My Lifestyle Career

Feeling Stuck? 6 Ways to Ignite Those "Aha!" Moments

I woke up today with a smile on my face.  After a long winter, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping and spring was finally in the air.  

Not surprisingly, my joy translated into a productive day; I tackled several projects I had been putting off and held an intense brainstorming session that resulted in key breakthroughs for a client.  It was one of those rare Mondays when everything just clicked.

Alas, not every day will be as invigorating as today.  But, my sunshine-induced "can-do" attitude was a welcome reminder that success is directly tied to emotional well-being.  When you feel good, you do good.

So, to help keep that feel-good spirit alive,  I compiled six ways to clear your clogged brain connections and create those "aha" moments -- even when the weather doesn't cooperate.  Enjoy!

1)  Quiet Yourself: In our 24/7 wired world, it is critical to periodically quiet your mind, silence the chatter and receive the emotional signals life is sending you. Depending upon your personal preference, you can use meditation, prayer or deep-breathing techniques to open up your thinking process.  Scientific studies confirm that people who consistently practice mind-quieting strategies, enjoy increased self-awareness and creative thinking.

2) Activate all five senses:  When you're feeling stuck, engage your whole body to help out your head.  Your endorphins will flow and act like roto-rooter for your brain --  helping you to "see" solutions that you never noticed before. Go for a walk.  Take a jog.  Better still, go for a walk on the beach on a sunny day; notice the feel the sand on your feet, listen to the pounding of the ocean waves and breathe in the smell of sunscreen on your skin.    If you're feeling daring, consider taking on a big physical challenge, such as a marathon, triathalon or The Race for the Cure.  Committing to a major physical challenge helps you to think big in other parts of your life -- you'll feel more optimistic, powerful and ready to conquer the world.     

3)  Rewire your brain:  Do you ever notice how you tend to do the same thing, the same way, every day?  You make the right side of the bed first.  You always eat the same cereal for breakfast.  You take the same route when you walk the dog.  While these habits (ruts?) make us efficient, they also lull our brains into complacency.  Fire up your brain by shaking up your "normal" -- take a different route to work, try out a new place for lunch, go to a lecture on a topic you know nothing about.  Varying your routine will help open up your thinking and ignite your creativity.   

4)  Engage Your Intuition: Sometimes you just can't think your way through a problem.  Next time you feel stuck, tap into the power of images and music to stir your soul. Indulge in a cultural activity. Go to a museum. Attend a concert. Listen to classical music. The visual and auditory stimuli can help open up your mind to new patterns and possibilities.  

5) Reconnect with your inner child: Children have a remarkable ability to dream big.  If you want to recapture the "can-do" spirit of your youth, recreate your childhood by engaging in some of your favorite childhood activities.  Finger paint.  Run down a hill.  Go for ride on a horse.  Create with playdough.  As silly as it sounds, letting go and allowing yourself to tap into your inner child can wake up senses that have been lying dormant for years.  

6) Take a Trip:  There is something very liberating about getting away from home.  You are removed from your daily distractions.  Your senses are awakened as you experience the sights, sounds and smells of a new environment.  You enjoy time to take walks or hold meaningful conversations with loved ones.  Even if you can't go on a full-blown vacation, just a day away from your normal environment can help you gain much needed perspective.

Finally, as you engage some of these strategies, don't forget to keep a notebook with you so that you can record your "aha" insights as they materialize.  You never know when you’ll get those fleeting, but powerful, "aha" moments of revelation. They can come in a dream, while on a walk or after taking a shower -- write them down do you don’t risk losing them! 

Reinvent Your Career: Lessons From Curious George

When I was little, one of my favorite book characters was Curious George.  As you may recall, George was a darling little monkey who was like a mini-magnet to mischief.

In one of of the books, George goes  on a hike with two other young children and is assigned the task of carrying the bag of marshmallows. He ends up ripping the bag and the marshmallows begin to fall out of the bag one by one. 

