In this episode, Marc is the guest, and answers a variety of career questions by Ryan Rhoten on The Brand New You Show. Ryan asks about Marc’s new book, Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for the 2nd Half of Life, with the audio book version coming in September 2017. Marc answers questions about the book and gives client examples. Marc leaves listeners with the advice to know themselves, and get an assistant, such as a coach or trusted friend to help.
Key Takeaways:
[3:55] Ryan introduces Marc, and Marc answers the vacation question.
[4:43] Ryan asks Marc about happiness and contentment in a career. Marc contrasts the Boomer career and retirement situation with the generation before. Ryan contrasts that with Gen Xers and Millennials.People will have to work years longer than expected.
[6:59] The Millennials are echo Boomers, doing the things Boomers wish they had done. They are more attuned to purpose than to money. Marc sees that as a change for the better in the workplace. Millennial influence added to technology is opening up work from home opportunities. Marc talks about creative destruction by tech, and the iPhone.
[9:16] Marc can completely manage his finances on his phone, find his keys, and all kinds of ways that smartphones have changed things. Look at how automation will affect your career. It’s in journalism, and it will be in all industries.
[10:44] Ryan talks about upcoming employability scores, that will not measure soft skills. Marc notes that one large consulting firm interviews by Skype, and then analyzes the video recordings of the candidates by software, to determine who will advance to a personal interview.
[12:07] We get to a point in our career when we start to question our choices, and ask what’s next? That is a time to consider career reinvention. Marc talks to clients about knowing themselves. Most of us adopt an expected persona, because we are paid better for it. It may not be authentic. Marc is an introvert who had to play an extrovert.
[14:44] Many people outside of work are different people. People who are not aligned properly with a position burn out, when they could do better in another role. Ryan suggests assessments to his clients. Marc discusses the Birkman Method. It tells you about your behaviors, and about how you want to be treated. Marc talks specifics.
[16:54] Marc talks about structured anarchists, who want to fix chaos, but are misplaced into orderly environments, that frustrate them. Marc talks about stealth competitors, who act sweet because it is expected, but inwardly resent the success of assertive people. The Birkman method helps people see these personal dichotomies, to manage them.
[19:30] It’s hard to take assessment career advice at face value, because careers are changing too quickly. Marc uses it to help people understand the reasons behind the best of times and the worst of times in their careers. It is for those with 20+ years of experience. It gives a decision-making style. Marc contrasts global and linear thinkers.
[21:50] Birkman Method helps identify your Personal Operating System. The stress report gives you your top 40 needs. Marc asks clients to synthesize those to 10, and then write an open-ended question for each of those needs. Marc talks about his own needs, and what kinds of environments and managers would not satisfy his needs.
[23:00] Many people may not realize about themselves that they have an optimum work environment that helps them be most productive. Marc explains why he switched email systems. His days got better when he turned off notifications. Ryan comments on the importance of being self-aware, to make career decisions.
[24:48] There is no such thing as a dream job. They all have pluses and minuses. We all make stuff up. Go in with your eyes open, look at the facts, and recognize every job has its ups and downs. Author Susan Cain recommends restorative niches, to take breaks that work for your interests. Marc takes his phone calls in the backyard, watching trees.
[27:43] Ryan’s restorative niches are alone time he schedules throughout the day, not to be crushed by all the activity. He notices a huge change in his productivity when he takes his breaks. Marc tells about a sales rep couple — one an introvert, and one extrovert — and how they dealt with sales conferences.
[29:20] Ryan asks about ‘awfulizing.’ Marc tells about an applicant who made stuff up, rather than following up with the company where she applied. Marc says come up with a stop, drop, and roll procedure, to cope with anxiety. Marc cites Dr. Henry Cloud, on wise people, stupid people, and evil people. Marc gives examples. Buffer yourself from evil.
[34:07] Marc describes strategic networking, finding the exact people you need to meet. He gives client examples that work. To vet the company, you ask people who work at your target job, and also people who left, about the conditions there.
[38:01] Marc describes the dreaded question: Why do you want to leave your current job? Answer positively, and deflect. Pivot back to a question about where you want to go. If you are leaving a toxic environment, you don’t want them to dig into it.
[42:38] Marc describes the Repurpose Your Career podcast, and the common themes of those he has interviewed about their career pivots.
[46:03] Marc’s final thoughts: Look at yourself. Make sure you really know who you are. Get out of your own head. Work with a coach, spouse, or friend.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Please pick up a copy of Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for the 2nd Half of Life, by Marc Miller and Susan Lahey. When you get done reading the book, please leave an honest review on Amazon.
Careerpivot.com
Contact Marc, and ask questions at: Careerpivot.com/contact-me
Twitter: @CareerPivot
LinkedIn: Marc Miller
Facebook: Career Pivot
The Podcast Movement Conference
The Brand New You Show with Ryan Rhoten
Birkman Method Personality Assessment
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
Necessary Endings, by Dr. Henry Cloud
Take a moment — go to iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. Please give this podcast a review and subscribe! If you’re not sure how to leave a review, please go to CareerPivot.com/review, and read the detailed instructions there.