Job or Career: Before You Can Get Either, You Have to Know the Difference

There’s a job crisis going on alright but, for many, not for the reasons you may think.

No doubt there are fewer jobs today and if you are looking for a “job”, you could certainly run into roadblocks. Yes, it is frustrating to spend hours writing cover letters, revamping your resume, and sending it all to recruiters and companies, often receiving little more than a cursory acknowledgment via email. I do believe this is happening and empathize.

I then read Stephen Viscusi’s online article (posted on The Ladders), Why You're Still Unemployed One Year Later and a Q & A on LinkedIn for the question: Are Recruiters still getting 100s of resumes for job openings? Viscusi’s article is an in-your-face dose of reality about why he believes someone may be unemployed for an extended period while the people posting to LinkedIn’s Q & A offer a different take.

Viscusi’s view: If you’re unemployed it is because your attitude stinks.

General consensus from LinkedIn’s Q & A: Many people are applying for jobs for which the HR person or recruiter has deemed you wholly unqualified to perform.

Though, for the latter, and as a contributor to LinkedIn’s Q & A, Jonathan Lome, from Human Capital Management - ACA Talent put it quite succinctly:

I have definitely seen an increase in people applying for open positions, and I have also noticed more and more people applying to positions who completely lack the skills sets the position requires. I think that these days, people are not necessarily looking for a career (although many claim they are), instead they are looking simply for a job to pay the bills, so they apply to whatever they see open.

Pay attention to Jonathan, people, because he hit the nail on the head when stating that many people are looking for a job instead of a career; which may also explain Viscusi’s argument that after a long time looking for a job instead of career your attitude can begin to rot when you can’t find a “job”. The problem, however, is that “a job” and “a career” are frequently considered the same thing. They aren’t. But, if you don’t know the difference, how do you go about finding either one?

Well, for starters, get educated on the differences. Are you looking for something, as Jonathan wrote, just to “pay the bills”, or do you want to become part of an organization where your interests, skills, and talents are exactly what are needed by very specific employers? (Note: No matter how brilliant you may be in one arena, this does not mean you can automatically perform any arena.) This is where understanding a key difference between a job and a career can really help: For a job, you can learn the skills, on-the-job, to perform the work. Depending on the complexity of the job, it may take you days or weeks before you learn enough to make an impact on the company. For a career, it is years of prior learning and honing your skills that will make a near-immediate impact on the hiring company. (For beginning careerists, of course, you often have to take a lot of 'jobs' before your work-life shapes up as a career.)

The second and, perhaps, most difficult thing to get past in finding your right work-life, be it job or career, is trusting that you can get exactly what you want; even in this economy. But you need laser-like focus to achieve this. You must shut-down the internal chatter that tells you all the reasons why you can’t get what you want and trust, simply trust, that what you put your attention on will grow. Don’t believe me? Well, consider the more you fret about not finding the right work, the more you don’t find it. This principle also works in the reverse, in a positive way.

What do you have to lose?

Get a job or manage your career?

A job is job but a career … well, a career is different. When jobs in your career field are few, however, some may feel no other option but to accept any job offer. After all, will another come along? If so, when? But is taking any job, even in your field, the right career strategy or is sacrificing in the short-term a far better option; regardless of the difficulties encountered?

While most know their personal circumstances and how far they can stretch the ole’ budget before succumbing to any job offer, I wondered how many really take the time to evaluate the long-term effect of satisfying a relatively short-term need. Money-guru, Suze Orman, and others slap the hands of people who squander their earnings without squirreling away something for emergencies but, if you haven’t, crying over spilled milk is not going to change the situation.

Still, this raises an interesting question: Are you compelled to take “any” job just to support a lifestyle as a result from previous employment? Is this enough or do you want a career that can help you fulfill your aspirations? If the latter, a job transition period maybe just the opportunity you need to get yourself on track to what you really want to do.

Career coach, Stacy Harshman, has some important advice for the question of whether or not to take any job. Quite simply: “You should do everything you can to avoid it.” Click here for Stacy's blog. According to Stacy, there are a number of reasons why you should avoid doing this but, most importantly, you need to remember that “you are the CEO of your career; therefore, you must be strategic in planning your future.” This is a large concept but one that many people fail to remember especially when panic about paying next month’s rent sets in.

