This past weekend, I had the good fortune of (twice) enjoying the company of my career counseling community. On Friday, I hosted a holiday luncheon (pictured above) for my career counselor "lunchbunch" and on Saturday, I attended a workshop attended by career counselors from different parts of the country.
As usual, being around my colleagues was a delight. We laughed, we told stories and we applauded each others accomplishments. Although I don't get to interact with my colleagues nearly as much as I like, their friendship is one of the great things about being a part of this profession. Having spent the first stage of my career trying to fake my appreciation for my hard-charging co-workers, I really appreciate the opportunity to be authentically me around my fellow colleagues.
I only wish all of my clients were so lucky. Sadly not everyone is. Of course, clients are unhappy for many reasons; the hours they have to work, not getting paid enough or being required to travel on weekends.
But the number one reason people are unhappy?
They dislike the people they work with.
The "who" of your work life -- clients, colleagues, boss or vendors -- can make or break you. The dullest of jobs can be fun if you have the good fortune to be surrounded by people you find interesting, supportive and uplifting, and conversely, the most promising situations can be ruined if you have to contend with demanding or difficult co-workers.
And yet, when clients look to reinvent their careers, they focus on the "what" and the "why" of their careers, and often overlook the people part of the equation. They leave the "who" piece of the puzzle up to chance and hope they have the good fortune to find a nice place to work.
I maintain that you have more control over the people part of the puzzle than you think. And if you want to reinvent your career in a way that is going to be most satisfying, it behooves you to pay attention to the type of people who float your boat.
Certain careers tend to attract certain types of personalities. In my line of work, my fellow career counselors are motivated more by making a difference than by making a profit. Now, this doesn't mean I love every colleague I meet. But if I had a choice to spend my weekend with a group of career counselors or a group of litigators, my personality is better served by the counseling profession (with all due respect to my friends who are litigators). It's not that litigators aren't nice people. It's just that the nature of their profession rewards personalities who are motivated to fight hard, be tough and work long hours.
As you think about reinventing your career, spend time considering the types of people you want to work with:
- Do you prefer to be around children, young people, 30 somethings or seniors?
- Are you happier working with men or women? Parents or childless? Singles or marrieds? Gay or straight?
- Are there certain ethnic/religious/cultural groups that you find most interesting? Would you prefer to work among a fairly homogenous population or do you prefer a diverse group of colleagues?
- How important is education level? Are you stimulated or intimidated by working around people who are intellectually intense?
- Are there certain types of personality characteristics that you find difficult to deal with? Likewise, are there certain types of people (artists, creatives, etc.) who you find inspirational and energizing?
Remember, these are the people you are going to spend a good chunk of your week around. If you plan to work for twenty more years, you'll potentially be clocking over 40,000 hours with your colleagues. A little bit of upfront planning can help you identify the types of personalities that can transform a ho-hum career into something special.
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