After several hours, the children realize they are lost in the woods.  Scared and hungry, they decide to stop and eat, only to discover their beloved stash of marshmallows has disappeared.  The kids are understandably upset with George. 

But then they see one of the marshmallows on the ground.  The first marshmallow leads to the next, and then to the next, and before they know it, the children are able to follow the path out of the woods and safely back home again.  All is forgiven and George goes from being the goat (or at least a bad little monkey) to the hero. 

All because he built a path out of the woods -- without ever being aware of it.

Although I hadn't thought about this story in years, it came back to me yesterday when I listened to Debbie Fay of bespeak presentation solutions deliver a speech about finding your true purpose in life (an awesome presentation, I might add).

Reflecting on her career path, Debbie explained that she never set out to become a public speaking coach.  But now looking back, she realizes that every one of her life experiences helped lead her, step by step, in that direction.  

Like George's haphazard path of marshmallows, the trail was built piece by piece.  It was not a straight line to success, but a winding adventure with stops and starts, triumphs and challenges. Her early involvement with theater helped her feel comfortable on stage.  Her experience as a teacher gave her insights into how to best motivate others.  The years she spent organizing the talent shows in her hometown taught her how to nurture talent and encourage nervous performers. 

She didn't always proceed confidently in the direction of her dreams, but like George, she had fun along the way.  Each experience became a stepping stone to the next, and over time, she amassed a collection of skills, contacts, and expertise that eventually led her "back home" to her intended vocation.

If you're feeling "lost in the woods" invest the time to discover the clues to your true path.  Take a page out of George's playbook and get curious about how the parts and pieces of your past fit together.  The clues are always there.  It's up to you to find them and follow the marshmallow road back to your authentic self.

Want a Lifestyle Friendly Career? 5 Questions to Consider

When it comes to designing a lifestyle-friendly career, my emphasis  is first and foremost on YOUR LIFE.  After all, I can't begin to help you design a great career until I understand what you want your life to look like.

Consequently, when I work with clients, we examine lifestyle goals from several different angles, exploring both the big-picture items and the day-to-day details that color your world.  

We start by identifying major lifestyle motivators.  For example, some of my "mom" clients need or want to find work from home or entrepreneurial options.  While many of these women, most of whom are highly educated and savvy, could earn more outside the home, their driving priority is to work around their children's school hours.   Other clients have looked to reinvent their careers in order to satisfy other lifestyle goals; such as a desire for greater "me-time" after retirement, a pull to work in a more socially conscious field or the wish to lead a less-hectic lifestyle.

Point  to Ponder: What are your primary lifestyle goals and objectives?  Do you need to work from home?  Are you looking to have summers off?  Are you interested in a portable career that would allow you to work from any where at any time?  Would your life be more fulfilling if you lived closer to family or were able to travel more? Do you need more flexibility in order to care for an aging parent or friend-in-need?

After naming the major lifestyle objectives, we dig down deeper in order to identify other elements critical to creating a lifestyle-friendly career.  We look at a range of topics, including:

1. Where do you want to work?  City or country? Corporate or small-business?  Home office or on-the road?  Are you interested in a career that allows you to work from a non-traditional location such as on a boat or while living on a farm?  When you think about your perfect office, how important are elements like good light, nice furniture and/or a cozy ambiance?  As lots of cubicle workers have discovered (much to their chagrin), our physical surroundings play an important role in our job satisfaction.
2. When do you want to work? Perhaps you are at a point when you're simply looking for a "little something extra" as opposed to a full career.  Are you looking for a career that will allow you to dial-back and work a part-time schedule?  Or are you more interested in maintaining a full-time income but want to explore career options that will give you greater control over your day-to-day schedule?
3. Who do you want to work with?  This is a biggie!  The types of people you work with has an enormous impact on career satisfaction.  Spend time thinking about this.  Do you prefer being around women or men, children or the elderly, a homogenous group or a culturally diverse crowd?  Think about the types of personalities you find appealing. Are you happiest when you interact with creative types, intellectuals, socially conscious folks or fashionistas?  Remember, the average worker spends 2000 hours a year at work.  That's a lot of hours to spend with people you don't like!
4. What activities do you want to make more time for in your life?  My clients often express concern that they don't get to spend enough time doing things they really enjoy.  Not enough time for family, exercise and travel are common complaints.  But the little things matter too -- a desire to read more books, visit more museums, enjoy some meaningful volunteer work -- the lists go on and on.  Fortunately, by picking the right career focus, there are opportunities to merge your favorite past times with your career.
5. What are the elements of your ideal (but typical) day?  Here again, the details matter.  I for one, need enough time in my day to exercise, prepare a healthy dinner for my family and have some time to read before the end of the evening.  Working from home in a "by-appointment" business provides me with the needed flexibility to meet those goals (at least most of the time).  Jot down a paragraph or two describing your perfect day that includes information about where you hope to work, what you wear, the types of people you are around and other non-work activities that you would like to blend into your day.

Putting together a vision for your life, whether you do so in writing or by designing a vision board, is a critical first step in moving towards a lifestyle career.  Once you know what type of life you want to lead, it will be far easier to focus in on the types of businesses, income streams and jobs that will best support your dreams.

Turn Work You Love Into Work That Matters

Are certain lines of work more admirable than others?

At first blush, the answer is an easy yes.  Feeding the hungry, healing the sick, teaching our children; all of these are examples of work that make a meaningful difference in our society.  We use descriptors like "selfless" "noble" and "caring" to describe people in these occupations.

There are few people who would dispute the value of these careers.  But, if we restrict our view of "good" professions to the obvious choices, and fail to see the subtle but important opportunities to make a difference that are possible in every vocational choice, we do ourselves a big injustice. 

Let me explain what I mean.

Last week I worked with a client who has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, a woman who has spent her career helping both children and adults to overcome their challenges in order to lead more effective lives.  She has worked with the elderly in nursing homes, alcoholics and children trying to overcome serious learning issues.  

By any measure, her contributions have been valuable and important.  

But as much as she has enjoyed her work, she is ready for a change.  And you know what she likes to do more than anything?

Shop.

In fact, she loves to shop so much that she is seriously considering going back to school to get a masters degree in a field related to fashion.  She found a program that really, really thrills her.  When she described the courses to me, the excitement in her voice was palpable.

But, one question keeps bugging her.  What will people think?  

After all, if you ask someone which field is more important, fashion or psychiatry, 99% of folks would probably answer the latter.  And, in many ways, they are probably right.  It is hard to argue that a great looking pair of shoes is more valuable than the ability to cure a new mom of severe post-partum depression.

On the other hand, if fashion is all fluff and no substance, why do we care so much about the way we dress?  Why do we pay such close attention to stars on the red carpet or critique the latest outfit sported by Michelle Obama?  Why do we pay millions of dollars each year to read about the up-and-coming trends in magazines?

Because it matters. 

• The teen who trades in her jeans for a prom dress that makes her feel like a princess, knows it matters.
• The new college-grad who stands up taller after trying on a great interview suit, knows it matters.
• The battered woman in the domestic violence shelter, who is reminded of her inner beauty after putting on a special new dress, knows it matters.

Any therapist will tell you that sometimes change needs to start from the outside in.  The right outfit can be as powerful as a good therapy session.

No field has a lock on making a difference in our world.  Every career choice has the potential to make the world a better place: 

• The event planner who organizes a family reunion that connects grandparents to their grandchildren, makes a difference.  
• The make-up artist who helps a shy teen feel beautiful by teaching her how to apply make-up, makes a difference .  
• The cake decorator who bakes a spectacular cake to thank a teacher for ten years of service, makes a difference.  