Now, for the interesting and near mystical part: Just worrying about a situation isn’t going to change things just as applying for any job isn’t going to do much for your career. To bring about what you really want, laser-like focus is necessary. Think of it as shooting wildly at anything that moves. You’re sure to hit something but it just may not be what you intended. However, if you take a step back, even if for just a few minutes, and think through the process of what you are intending to accomplish, it will be easier and faster to zero in on the target and begin making a concerted effort to hit that target.

Become the job candidate with a 100% money-back guarantee

If you’ve been in the work world awhile, you begin to realize a thing or two. After an even longer time, you know even that much more. Who would have ever thought that would be a bad thing?

I remember when looking for my first jobs and, on more than one occasion, hearing the words, “You don’t have any experience”. Of course, to get the experience, you had to get a job. But, somehow, you got your foot in a door and, well, you know what you got. Fast forward to 2009 where there are more people than there are jobs. If you’re one of the unfortunate who is presently dislocated from a career spot, you may enter this phase thinking, no sweat, I’ve got experience, only to find that you are now woefully over-experienced. What’s a body to do?

When a huge earthquake hit San Francisco in 1906, San Francisco was cut-off from its East Bay neighborhoods. Those who owned boats began ferrying passengers across the bay – for a price. Some people went from being a simple boat owner to wealth, almost overnight. As the saying goes, when there is a crisis, money changes hands.

It is not that companies suddenly don’t need CFOs, customer service reps, or salespeople. They need ‘em, they just can’t afford ‘em as a regular employee. This shouldn’t stop you from approaching them with a proposal on how you can make or save them money (the only two things they’re really interested in doing). Instead of trying to jam your square peg into an exceedingly small round hole, exploit your knowledge and expertise by proposing to a company that they let you do for them what you’ve done well for others – on a contract basis. And treat the transaction as would any contractor. Give them a money-back guarantee or suggest a pay-for-performance deal. While competing candidates may be looking to pare down their resumes, you will want to showcase yours.

Career luck: Depends on who you ask.

Waiting out another (delayed) flight at Chicago’s O’Hare airport last night, my husband introduced me to me a vendor he deals with who also lives in our home city. The man was the President of a small, global organization his father had built in Australia before expanding across the world. Now, with his father reaping his rewards of the business in his retirement, the son was running the business. In our brief discussion, he told me about spending 5 weeks per year in his home country of Australia, where his corporate office was located, and one week per year at a lake house he and his wife owned in Wisconsin where, he said, he “kept all of his toys”. He had to be about 35. Sounded idyllic.

For a moment I envied him, thinking how nice that he had a lucrative career already planned for him by his father. All he had to do was step into it. No worries, mate. The rest of us, well, the rest of us have to figure out how to write the most compelling cover letters, craft the perfectly composed resume, spit shine our shoes, and not make a single gaffe during an interview in order to make our way into our little spot of career heaven. And, after we’ve done all that, we get to spend years proving that we’re OK and hope we get to reap some great financial reward for our efforts. Seems kind of unfair, doesn’t it?

So, as we climb to 34,000 feet, I began to wonder if people like him feel they didn’t have any choice when entering the family biz. For all we know, this guy could have wanted to be a professional surfer, house painter, or chimney sweep. Maybe Dad is one of those forceful patriarch types that what is said goes. I then couldn’t think of anything more dismal than feeling as if you didn’t have a choice about your work.

I then remembered friends who felt obligated to join the family biz and despised it. They spent their time dreaming of the day they would get up the cohunes or chutzpa to tell their parent(s) that it just wasn’t for them because they wanted to be a professional surfer, house painter, or chimney sweep. Each day spent in a job that had been fashioned for someone else stole that much more time from their lives.

Even if your road may be long and difficult, and no shortcuts provided by family, know that the direction you take is entirely your own. You can’t put a price on that.

Do you have a career blindspot?

I love car analogies when it comes to discussing personal competencies and career planning; the Formula One race car driver versus the driver of a Buick is one of my all-time favorites. We’ll discuss that some other time, but today, and seemingly more apropos for what’s going on out there, is a look at blindspots and, more importantly, how to avoid them.

