Don’t Wait to Get Laid Off

The down economy is tough on jobs, but I keep seeing news articles revealing a silver lining: losing your job lets you choose a new career that you’re actually passionate about.  Just the other day I stumbled upon Lemonade, a documentary showing how advertising professionals found their true calling upon getting laid off.

I’m happy for the people featured in this film, and for those who have used the recession as a springboard to jump into a more fulfilling career.  At the same time, I have to ask, “Why’d they wait so long?”

The reason isn’t because they’re sell-outs, or because they don’t care.  It’s because bridging that gap between your professional and personal life is not an easy task.

Yesterday, I spent half the day reading over intern applications.  With each cover letter I read, I asked, “What story is this person telling?  What motivates this person on a day-to-day basis?”  I felt like 85% of the applicants were intentionally hiding this part of themselves.  Or else they didn’t know how to express it.  But really, I wanted to know what made these people tick—that tells me a lot more about the kind of worker they are, and what they’ll bring to the position.

Some advice to those intern applicants, and to those wanting to make a change:

1. Determine what motivates you at work.

There’s a reason you chose your profession, so what is it?  Is it “career success” or money?  Those are both important factors, but those are not the work itself—those are products of the work.  What connects you to your job on a personal level, and why did you get into it in the first place?  Create a list of 5 reasons.

2. Increase your motivating factor.

You may not have to quit your job to do what you love.  Maybe you just have to bring more of what you love to your job. Management is dying for these types of employees, who are aware of their work environment and apply leadership in solving their own motivating problem.  Find that one way you can change your office culture or create a new initiative that suits your passion.

3.  Hang around the right people.

Spend time around people you want to be like.  Seems obvious, but you may be surprised how much time you spend around people you don’t really respect.  Keeping good company not only keeps you sane, it also opens doors to good opportunities.  That’s how I found one of my first jobs.  I worked at an organization with people I admired, even though it wasn’t the work I eventually ended up doing.  Those people connected me with great people in a line of work I now love.

4.  Start a side project.

Your job won’t fulfill every part of you, so starting a side project can be good for many reasons.  First, it’s something that belongs just to you.  When you spend all that time working with and for other people, it’s important to have a project that ultimately belongs to you.  Second, it’s your own little experiment.  You’ll discover a lot more about what is most important to you professionally.  And finally, no matter what happens at your job, you’ll always have your side project.

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