When Work Is Fleeting You Have To Be Creative
Recently, I was privileged to attend an educational program regarding the career alternatives of consulting and business ownership. The theme for the panel’s topic was about the shifting mentality in today’s new work world.
One of the panel members, David Hughen of Austin Worknet, talked to us about moving from “I need to be someone’s employee for a paycheck” to “I need to think like a consultant and earn income for my expertise.” He told us about a flustered friend from the human resources field who was amazed by her company’s CEO and his attitude about employees. The CEO informed her that he wanted to start paying his employees for the job they did rather than for the job they held. He wanted to set up a program to measure employee results and pay them based on what they delivered for the company.
She was dumbfounded by this “radical idea.” However, David was not. In fact, he explained that this was a perfect example of the shifting mentality in today’s new work world.
Instead of thinking of yourself as a job seeker, you should be thinking of yourself as an expert or an advisor who has a body of work and an expertise level of specific value. Think of yourself as a business unit unto yourself. David said, “Come up with 3 to 5 problems you solve very well and then brand yourself with that. Even if you are looking for a job, get a website and a business card.”
He also advises that you give yourself an interesting business name… not John Doe Consulting. As he put it, this will “extend you into a network of opportunities you would not otherwise have when you’re only giving someone a resume.”
And I heartily agree with him when he insists that “when work is fleeting, you have to be creative.”
Angela Loëb is an author, speaker and co-owner of Great Occupations. She and her partner, Jay Markunas, help people make successful career transitions through workshops, webclasses, personalized coaching sessions, as well as through The Job Search Boot Camp Show. Find out more at www.greatoccupations.com.