You’re driving along, everything is just swell, but something going on up ahead alerts you to the need to change lanes. You cautiously check the left and right mirrors, even look over your shoulders, and hit your change signal (we hope) before making your move. Your car glides over. A screeching blare of a horn snaps you back into your lane. Where did they come from?, you demand to know. You calm yourself as you retreat, waiting for your next opportunity to make a move.

You’ve just experienced a blindspot, an area that was occupied by something you just did not see and prevented you from making your move. Careers are also fraught with blindspots though, in many cases, they are self-created, producing obstacles that prevent us from moving over or getting ahead. How do you decrease blindspots? The short answer: Better self-awareness.

The Johari Window Model is a good place to start in learning how to illuminate your blindspots. From, Businessballs.com, like a four-paned “window”, the Johari Window Model is comprised of the following:

1. What is known by the person about him/herself and is also known by others - open area, open self, free area, free self, or 'the arena'
2. What is unknown by the person about him/herself but which others know - blind area, blind self, or 'blindspot'
3. What the person knows about him/herself that others do not know - hidden area, hidden self, avoided area, avoided self or 'facade'
4. What is unknown by the person about him/herself and is also unknown by others - unknown area or unknown self

Let’s say you have not been very successful in landing the right job. You’ve been on a few interviews, the interviewers were pleasant and encouraging, you possess all the necessary skills, yet there’s not been any offer. You might just be operating in a blindspot, where the interviewers are seeing something you don’t. A good way to uncover your blindspots is to ask a friend or relative for an objective assessment of your interviewing style. Role-play. Behave as you would in an interview. Attempt to break the ice, establish rapport, or not, present your qualifications, ask questions about the job … anything you would ordinarily do in an interview. You may come to find that your nervousness overshadows your ability to discuss your accomplishments, perhaps you laugh at inappropriate times, or your questions reveal you have not done much research on the hiring organization. I once interviewed a young woman who, upon entering my office, plopped her handbag directly on top of my desk, followed by an attitude of arrogance. I don’t recall the specifics of her work capabilities but I certainly remember that handbag on my desk; that, and that she was not offered the job.

What your boredom tolerance may be telling you - and employers

A friend who runs his own hair salon tells me that he now wants to be a t-shirt vendor on the island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean during the months his business is slow. Aside from posing problems for his year-round salon customers – after all, who will be taking care of them of them while he is off hawking souvenir shirts to tourists? – this raises another question: Are we only supposed to have one career?

In an earlier post, I wrote about the need to specialize in something if you are to be successful. Orville Redenbacher, of popcorn fame, once said the same thing. But, what happens when you have a number of interests and abilities? If exploring each of them, does this pigeonhole you as a jack-of-all-trades and master of none? Can that limit your career opportunities? Jack Ferris’ article, The Top 5 Reasons to be a Jack of all Trades, gives strong support for not honing in on one specific career – boredom being chief among them. I am not yet ready to reverse my stance on specialization but it seems that if boredom is what drives employees to seek other career adventures, then should organizations do something to keep things revved up a bit – especially if they value that employee who likely will become bored?

Corporate types may view people who are easily bored as not being able to focus on the task at hand. Like elementary schools, however, organizations are often operated to support the weakest student, not the highest performing. High performers who can rapidly process information, quickly arrive at sound decisions, and are always future thinking, are seen as agitators, troublemakers, and high maintenance. I can say, unequivocally, that this is probably true. (OK, so I give myself a little latitude here.) Ironically, though, these personal attributes are what companies typically look for when hiring but are aghast when the employee actually fulfills the prophecy.

There may not be a happy medium in this case, with organizations trying to keep things running on an even keel while employees are looking to broaden their horizons. (Perhaps I could have fit in one more cliché?) If you find you are one of those people who becomes easily bored, take heart. As Ferris reminds, “Lack of intellectual stimulation, not superlative material wealth, is what drives us to depression and emotional bankruptcy. Generalizing and experimenting prevents this, while over-specialization guarantees it”.