Each of these professionals makes a significant and transformative contribution through their respective endeavors.  

So if you've been hesitating to pursue your love of fashion or make-up or food or jewelry, because someone told you it's "not serious enough", get over it.  

Find a way to make your contribution count.  The world needs your talent and the time to start sharing it is now.  

  

Want to Reinvent Your Career? Pssst...Your Friends Have Something to Say

The other morning I was working with a client, a former nurse, whose background weights heavily towards the sciences and research.  In discussing her assessment, one of her dominant themes was that she is a helper.  She loves listening to people, analyzing their problems and offering suggestions to help make their lives better.  It is not part of her official job description, but it is what she loves to do and does well.

As we tossed around ideas about what types of careers might be a good fit for her, I asked her if she ever considered becoming a therapist.

Suddenly there was dead silence on the phone.

Fearing that I had totally missed the mark with my suggestion, I asked her again what she thought.

"Wow, that is weird," she remarked.

"Weird in what way?" I asked.

She went on to clarify that it was a weird coincidence.  Evidently, prior to beginning her work with me, she had asked several of her closest friends what type of career they thought would be a good fit for her.  Each of them had also suggested that she consider exploring her options as a therapist or a coach or some similar helping line of work.  

It's hard to ignore such consistent feedback.  Especially when it comes from friends who know you well. 

Friends see the real you.  Unlike your work colleagues who get to know the buttoned-up, professional veneer version of you, your friends get to see your natural self. The self who comes out when you are doing the things you want to do with the people you want to be with.  The goofy self.  The caring self. 

And yes, the sometimes unorganized, lazy, cranky, irrational, "I can't believe you can be so bitchy!" self too.

If you're blessed with good friends in your life, consider asking them, "What type of career do you see me in?"  

Their answers might just give you something to think about. 

Reinvent Your Career: The Clues in Your Clutter

I hate to clean.  But this past weekend I spent a good part of a beautiful Saturday organizing our basement.  While I can't claim I enjoyed all the sorting, cleaning and sneezing (who knew I had such dust allergies?)  I found the experience surprisingly rewarding. 

One of the best parts of this project was discovering long-forgotten hidden treasures; magazines I couldn't bear to part with, memorabilia from my college years, and favorite baby momentos (note to self: it was perfectly okay to throw away Juliana's hand painted baby bottle now that she just turned 19).  Each item brought back a flood of memories and emotions; souvenirs from distinct and different phases of my life.

Standing back and admiring my well organized piles, I realized that the stuff we accumulate in our lives is a 3-D representation of our inner selves.  What we choose to buy and what we choose to keep (long after we actually need the item) provides illuminating insights into our interests, hobbies and values.  

In my case:

Seeing my sorority initiation mug reminded me of the value I place on community and how I am most energized when surrounded by upbeat personalities.  

Reading through the papers I wrote while earning my masters degree in career development reminded me of how much I prefer practical solutions to theoretical musings.  

And that box of the still-not-used craft supplies, reminded me that it might be fun to make some time in my life to play with art.  Someday.  In my next life? 

Who knew a day of cleaning would turn out to be so enlightening.  Next time you're feeling stuck about next steps, treat yourself to a day of de-cluttering.  You might just uncover some nuggets of golden insights hidden in those long forgotten boxes.  

Reinvent Your Career in 2010: Appreciate Your Assets!

 

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone enjoyed a delightful holiday season. 

I love the fresh beginnings associated with January 1.  The new year is traditionally the time of year when we take stock of our standing in life, tally up our assets, and set goals for the coming year.  

When people take inventory of their career-related assets, they typically think of skills, work experiences, degrees and credentials.  But I maintain that your unique set of assets extend beyond your resume-friendly credentials to encompass all facets of your life.  The town you live in, the people you know, the stuff you've accumulated in your basement -- all of this can be leveraged to help you change careers or start your own business. 

