Jobs Not Synonymous with Careers

I can't promise that you won't have to start from scratch to define your job, but I can promise you it will be worth the effort.

There's a certain breed of office nightmare. We all know the type; the whinger who complains endlessly about hating their job whilst at the same time being quick to tell you how much better job they could be doing than management. They've normally worked in the department for years, long enough that they should be an expert; yet they have somehow managed to remain uninvolved. Ironically, whilst they've been busy being miserable they could have been learning new skills which would have provided them with better opportunities.

Be careful as you nod your head in judgment. These extreme cases are indicative of something far more widespread in our culture; the belief that education is something which is finished when you graduate. Now that's an aspect of our group mentality which we can all be vulnerable to. Who hasn't on occasion felt like they are being forced to prove themselves when they shouldn't have to?

I touched more on the importance of educating for learning skills in my last blog. At school, we learn skills like maths, English and science. We learn nothing about the most important things in life; perusing our passion, social skills, and the importance of our ability to communicate effectively with others, and "sell" our ideas and ourselves to others. 

Well, that collective mistake has come back to bite us. The world has changed, and we need to do something about it! The last year has taught us a few things:

1. A job is not forever: even big, long standing corporations can collapse. Just look at World Com, Enron or Leehman Bros, to name a few. Be prepared, always have a plan b.

2. Job satisfaction is more important than ever: more so than long service. Expand, if you do what you love it doesn't matter how long you stay. Job security isn't just about staying in one place, it's about making sure you can always move on to something else.

3. The traditional ways of finding work are not always the best. Like any animal, if you are hungry you have to learn new ways to find food

So, what can we do about it? GREAT question! First, it is time to RE-Define the concept of a J-O-B:

My definition of a job has changed. The expanded understanding is about contributing, making a difference, and loving what I do. It's about learning to recognise personal strengths, and play to them. It's also about learning to look at other ways to find employment, not necessarily a traditional job. It is through CONNECTIONS, with our fellow humans that new opportunities will open up for us.  We need to connect and talk with our network (friends, family and colleagues), share ideas and our dreams and desires.

Raz Chorev has 15 years of sales and marketing experience, from small businesses to corporates.  During his sales career, Raz discovered that People Buy People, not just products. Raz's real passion is to help other people become more attractive to others- to their potential customers, to future employers, or even to their social environment. Working with Australia's leading People Marketing agency, Buzzle, Raz has co-founded JobCamp, an initiative to Get Australia Working.