Money, passion, or comfort: Choosing a career that does not infringe on others

My youngest stepson, a college student, has worked part-time for a grocery store for the last few years. While I admire his stick-to-itiveness, during these years, he, like many others, has enlarged his lifestyle to reflect his earnings and his current wants. This is, more or less, to say that he spends nearly every dime he makes. His rationale is that, while he is young and without responsibility, he should be enjoying himself as much as possible. The future, as far as he is concerned, is some distant event – even if the “future” holds a car breakdown or an expensive traffic ticket, much less living expenses for when he goes out on his own. He sees little point in seeking employment that pays more or, in the alternative, saving some of what he earns for that “future” that rapidly approaches. He likes what he does, he is comfortable, and he is happy with the present desire-to-money ratio. The parents in his life, on the other hand, furnish him with room and board, college tuition, book money, health insurance, insurance co-pays, prescriptions, vacations, transportation for family events or emergencies, and picks up the occasional car repair. This allows him to continue his work, at his present pay, in an environment he enjoys.

In contrast, my friend’s daughter, Andrea, a poster child for independence, enjoys a great lifestyle but works her behind off at two jobs to maintain it. She whole-heartedly pursues her career passions without asking anyone to augment her choices.

This had me wonder if, when intending a career, should finding a job that suits one’s comfort or passion, without the associated financial consideration, be the entire goal? As much as it would be great to live in a world where everyone can indulge their passion or comfort level, without thought of paying a mortgage, feeding the kids, or keeping the lights on, this approach is not practical. In research I conducted on increasing life spans and adult child dependency, I learned that 40% of all 40-60 year olds are excessively dependent upon their parents. (Yes, you read those figures correctly.) This may mean that a number of adults are, in fact, indulging their desires without being concerned with financial remuneration from their work efforts. This also means that someone else, perhaps someone who is not pursuing their passion, is supplementing the other’s lifestyle choice or career aspirations.

I am not suggesting that choosing a career based exclusively on money is the wisest choice; far be it. Rather, I am suggesting that career intention without accountability is unconscionable. We are each accountable for our lives, without imposing the consequences of our decisions onto others – parents included! It is perfectly alright to pursue the sculpting, acting, medical, teaching, receptionist, et. al. career that you wish. What is wrong is when choosing a particular career and you come up short in supporting the lifestyle you also want, you assume someone else will fill in the gaps. The intention then becomes fulfilling your purpose but at the expense of others.

Have a little faith

In this era, it can be difficult to have faith in your intended outcome. You’re not alone. However, experts stress that what you perceive to control your life – meaning, you (internal) or the world/others (external) – can largely determine your success. If you believe you, not outside influences, decide the direction and actions you take, you maintain an “internal locus of control”. If you believe others or circumstances determine your path, this is an “external locus of control”. W. Jane Robinson, author of The Divine Declaration—Awaken to Your Divine Inner Power, Your Life Depends On It, explores the characteristics of those who possess an internal locus of control in her article, Take Charge of Your Life: Align With and Strengthen Your Internal Support System.

How to think (or meditate) your way to an ideal career.

I have brought myself, by long meditation, to the conviction that a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it, and that nothing can resist a will which will stake even existence upon its fulfillment.
- Benjamin Disraeli

Several years ago I met with a gentleman at a global company. He explained that his job was to think about “stuff.” He also spent his time flitting around the country, meeting with University researchers, entrepreneurs, and other companies to gather ideas on what to think about. He would then retreat to his office where he enjoyed an enormous atrium outside his office floor-to-ceiling window. His musings produced innovations for his organization.

The same can be done for a career.

In this culture, thinking, just thinking, is frowned upon. It is as though it is assumed nothing great can ever be accomplished without doing something. Idle time is discouraged so that it becomes filled with meaningless cell phone conversations or hammering away at laptops. Just walk through any airport and you’ll know what I mean. With the way we act, one might believe people are fearful of the thoughts they would produce if their minds were left to wander.

But, as the saying goes, we can’t get to where we are going from here. Changing career direction can be daunting. We have our interests, skills, and competencies and then scan job postings looking for a place where these may be applied. If you think about it, no pun intended, this activity doesn’t take much thought. It only requires reading. Sadly, I believe that is pretty much how people approach their career. What would happen, however, if you just stopped to think or, better yet, not think at all?