If you're feeling stuck about what to do next, making a list of your assets can provide your career reinvention process with fresh juice.  As you compile your list, be sure to include:

1) Who You Know:  Your friends and associates can help your career reinvention by providing resources, support, counsel and job leads.  Spend several days brainstorming, writing down and expanding your networking list – you’ll be amazed at how many people you know who might be able to assist you:

• Business Associates: former employers, co-workers, vendors, clients and colleagues 
• Personal Contacts: Friends, family, neighbors, schoolmates, sorority or fraternity members, acquaintances you’ve made at church, temple, or through other community groups. 
• Service Providers:  Your hairdresser, banker, doctor, lawyer, real-estate agent, etc. 
• Online Community: Contacts that you have access to through online communities such as Facebook and Linkedin. 

Who are the people you plan to call on for assistance in 2010?

2) Where You Live:  Think about the unique aspects of where you live and how you might be able to leverage that for your next career move.  My town boasts an unusually good library, an easy train ride to New York City, free lectures on a variety of business related topics and a vibrant continuing education program -- all resources that I tap into to help me grow my business.  Other towns provide their citizens with different forms of benefits -- natural beauty, inexpensive real estate or a culturally diverse population.  

What are the unique features/services provided in your area that you can leverage to help your career reinvention?

3) Your Natural Gifts:  All of us are endowed with unique natural gifts and talents; a keen fashion sense, a wicked sense of humor, the gift of gab, unusual patience, a discriminating palate or a smile that lights up a room.  

Which of your natural gifts might provide the foundation for a new business or income opportunity?

4) The Stuff You Own:  Sometimes the stuff we own can hold clues to our next career move.  Do you have a collection of goods that could be sold on e-bay?  Could your love of cooking, as evidenced by your massive cookbook collection, be transformed into a catering business?  Maybe you have a fully outfitted home office that could be easily transformed into a small business headquarters or a house that could be marketed to the media industry for location shoots ?   

What does your "stuff" say about your career-linked interests and opportunities?

5) The Causes You Support:  Most of us belong to religious, community and/or cause-related organizations.  As you consider the groups you have chosen to affiliate with, either through membership or financial support, think about the types of issues or causes you might want to impact through your career.  

What types of businesses or organizations might be a good match for your value system?

Reinvent Your Career: 5 Ways to Power Change Through Pictures

 

In my role as a career coach, I am always looking for new ways to produce the "A-ha!" moments that produce real breakthroughs for my clients.  For some, clarity comes as a result of a career assessment, for others it is the by-product of conversation, and for many, it is a result of a combination of strategies.

Over time, I've come to appreciate the power of visualization as a transformative tool for people looking to reinvent their careers.  As human beings, we strive to make sense of the world through pictures --since the days of the cave people, graphic depictions have been an integral part of how we communicate and interpret the world around us.

Timothy Butler, author of Getting Unstuck, explains the power of images as a career clarification tool as follows, "These images are preverbal messages, aspects of self-awareness that have not yet been processed through the language centers of the brain.  In being preverbal they have a premonitory quality.  They bring news: hints about what might be if we are able to get the message and act on it.  They point to knowledge about ourselves and our world that will be known more completely only later, when we have had time to take it in fully and express it in words."

Expressing your career/lifestyle goals through pictures, as opposed to articulating it in words, can be a powerful way to unlock vital clues and patterns that you've been struggling to express.  Fortunately, in our everyday lives, we are surrounded by visual images that can be leveraged for this purpose.  Here are some ways to analyze the images in your life to help create a more vivid picture of your future career direction:

1) Revisit photo albums:  Spend a few hours going through old photo albums and scrapbooks.  What do the photos tell you about your personality?  Are there certain pictures of major milestones or magical moments that reflect clues about your talents, interests or unique assets?

2) Watch old family movies:  Reviewing family videos can be an entertaining reminder of your innate gifts, talents and personality traits.  It also can be a multi-sensory reminder of the distinct personality traits and interpersonal relationships that might be impacting your career path, in either a positive or negative manner.

