What is a Job

What is a Job Im sitting in my publishers living room, enjoying the quiet of a beautiful morning in Silicon Valley.  Ive been in the area since Monday and have spoken 4 times.  I have three more two today and one on Saturday.  You can see my schedule (and come, or share with your friends who might be able to come) here. As Ive met this week with hundreds of very smart professionals in transition Ive had a thought pop up: Many people come to my presentations with some hope that Ill help them land their next JOB. Im actually not here to help you find your next JOB.  Many other people have that message, with tactics and techniques to help you land your next amazing gig. They might focus on how to develop an awesome resume. They might focus on how to have an effective job search. They might focus on how to win an interview. They might focus on how to figure out what you want to be when you grow up. All of these things are immensely helpful in finding your next JOB. I dont focus on any of these things. (If you need help on any of them, see my list of JibberJobber partners) Last night, while driving from my presentation, I was thinking about my message, and why I dont focus on finding that next great JOB.  And then I started to wonder: What is a JOB? What does a JOB represent for people? I think, many times, a JOB represents something like SAFETY and SECURITY. No matter what happens to me at home, I can go to my JOB and do something important its like a guy going to a man-cave you can go to your JOB-cave and hide from everything else. Perhaps it represents an IDENTITY. When I was a general manager, I had something to be proud of, because that was a clout-filled title. When you dont have a JOB, and you dont have SAFETY and SECURITY, or a good IDENTITY, you long for it.  You need it.  You are anxiously working towards it. But I wonder, does a JOB really provide safety, security and identity? Can you get those things without a JOB? What is a Job Im sitting in my publishers living room, enjoying the quiet of a beautiful morning in Silicon Valley.  Ive been in the area since Monday and have spoken 4 times.  I have three more two today and one on Saturday.  You can see my schedule (and come, or share with your friends who might be able to come) here. As Ive met this week with hundreds of very smart professionals in transition Ive had a thought pop up: Many people come to my presentations with some hope that Ill help them land their next JOB. Im actually not here to help you find your next JOB.  Many other people have that message, with tactics and techniques to help you land your next amazing gig. They might focus on how to develop an awesome resume. They might focus on how to have an effective job search. They might focus on how to win an interview. They might focus on how to figure out what you want to be when you grow up. All of these things are immensely helpful in finding your next JOB. I dont focus on any of these things. (If you need help on any of them, see my list of JibberJobber partners) Last night, while driving from my presentation, I was thinking about my message, and why I dont focus on finding that next great JOB.  And then I started to wonder: What is a JOB? What does a JOB represent for people? I think, many times, a JOB represents something like SAFETY and SECURITY. No matter what happens to me at home, I can go to my JOB and do something important its like a guy going to a man-cave you can go to your JOB-cave and hide from everything else. Perhaps it represents an IDENTITY. When I was a general manager, I had something to be proud of, because that was a clout-filled title. When you dont have a JOB, and you dont have SAFETY and SECURITY, or a good IDENTITY, you long for it.  You need it.  You are anxiously working towards it. But I wonder, does a JOB really provide safety, security and identity? Can you get those things without a JOB?