Life isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. What I’ve come to realize is that finding a job is the first lap in a 100-lap race. Here’s my point: If you don’t look beyond the job you’ve got, you could be headed down a dead-end. Companies relocate, some close, their products or services can become obsolete, and “Bam,” you’re right back where you started.
I recently watched a video at TEDxLawrenceU by Andy Chan, VP of Personal & Career Development at Wake Forest. The title of his presentation is: “Career Services Must Die.” Andy woke up one morning and realized that the primary focus of his office has been to help students find their first job. Their No. 1 objective was to get recruiters on campus and help seniors get a job.
Did you notice that the new name of Andy’s office is Personal & Career Development … not Career Services? Andy had an “Aha” moment and realized that finding a job is important, but it’s only the first step of having a successful life-long career. He describes his new role as providing lifetime employability. The alumni were telling Andy that managing their career was a challenge, and they didn’t feel prepared to survive in the real world of work. He changed his paradigm and dramatically changed the focus of his office. His new mission — and the college’s mission — was to help students understand how to manage their careers so they would be employable for a lifetime. That’s a lot different than getting a four-year degree and a job.
If you’re unemployed I appreciate the fact that finding a job, any job, is your goal. Forget a career plan, you’re trying to put food on the table. But as soon as you get that job you need to immediately start planning your next career step. I can’t tell you how many times I have had people tell me: “Just help me find a job and everything will be OK.” I realize finding “a job” can be your chief objective, but it doesn’t mean you will be employable five years, 10 years or 15 years down the road. When you finally find a new job I’d suggest you celebrate for a week, take a deep breath and then immediately start planning for what’s next.
Many of my younger friends have heard me say that I don’t envy the job market they must navigate. It can be intimating because technology will create new careers options that we never imagined. Will you be prepared for those new opportunities?
Even if you don’t change careers you will need to watch what’s coming and upgrade your skills to keep the job you’ve got. My dad worked in the same job as a production mechanic for 32 years. The level of stability our parents enjoyed is something we and our kids will never have.
Andy Chan had an “Aha” moment and he adapted and has implemented changes to help students acquire the skills they need to navigate the job market ahead. His approach involves the entire community because none of us can escape the inevitable changes. He partnered with faculty, parents, alumni and employers to teach students how to survive and develop skills to manage a lifetime career. Thanks to our increased longevity, retirement planning is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Today more than 50 percent of retirees continue to work in some part-time capacity.
There are days when I long for the career stability our parents enjoyed, but then the alarm rings and I realize I can either make things happen or watch things happen. My plan is to be part of a community that chooses to embrace and get the most out of what’s ahead, even if we don’t really know exactly what’s coming.
