Category: Relationships

Ep68: Millennials, Don’t Make This Mistake When Applying For A Job

When I was 19 I had my first and only 9-5 job. Despite being in college I convinced this sales recruiter to hire me on during the summer on a 60k a year starting salary, earning myself as their youngest employee.

Each morning I would get up in my business dress and drive an hour in traffic each way, only to sit at my desk for eight hours amongst people that were at least ten years older than me. Needless to say I quit after two weeks and didn’t even see my first paycheck. You couldn’t have paid me enough to stay.

At the time I didn’t know I was making the #1 mistake that most Millennials today are making when entering the workforce.

It’s 2017, and millions of Millennials are embarking upon their first, second, or even third job. Job hopping has become the new normal, with the average worker switching jobs four times before age 32.

So what gives? Why are so many of us fed up with our jobs and unable to find the right fit?

One man who’s revolutionizing the way approach work and relate to our jobs may have the answer.

Meet Eric Termuende, the founder of DRYVER Group, a consultant company that facilitates team development and higher bottom lines. He’s also an international speaker and the author of the book Rethink Work, named one of the best personal finance and economic books of 2016 by Financial Post.

Termuende’s message is to “Rethink Work,” or to approach work like “it’s not something that you have to do, but something you get to do.”

According to Termuende, there’s more to work than a secure salary. In fact, our jobs are the third biggest determinant of our happiness. But with most of us seeking employment on the basis of a prestigious job title and a comfortable income, we’re making the #1 mistake in the book—we’re forgetting to select a job that will bring us lasting happiness.

“We need to be rethinking what it means to be working and enabling people to find employment based on fit, belonging, something bigger.” Termuende says. “Find the thing that puts a smile on your face as wide as possible.”

On the latest episode of the Unconventional Life Podcast, Termuende shares how you can avoid making the mistake of choosing a job for the wrong reasons and find a job that you’ll love for the long-run.

Define Success On Your Own Terms

“To be successful, society says you have to have a lot of money, a lot of material, a big title, and a lot of education,” Termuende says. “ I don’t think that’s not right, but I think your definition of success could be a lot different than mine. As we get into rethinking work, we have to get into redefining what it means to be successful for us.”

Create your own definition of success based on what’s important to you. Focus on the lifestyle and the day-to-day experience you want to have. If spending quality time with loved ones is important to you, you might apply for jobs with flexible hours and the freedom to take time off. If you value social connection and relationships, narrow your selection to jobs with a tight-knit company culture.

“If we can do a job that enables us to live the way we want to live, then I think we can all be successful,” Termuende says.

Speak With An Insider

You can only learn so much about your potential job through a job description. What’s often missing is the human element of what it’s actually like to work inside a given company.

To figure out if a job is really the right fit for you, meet with someone who is currently working in the job position you want. Have a 30 minute conversation with them and ask them key questions like, what’s the commute like? How often do you get to talk to your supervisor? How much free time do you have?

Your goal is to get a feel for the lived experience of the job. Beyond the job title and the salary, will your job provide you with enriching experiences and relationships that make showing up to work everyday feel like something you get to do rather than something you have to do?

Be Choosey

In applying for jobs, the championing mentality is often to apply to dozens of jobs in bulk, altering as little as you can in a generic cover letter or resume. The problem with this approach is that it frames your job as something that chooses you rather than something you choose.

Termuende recommends being selective and only applying to jobs that meet a specific criteria defined by you. On a blank sheet of paper, write down two headers, one “must have,” and one “can’t have.” In the “must have” column, list qualities your job needs to have in order for you to feel fulfilled inside of it, like a diverse employee base. In the “can’t have” column, write down qualities your job can’t have, like work on Saturdays.

In being choosey, your job search will narrow, making it easier to find the best possible fit for you and avoid making compromises.

Enjoyed this post? Check out more of my tools to create a life by your own design.

This article originally appeared on Forbes.com

February 21, 2017
Ep60: Millennials, This Is Why You’re Searching For a New Job

It’s no secret that Millennials are drifters when it comes to the workplace.

42% of Millennials change jobs every one to three years, while 60% perpetually remain open to new job opportunities. The dawn of a New Year is an especially active time for job switches, with over 50% thinking of making a career change.

If you’ve got job hopping on your mind right now, you’re in good company.

But the real question is, why are Millennials switching jobs so frequently?

Identifying why you’re not satisfied and what you’re truly looking for is essential in helping you align with a job you’ll love for the long-run.

One advisor sheds some light on the most common areas of work Millennials aren’t satisfied with.

Meet Tayo Rockson, a cross-cultural advisor to companies about employee retention and bottom line strategies. He’s also an internationally-recognized speaker who has presented at the United Nations, and the host of “As Told By Nomads,” ranked the #2 Business Podcast by Entrepreneur.

This week on Unconventional Life, Rockson shares wisdom about what makes Millennials feel unfulfilled in the workplace. If this is you, take comfort in knowing you’ll soon be equipped to find a job that provides what’s really important to you.

You Don’t Feel Valued

According to the BLS, only 29% of workers feel valued in their jobs. This is especially true for Millennials, who often feel like they’re replaceable.

Does your current job provide an environment where you feel safe to speak up? If you’re hesitating to speak your mind or are feeling like your voice doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, it might be why you’re looking for a new place to work.

Your job should be a place where your perspective is welcomed and valued. “In order to stay, Millennials need to feel included,” says Rockson.

