I’ve been working with more and more clients who are struggling to find a new job. Of course some due to the economy and the lack of jobs out there. But many other clients are struggling due to their multiple passions and career interests. They are finding it difficult to put their interests into ONE “job box” that fits all.
My advice to them?
Stop trying to put it all into one box! Stop it.
Instead, embrace and wrap your arms around your multiple interests and passions. In this economy, it’s the perfect time to explore multiple interests. Especially since there may not be ONE job available, anyway. You might now want to consider taking a job working 30 hours a week (with benefits!?) in X and another job working 15 hours in Y. What’s that do for you?
1. You’re making a living!
2. You’re pursuing your multiple passions and not putting things “on ice”
3. You’re granting yourself the permission to explore and learn — and isn’t that what life is all about?
I’ve had clients whose passions are as diverse as being an investment banker Monday through Friday to floral designing at a floral store on Saturdays; being an attorney as well as designing and creating jewelry and being a marketing manager to being a stand-up comic. What do they all share in common? They’re COMBINING their interests, passions and skills into a KALEIDOSCOPE CAREER (I can’t take any credit for this term. Some folks who are apparently sharing credit and copyright for the term include career coach Susan Strayer and authors Lisa Mainiero and Sherry Sullivan of the Opt-Out Revolt. There may be others who stake claim to it, as well. Wish I had thought of it….I love the term!).
How does one put that on a resume? Don’t. Yep, you heard it from me. Don’t. It may not translate for a traditional resume. Instead, I encourage my clients to create a professionally-done one-page bio sheet that can be nicely printed out and/or sent in email as a PDF. It serves several purposes:
1. It will help you focus your interests, skills and, most importantly, what you WANT to do versus what you’ve done in the past
2. You can use it as your “calling card” to open up doors to many real job opportunities (imagine it as a PDF you can send to people and/or print out on nice paper and provide to people in a networking setting)
3. It can be used as a fun way to socially network online (PDF)
And, are you ready? Include your picture. Again, I get in trouble with some people here because they tell me that there are still some folks in this country who discriminate against people based on age, race or gender that can be depicted through a picture. True enough. I don’t disagree that discrimination is still alive….and I find that very sad. BUT…I also argue that my clients (and you!) don’t want to be hired by someone who’d make such a senseless (let alone illegal!) decision not to hire you based on your age, race or gender. So, put that picture of yourself on your kaleidoscope bio page!
So, if you find yourself interested in being a baker AND marketer, go for it! Find yourself interested in working as a doggie daycare manager and an IT manager? Go for it! Want to teach high school, be a mechanic and travel write? Go for it! You get the picture….wait, no, you get the KALEIDOSCOPE!
