create a larger divide. For goodness sake, shut it down when you start forgetting your humanity. Get off the job boards and connect with an actual human when you start feeling like there's nothing out there for you. Remember, this is only a tiny representation. So many of you I speak to on consultation calls tell me you want to change your job, change your career, start, or grow a business. Stop looking for inspiration outside of you and start creating it. Use the time that you no longer spend fearing, judging, and outraging to create value in the world. Repeat for just 30 days. Then the next. See where you end up in two months. I choose where I hang out virtually very carefully. I spend my time with people who want to SERVE, LOVE, and LISTEN. Who are actively striving to create more value in the world. When I spend my time online in this way, I perceive the whole world this way. I know something brought you here and maybe it was a search for what to do next about your career. There are a few ways I can help:
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Sarah took the Make Work Better quiz and said this:
“Christine! I wanted to say thanks. I completed the quiz and then it clicked: I don't feel my contributions are recognized or valued by my employer. Time to have a tough conversation and make some decisions. Thanks for the nudge.”
Kim, a one on one coaching client had this to say about working with me:
I followed Christine on social media for quite some time before I reached out so I felt confident that she was the right coach for me. I’d recommend her coaching for anyone who feels stuck in their career and doesn’t quite know where to begin – anyone looking for accountability and motivation to change. Working with Christine led to a huge shift in my thinking about the level of power I have over my personal contentment. What I liked best about working with Christine was that I felt safe – she is genuine, honest and supportive – so I was able to be vulnerable and easily share what I needed in order to move forward. Her constant reassurance that it’s okay to continue exploring, shifting and changing as I grow was invaluable for my piece of mind. Most importantly, Christine believed in me when I had trouble believing in myself. She helped me truly internalize that no matter what obstacles and challenges arise, I can persevere and continue moving forward.
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