3) Keep a clipping file:  You know how you sometimes clip articles and photos from magazines for a "dream" file of beautiful homes or vacation ideas?  Do the same for your career. Collect pictures that capture your view of the ideal work environment -- including photos of people, work settings and attractive work clothes.

4) Meditate:  Every day, we are bombarded by so much information that it compromises our ability to focus on what is most meaningful in our lives.  Set aside some quiet time to meditate on the types of activities and work environment that would make you happy.  Notice the images that come to mind.  Do you prefer to be in a fast-paced or quiet office?  City or rural settings?  Happier being with lots of people or working in solitude?  Look for patterns and themes in your mental images.

5) Build a Vision Board:  A a vision board is a collection of visual images (photos, paintings, pictures, etc.) displayed on a bulletin board or poster as a graphic representation of your dreams and ambitions. Once you've designed the board, displaying it in a prominent place will help serve as a daily reminder of your ambitions and career goals. You can read more about the how-to's of constructing a vision board by clicking here.

Reinvent Your Career: From "Weak" to Wow!

 

I was speaking with a client the other day about how to answer that dreaded  interview question, "Name three weaknesses that you have." In my opinion it is a pointless question, because most people have been coached to answer that question by highlighting a strength as a weakness.  (e.g.,"I just can't stop myself from compulsively proof-reading my correspondence three times before sending it out," or some other cleverly contrived response).

But, when it comes to reinventing your career, naming and claiming your weaknesses, is anything but pointless.  Knowing what you don't like and don't do well is equally important as being able to identify your strengths.  

The problem is that most of us don't want to spend time thinking about our weaknesses. It makes us feel uncomfortable.   

So we avoid the issue and muddle along. 

But what if you could frame your weaknesses in a new way?  While we tend to think about a weakness as something we don't do well, I strongly prefer this definition I found while reading Find Your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham:

"The proper definition of a weakness is 'an activity that makes you feel weak.'  It doesn't matter how stellar your performance is, if the activity drains you, bores you, or makes you lose your concentration, it is a weakness.  The thought of learning how to do it is singularly unexciting, wile the prospect of doing a great deal more of it makes you choke with panic.  It's a weakness. It weakens you."

Doesn't this make a whole lot more sense?   

Keeping this expanded definition in mind,  I decided to make a list of my own weaknesses and was amazed at how much easier it was for me to identify my "weak" spots, once I removed the "this must mean I am not good at this" factor.  I won't bore you with the whole list (although I am sure my husband would love to critique it) but here is a sample of my writing:

1. All things mechanical:  This past weekend, my husband and I went shopping for a plasma TV.  Normally, I love to shop, but this time around I couldn't wait for it to be over.  I mean, who cares about 720 vs. 1080, the number of audio inputs or the ratio of black to color lines?  I know I'll be thrilled once the TV is set-up, but the technical details involved with this purchase bore me to tears. (Disclosure: When it comes to mechanical things, even really simple things,  I am not just bored, but also remarkably inept, a lethal combination I assure you.)

1. Investments: While I throughly enjoy the fruits of our investments, talk of stock margins and Morningstar ratings makes my eyes glaze over.  I intellectually appreciate that I should be more engaged and interested, but I am not.  It just isn't my cup of tea.  

Identifying your weaknesses, and eliminating them from your "must-use" consideration, empowers you to focus on careers that play to your natural gifts and enhance your life.  

Remember, YOU -- not your friends, spouse or co-workers -- are the best judge of the activities that make you feel strong, engaged and vibrant (your strengths) and those that make you feel weak, bored and marginalized (your weaknesses).  

Honor that insight.   Eliminate (or at least reduce) those activities that drain you, focus on your strengths and you'll quickly be on the road from weak to wow!

Reinvent Your Career: Who Do You Want to Hang With?

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.