I’ve decided to run a marathon in the Spring. I have a timeline after signing up to a local race in April; I have a meticulously constructed training plan; and I have a target time. That’s everything, right?
When we decide to look for a new job it’s a similar process; we have a rough timescale of when we want to move; we have a carefully put-together CV; and we have a salary to aim for. That’s everything right?
Well, not quite.
Everyone else has the above. Anyone can buy new running shoes or a new shirt or dress for interviews; we can all plan running routes, put a CV together or benchmark our salary against the market. And, yes, they’re all important.
But what really matters is the personal. Your own motivations. Your ‘why’.
That part is entirely unique to you. No one else has had your exact journey and no one else has the exact same ambitions. No one else has your why. No one else has your purpose.
Purpose over skills
We can all talk about skillsets and we can all do some more training to improve them. That's open to everyone.
The human side is what differentiates us from everyone else, and too many of us don’t give it enough thought.
My advice? Zero in on what that purpose is. Build a clear idea in your head of what’s driving you. Know precisely what you want to get out of this next challenge and what exactly you will bring to the table.
A different mindset
Understanding your purpose – your motivation – is a mindset.
It will help you out the door to go for that run on a cold morning. It will push you to spend that extra few minutes to tailor your cover letter, CV, email or phone call. It will inspire you to keep pushing for an extra few kilometers when your legs are screaming at you to stop. It will help you go way beyond basic skills-matching and identify what this company you’re applying to actually needs in a human being.
Remember; they have a 'why' too. Connecting the dots starts with understanding your own.
- by Tariq Siraj