A few years ago, candidates here and there -fueled by a hot and fresh Simon Sinek- were mentioning purpose in interviews, like:
"I want a meaningful job."
"I want to work for a company that makes a difference."
Fast forward post-covid, and everyone is begging for a purpose!
After the what, we want the WHY.
Great.
Except that most people are hoping that purpose will come with their job.
In Japan, they named this "reason for being" Ikigai.
It's a feeling that comes when you do :
1- what you love,
2- what you're good at,
3- what you get paid for,
4- what the world needs,
Of course, hitting all 4 with work feels like winning the jackpot.
But a- reaching the top of the mountain on day one is not the point.
And b- as your financial advisor would tell you, don't put all your eggs in the same basket.
Asking for "purpose" from our job is too much!
Like asking a partner for chemistry, emotional awareness, humor, and cooking skills.
I say 3 out of 4 is already an achievement.
Leave some for yourself or your friends.
I love recruiting; I am great at it and get paid well for it.
Does the world need another recruiter?
Recruiting is 95% swiping left.
It is not fun to say no to competent people.
Over the years, some candidates asked for coaching because they wanted to grow professionally, even after hitting a glass ceiling or getting a burn-out.
Empowering people to find their own jobs is very rewarding.
For me, purpose can be:
- prosaic, like wanting a higher income to pay for college. Don't get me started on college prices- google Scott Galloway and higher education.
- or grand, like wanting to change the recruiting industry because when people are magnetic when speaking about themselves and their achievements, they increase their chances of getting their dream job by like 100%!
Let us give purpose a rest!
Agate
Want more:
- Here's my podcast: please don’t recite your resume, ever!
- For 1:1 coaching inquiries, please fill in this form to book a Coaching consultation.
- If you want to watch a beautiful tale on purpose written by Roald Dahl, here's The Wonderful Life of Henry Sugar, a short film by Wes Anderson.