In thinking, in letting our minds roam, in meditation, or any other form of deliberate nothingness, something profound happens to the human brain. Physiologically speaking, the aging process is slowed (good to know), blood pressure is lowered, and stress decreases. (Click here for great info on meditation and health benefits.) Anyone who has ever been required to make a snap decision knows full well the body’s reaction when the mind is under pressure. I am reminded of a man I know who was let go from his job. Within an hour of his layoff, he was on the phone to all of his contacts, me being one of them, to learn who in the industry was hiring. I could literally feel his desperation, confusion, and fear. So much for portraying confidence and calm.

While I appreciate there are circumstances that sometimes require an individual rush to get another job, I do not agree they cannot afford to step outside of their circumstances for even 10 minutes to simply ponder the situation. Allowing the mind to do the job for which it is intended – namely, solve problems – can do more than just produce short-term or immediate results. It can also expose new avenues for achieving long-term career plans. Just give it a try. What have you got to lose?

How on-boarding can help ensure employee success.

I believe there is some confusion out there as to what on-boarding actually means. At one global outfit, I was surprised to learn that local managers, one of which had an MBA, had not even heard the term. This is especially dangerous considering these are the same people who recruit and hire staff. So, what does on-boarding mean? It is the carefully orchestrated process of integrating a new employee into the organization with the goal of making them productive as quickly as possible. This can take many forms, including a formal orientation program or assigning a mentor to new staff. If there is any doubt as to the importance of this function, read Jim Kissane’s blog, Why on-boarding makes sound financial sense.

In the past, I have been the recipient of good on-boarding and non-existent on-boarding. For the former, my new boss educated me on the company’s politics, who to ask to get things done, gave me in-depth indoctrination to company systems, and made certain I understood all of the resources available to get the job done in the most efficient and productive manner. In contrast, another manager, at another company, left me to my own devices to learn how things got done. It was months of fumbling through company processes, systems, and people when, all along, the time spent doing this could have been spent in my actually performing my job.

When intending the career you want, make sure the organization you want to work for has a good on-boarding process in place. Ask when they expect you to become productive and what measures they have in place to ensure this happens. Personal intention carries a lot of personal responsibility and personal accountability but organizations have a duty to ensure employees are well-equipped with the tools they need to do their job.

The under-40’s: They ain’t got nothin’ on us

The under-40 set doesn’t have a thing on the 40+ group when it comes to getting the job done. Of course, there is that odd under-40 that can do something pretty spectacular in their career but they are few and far between. (My friend’s daughter, Andrea, in her 20’s, is one of those whiz kids; she can sell ice to Eskimos – I know, cliché, but hey, as I write, it’s not even 8 am on a Saturday so give me a break.) Yet, have you noticed in job postings, typically under “Requirements” or “Qualifications”, at the very bottom of the ads, where a company requests: “Minimum 3-5 years experience”, “B.A./B.S. plus 1 year experience”, or, my personal favorite: “1 year of successful sales (or marketing, finance, etc., etc.) experience”? Do I get to pick the year?

I am beginning to wonder if these job postings are not shills planted by the government to assure the 14.5 million+ unemployed that there are jobs out there – it’s just that you’re not getting yours. Probably because you have 6 years of experience.

I did a little research on ROI (for the under-40, that means “return-on-investment”; not to worry, this info comes with experience) when companies hired “seasoned” workers as opposed to those who still need to ripen. An interesting study on the aging workforce comes from the University of Vermont School of Business Administration (wait a minute, isn’t that where there are a lot of under-30’s?) where they examined the Days Inn hotel chain and their hiring practices. The hotel chain realized a much greater ROI from hiring older workers, those over 40, versus younger workers. They found that older workers were more accurate in their work, demonstrated greater loyalty, and had lower absenteeism rates. In fact, and according to the study, the cost to recruit and train an older worker was only 35% of that spent on younger workers, $618 vs. $1,752. Now that’s not small potatoes.

Alright, so self-justification and a buck thirty (or four bucks) will get you a cup of coffee, as they say. So, what to do if you’re over 40 and trying to position yourself for a new or existing career and you have more than 3 years experience (or, one terribly successful year as some employers want)? Start talking math. That’s right. Companies want to know what you can do for them that is going to make them a whole lot o’ money. And I don’t care how much you hated math in school. A sure-fire way for employers to sit up and take notice is when a job candidate can justify, in dollars, why they should be hired over someone who can’t.

There ain’t nothin’ like experience.

Is it a skill or a competency?

