"Rightly or wrongly people assume you are qualified at what you do."
This came out of a coaching newsletter that I subscribe to.
The writer took the words right out of my mouth.
Since I changed careers 4 years ago, I have found this line particularly true.
When I declared to complete strangers that I was a writer, no one asked me where I got my writing credentials or how dare I presume to be the next JK Rowling or Stephenie Meyer.
When I said I was a career coach, no one asked if I was ICF certified.
They were more interested in how long I'd been coaching/writing and what areas I coached or wrote about.
There are 2 interesting observations I would venture to make.
First, people are primarily obsessed with themselves. They think about themselves morning, noon and night.
How do I look? What do others think of me? Is my hair alright? Is my outfit alright? Did I say something dumb when talking to the moms at school?
People want to know how your self-description is relevant to their current situation.
So if you say you are a writer, they might ask: What do you write about? Oh, you proofread essays and resumes? Do I need your service? Yes, I actually need someone to look at my resume before I send it out. Who else do I know that might need your service? The senior students at my child's school who are preparing for university entrance? My co-worker is thinking of changing jobs. Maybe he could talk to you about his resume.
If you say you are a career coach, they might say: How does coaching work? What sort of clients do you work with? People in career transitions? That's interesting. I have actually been thinking about making a career change. I have this work issue that's bothering me. What do you think of it? How might you be able to help me?
As the writer of the newsletter correctly says, people tend to take us at face value.
This is a huge advantage that we don't often recognize.
If you could say anything you liked and know you could get away with it, what would you say about yourself: who you are, what your values are, what your vision in life is?
Would you dare to go as big as your dreams?
Would you limit yourself to a job description ("I work in a bank" or "I'm just a homemaker" or "I'm a wife and mother")?
How about describing what you do in terms of how it helps someone else?
For instance: "I help people explore their career options and understand how they work best so that they are clear about what types of careers suit them."
"I help women with weight loss and body image issues to feel good about who they are, to accept that they have the power to choose how they see themselves, and to take actions that help them become the image of themselves that they secretly desire but didn't think was possible."
The next time someone asks you what you do, remember: you have their permission to say anything you like about yourself.
And make it something authentic, powerful and intriguing.
You are what you think.
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