Welcome to our weekly blog on insights from business advisors of Propel Careers. This one is from Matt Casey who is now a career coach.
Propel Careers Industry Insights Confessions of a Career Coach and Unabashed West Wing Fanatic – Matt Casey
"This guy's was walking down a street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up, 'Hey you, can you help me out?' The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along, and the guy shouts up 'Father, I'm down in this hole, can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. 'Hey Joe, it's me, can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here.' The friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before, and I know the way out.'" Leo McGarry, The West Wing: Noel (Season 2)
It didn't make sense. I followed the plan and did everything I was supposed to do. I differentiated myself with skills and experiences. I went to university and to business school, worked interesting jobs for interesting companies and eventually landed a corporate job a thousand MBAs would have done anything to get. I made some money, I took some interesting trips with my vacation time and I judiciously tucked a little away in a generously matched 401(k). I worked on important projects, earned professional respect and carved out a nice professional niche.
Trouble was that I did not enjoy my career. It wasn't anyone's fault. I just did what I thought I was supposed to do thinking that I would someday be assured by the "career universe" that I was on the path to personal fulfillment. But along the way, it turned out that I had fallen into the hole and I did not know how to get out.
Then along came a friend. This friend was a prior manager and my first real mentor. Over pizza and beer, I inadvertently shared with him my state of affairs. I didn't intend to. (Who wants to tell somebody that you look up to that you're scared and lost? Worse yet, what if that person judges you and makes you feel ashamed?)
Turns out I had it all wrong - so very wrong. He looked me in the face, put his arm on my shoulder and said, "I know you're nowhere right now. That's ok. I'm here to lift that burden, just for a little bit. I am your friend and your advocate and need you to know that I am here to listen and support you in any way you need." At that moment I didn't feel like Atlas any more, finally being able to set down the burden of my own life expectations as well as those of my family, friends and colleagues. He was just the friend I needed to show me the way out of my own proverbial hole.
Once I figured out it was ok to ask for help I looked at my options. After some rigorous internet research I decided that my best move was to hire a Career Coach. A Career Coach is someone who specializes in helping people to find and achieve their career dreams. They are a trusted ear, an advocate, a counselor, a strategist and an implementer. They believe in your aspirations, your potential and, most importantly, your happiness. Their goal is to help you realize all of it. The process with a coach is always customized to the client's needs but usually there are three distinct but interchangeable components on the menu. The career discovery phase is designed to collaboratively uncover your key strengths, aspirations, skills and needs to best define your unique value proposition and to develop your career goals. Think of it as the who, what, where and why of your potential career opportunities. The tool-kit component involves developing and aligning your career documents such as: resumes and CVs, cover letters, thank you letters, Linkedin profiles, presentation documents and personal branding statements to maximize your exposure and differentiate you from your competitors. The career strategy phase offers the soft skills for your next career move and it can include job search support, interview preparation, recommendation solicitation and management, elevator pitches and personal brand creation, industry transition strategy, networking techniques and connections and compensation negotiation tactics.
My experience with my own coach was a fruitful challenge that was also fun and invigorating. I eventually realized that a happy life for me was one where I could talk, listen, and enthusiastically help people feel safe while exploring their own opportunities to spend as little time in the hole as possible.
Matt Casey, Career Coach (prior man in the hole) Business Advisor for Propel Careers www.mattcasey.net