Do you know the difference? When we think of people closing a sale, digging a great ditch, or generating concise financial reports, we may believe these activities demonstrate an individual’s competency when, in actuality, these activities demonstrate a skill. Skills are typically the things we tend to focus on when writing resumes or during interviews. We do this with the belief that hiring managers are more interested in what we can do (the skills we offer) within a narrow scope (a specific job) as opposed to what we are capable of doing (our competencies) across the organization. However, if you’re wondering which is more important, the answer is: Both.

If you are good at sales, is this because you demonstrate initiative and have strong leadership skills? Are you able to dig great ditches because you have a penchant for getting things done the right way? When preparing financial reports, are they concise because you are unwavering in your diligence? All of these represent competencies that can be transferred to other areas within an organization.

Especially now, when organizations are cutting staff or not hiring, in order to keep pace, companies may be more apt to look inward at existing employees who possess competencies needed to achieve goals. And, for those organizations looking to bring on new employees from the outside, candidates who are able to showcase skills and competencies can gain a leg up on their competition.

Sometimes a road block is the universe's way of steering you in the right direction

I have a friend whose careers – plural – have consisted of being a professional baseball player, stock broker, and high school teacher. I find this relevant to intent as each of these careers necessitated the acquisition of specific education, skill sets, and certifications. Each career also required that he set his sites on a particular end result and devise a plan to achieve each one. More amazingly, each of these careers was borne out of desire. How many of us can say we have gone about our careers with such clarity and determination?

Businessweek online had an interesting article on how recent MBAs, unable to find a job, are starting their own business. (Find article at: http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/ content/jun2009/ bs20090618_346720.htm?chan=bschools_bschool+index+ page_top+stories) The article profiled one student nearing graduation who had applied for multiple management positions ranging from not-for-profits to the music industry but without success. The student, however, according to the article’s author, Alison Damast (http://www.businessweek.com/ bios/Alison_Damast.htm), is an “aspiring singer and songwriter”. In the end, she opted for starting her own record label. What is intriguing about this is that the noted student obviously possessed, at the start, and before entry into any MBA program, an innate interest and skill in music. Without knowing entirely how this particular student went about her job hunt, and only with the information at hand, nonetheless it asks her motive for seeking out a career in an industry or with an organization that may not be in a position to foster her true self.

Believe me when I write that I am not blind to understanding the possible motives for wanting to find a job to earn a living or pay back student loans. I’ve done it, many of us have done it, and have done it to ensure our survival. Hey, paychecks are important. But, and this is a big one, each time I have set my intent on finding the right fit for my talents and abilities at that given moment, opportunities have appeared, seemingly from out of nowhere, and with little more than an intentional prompt. As for my friend who set his intent on becoming a baseball player/stock broker/school teacher, the student in the article, not finding a "job" may have actually led her to her intended career after all.

Job or Career: Do You Even Know What You Want?

If you're looking for advice or direction on finding a job, you won't find that here. Over the years, I've come to realize (sometimes personally and painfully) that the answer to our career dilemmas, frequently, if not always, has very little to do with the state of the economy, our education, or personal circumstances. Consider that as long as we're alive, we are always going to have personal circumstances, the economy will always boom and wane, and, quite frankly, we could always use more education. No, these are generally not the impediments to our landing that dream career opportunity. The problem is in the way we look at work, in general.

I don't know about you, but from an early age, work and earning my way was mandatory. Of course, at an early age, when you have little to offer except enthusiasm and the willingness to do a job a lot of people didn't want and for only a little money, the goal then was simply to get a job; it's only requirement is that it netted a paycheck. Thus, we began the cycle of looking for a job.

In some instances, the job we found turned into a career of sorts. A retail clerk advances into management, the guy in the mail room at the ad agency becomes an account executive, the front desk clerk becomes general manager of a hotel. Careers are born. In the absence of intent, however, are these careers just a matter of happenstance? This is not to say that employees who rose through the ranks did not work hard or strategize their way to the top but merely asks if the person who started out bagging groceries and later became store manager couldn't have just as easily been emptying wastebaskets at ABC Corporation and became the CEO. Where is the intent?

This is what this blog is all about. It is about discovering our personal intent and mindfully mapping a course to find the right career.

Let's begin the journey!