You Want More Flexibility

Millennial workers say what’s most important to them is flexibility. In fact, 45% of Millennials would choose a job that paid less if it offered more flexibility.

Are things like travel, an open schedule, and more time to spend with loved ones important to you? If your current job requires a rigid schedule and a physical location, you might want to consider looking for a job that offers more flexibility.

Many new companies are taking cue from Millennials and creating jobs that accommodate a flexible lifestyle. Rigor, an Atlanta-based startup, won the 2014 Best Places to Work in Atlanta award with its “work from anywhere, anytime” policy.

You Don’t Feel Like You Fit In

Feeling like you fit in at work is key to enjoying your job. Seek to find an environment that includes a broad range of individuals from different backgrounds and you will feel more accepted and welcomed to express yourself.

“Is your employer hiring from different backgrounds?” says Rockson. “That, at the very baseline is a functioning team.”

A lack of diversity can create a hostile environment within the workplace, reducing collaboration and creating tension. 57% of Millennial workers feel their company should be doing more to increase diversity.

You Don’t Feel Like You’re Growing

The number one reason Millennials are likely to leave their current job is because of their boss.

It’s important you find a boss who supports you in your growth and evolution both professionally and as a human being. Find someone who cares about you and the overall quality of your life. Your boss should be less a supervisor and more a mentor if you are to feel supported long-term.

Better yet, become your own boss. 66% of Millennials say they want to start their own business—if you’re feeling boxed in by management, it may be time to take your own initiative. Online summits are a great resource to gain tools to jumpstart your entrepreneurial journey.

Enjoyed this post? Check out more of my tools to create a life by your own design.

This article originally appeared on Forbes.com.

January 5, 2017
Ep49: ‘Un-Networking’: The Art Of Leading With Yourself, Not Your Business Card

We live in an age where you have just a few seconds to impress someone with your website, tagline, or bio.

We have become masters at engineering the “perfect” profiles to hook others in and the right pitches to land the job or career advancements we want. If you can outperform your competition, or your business has 100,000 likes on Facebook, by today’s standards, you should feel accomplished.

But the truth is, most of us are still starving for something more.

We’re tired of having to impress all the time and are sick of the superficial, transaction-based relationships. We want to be seen for something deeper than our LinkedIn profiles or our ability to add zeroes to a spreadsheet. We want to be seen for who we are.

That’s why two millennials are taking a stand for a deeper kind of business connection based on depth and substance. No more leading with your business card, period.

Meet Bri Seeley and Thaís Sky, the founders of The AMPLIFY Collective, a movement to unite entrepreneurs on the basis of who they are, rather than what they do. The LA-based duo is famous for hosting standout events that provide entrepreneurs with both the authentic connection they crave and the business collaboration they need to thrive.

I caught up with Seeley and Sky on the latest episode of the Unconventional Life podcast, “Un-Networking: Build a Network You Can Depend On By Leading With Yourself, Not Your Business Card.”

Sky and Seeley launched The AMPLIFY Collective as an alternative approach to the traditional way of networking. They found that, despite having extensive networks, many entrepreneurs were still starving for real and authentic connection.

The AMPLIFY Collective was born from the idea that you don’t have to sacrifice friendship for success. You can actually have the best of both worlds: meaningful, one-to-one relationships within a community of ambitious entrepreneurs who have your back.

The secret lies in what Sky and Seeley call “un-networking,” a methodology they developed that fosters connection on the grounds of who you are, rather than what you have accomplished.

“It’s more important to show up as who you are than what you do. Don’t lead as your job title—it creates a barrier between people. Form a relationship first, get to know the other person and then call them up for their business skills because you love who they are,” Seeley says.

The duo claims that when we approach business collaboration from an authentic standpoint, it yields better results. According to the Harvard Business Review, when authenticity is perceived in a business relationship, trust, engagement, and commitment are highest.

“Business takes place in a greater capacity without the cheesy elevator pitch,” Sky jokes. “Too many of us hide behind what we do without getting to the core of who we are. People buy from us because of who we are, not because of our website.”

The AMPLIFY Collective currently hosts three events per month to entrepreneurs through its membership offering. The events are distinguished for squashing superficial, transactional exchanges in the name of refreshingly intimate and genuine connection.

Below, Seeley and Sky share how you can transform your own business relationships to feel meaningful and relevant to you

1. Lead with yourself. Who you are is your greatest accomplishment, and should be at the forefront of an introduction. Lead with what it is that wakes you up in the morning and drives you every single day, or the kind of change you’re standing for in the world. Make sure to omit your job title and how successful you are—these things are secondary and have nothing to do with you.

2. Focus on the value you get from the relationship. Don’t go into an interaction with an agenda or something you’re trying to get from the other person. Instead, simply let the relationship with that person and the joy you get from knowing them be enough. Others can sense when your motivation for connecting with them isn’t pure and it creates a barrier between you both. If you do really need help with something, disclose that and be fully transparent rather than coercive.

3. Let the business value emerge from a space of authenticity. Let the foundation for your connection be a commitment to show up as a friend for the other person regardless of what you get in return. From that space, allow any business collaboration to emerge organically. An added benefit to waiting is that you are more likely to understand the other person’s unique skill set and where they are best suited to serve you after you really know them. The quality of the collaboration will be much higher as well as feel better for you both—instead of feeling used or disposable, you’ll feel like a valued friend.

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This article originally appeared on Forbes.com

December 17, 2016