I often get asked if I know a good headhunter that I can recommend. I must get a very quizzical look on my face because that word isn’t used much anymore, which is a good thing.
What I’m really being asked is, “Do you know someone who can help me get a job?”
If you mean with a certain company, you should register with someone whose job it is to fill specific openings. That’s a recruiter or a search firm. They’re paid to search for qualified candidates.
But, bigger picture, if you’re looking for someone who will counsel and guide you to help find your dream job, that’s a career coach.
What does a career coach do? Funny you should ask, because that’s a very gratifying part of what I do every day.
My first step is to encourage you to dream, and dream big. What would be your ideal job if money was not an issue, or location, or family, or if nothing was holding you back?
Go ahead, dream.
It’s not enough to simply say, “I’d like to work in the logistics business.”
How about, “What I’d really like to be is the CEO of Amazon.” That’s what I like to hear, though some big dreams can be perilous.
To get this exercise started a few years ago, I’d say that my dream job was to host the “Today Show,” though that’s no longer my specific goal given the demise of Matt Lauer, whose career went down in flames.
Now I simply say that I’d like to host a network TV talk show. Truth is, I couldn’t be happier with what I’m doing now, which is what I want for you, too.
Those who find themselves suddenly unemployed
Most people, especially those who find themselves suddenly unemployed, are not especially adept at getting new jobs.
There are many reasons for that, with the most common response of, “I’ve been lucky because I’ve never had to apply for a job.”
You beat the system, at least for a while.
But in today’s furious workplace environment of shifting skill needs, mergers and acquisitions, short-term projects and so many other reasons — most often at no fault of the worker — your employment suddenly came to an end.
Now you need to find your next job, as fast as you can.
Just like any other learned life skill, if you’ve never actually searched for a job, it can, and probably will be, very frustrating at first.
That’s where a career coach comes in. Think of an expert who’s a psychologist for your career, someone who’s paid a retainer for a period of time to tee you up for long-term success.
Let’s start by asking an obvious question
First, I need to understand why you are now sitting in front of me, so naturally I’ll start by asking an obvious question: “Why are you no longer at the job you just left?”
More often than not, it doesn’t take long before you tell me that you were hopelessly unhappy or bored or overqualified or underqualified.
This is important to get out in the open because so many clients I meet with simply want to knee-jerk back into the same type of company, position or industry because it’s the one they know.
If you’re honest with yourself, the aha moment comes when you realize that you were stuck in a dead-end job doing something that you never enjoyed. No matter how good you were at doing it.
My next question is, “OK, what kind of job are you truly interested in?”
To get the appropriate answers to these questions, we’ll start talking about your most recent jobs. Did you like the job, and the company that you worked for, and the industry?
If it’s yes to all three, we’re able to move forward more quickly and get you placed in a similar situation. If not, here’s where the true value of a career coach comes into play.
Instead of saying, “I have no clue,” what I’d like you to say is, “I want the job of my dreams, which is …”
Aha, now we’re getting somewhere.
Blair is co-founder of Manpower Staffing and can be reached at pblair@manpowersd.com
