Can one cup of coffee really change your life? We think so. Here’s an example of what can happen as a result of one conversation.
4:00 p.m.
You wish the day was over already. You’re exhausted and crabby from too many meetings and not enough time to manage your actual workload. Not that your work is thrilling stuff. But it needs to get done.
You stand up, stretch, and look around – only to witness a sea of other people just like you. Cubicles. Earbuds. Silence. Your co-workers zone out and punch away at their keyboards.
You can’t remember the last time that you felt excited about your work. You used to have big dreams. What happened?
We get it. Turning your dreams into reality is hard. Obstacles pop up, bills need to be paid, and eventually, those dreams fade.
But, imagine…
4:00 p.m.
You feel an energy and lightness you haven’t experienced in months. You’re finishing up a presentation before meeting your co-workers at the restaurant across the street for happy hour.
You like talking about your day – and your work. It’s meaningful to you. There is purpose in what you’re doing. And your co-workers feel it too. There’s an ease that you never thought you’d feel again.
Everything has become easier because you have aligned your life with your work – you’re on the right track now. You worked hard to figure out what you wanted to do. And that hard work paid off. You look small steps to get where you are today and you didn’t let fear get in the way.
As recruiters, some of our most important conversations happen over iced lattes and white chocolate mochas. As you trust us with your background, experience, and goals, we are able to walk alongside you and help you build the life of your dreams. Through these conversations, we’ve witnessed dreams come to life.
But, before we grab that coffee, we suggest you carve out some time to get clear on what you really want. Here are a few tips on how to do that:
Take a break
Before we meet for that coffee, give yourself a break. Allow yourself some time to get clear on what you really do want in your next role.
“Clarity follows chaos,” Greta Solomon, journalist turned writing coach and author, writes. “Carve out pockets of alone time so that you can listen to your intuition and get clear on your next best move. Do you need a side hustle? Do you need to hire a coach? Give yourself the gift of a little peace and quiet to process things.”
Do you want to rise up the ranks of a big company, or do you want to work for a smaller firm? Do you want to switch industries or gain a new skill set? Where do you see yourself thriving and happy?
Write it down
We dream in images and visions, not words or lists. So, take some time to envision your dream job. Notice the specific details. Where are you? Are you working from home? Are you working at an office in the city? Kathy Caprino, author and career coach, suggests putting words to your visions and writing your dream job description.
“Flesh it out completely with qualifications, experiences, and outcomes you want to support,” she writes. “Then, start sharing that with everyone you know, verbally and in writing.”
She also advises connecting with people you admire and respect — both in person and online. We tout the same practice. Each month, reach out to a corporate or community leader you admire and invite them to coffee. Spend an hour picking their brain; how did they build their business? How did they find success and fulfillment in their company?
Prepare for the next step
As you prepare for interviews at top-notch organizations and businesses with thriving cultures, we’ll be there. We’ll guide you through interviews and questions like:
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Meaning: Do you have goals and aspirations?
Situation: Interviewers want someone on their team with dreams. It’s okay to be vague in your answer, but explain some of your long-term career goals.
Task: Explain how the job you’re applying for could help you reach those long-term goals.
Action: Describe how you’d like to expand and grow the role beyond the job description.
Result: You don’t need exact plans for the next five years, but express that you have a vision and plan and that this job could help you get there.
If you’re ready to wake up in a life that feels like your own and work in an organization that aligns with your beliefs and values, we’d love to grab that cup of coffee and chat.