Know“Why” before you do“How”

When it comes to job hunting for new migrants in NZ, it could be quite daunting and confusing about where to start and what to look for in a new country. 

There are lots of google tips, training programmes that teach people“how” to find a job but not much into helping you figure out “why” you are finding the job that you want to apply and are they actually the right jobs for you. 

Yet it is critical to understand your“Why” before you go out and do all the“How”. Otherwise, you might put all the effort in searching for something that is not suitable for you or you don’t enjoy in the long run. Well, how do we know whether what an ideal job might look like for us? How shall we build our “job seeking compass”? Based on a  wonderful Japanese concept “Ikigai”, a great work-life should contain four key elements:

⇒What you love 

⇒What you are good at 

⇒What you can be paid for

⇒What the world needs

In order to find out our own“Ikigai”,there are certain values and beliefs driven us to frame our own “Ikigai”. These values and beliefs are invisible but influencing every single decision that we make in our work life. The following exercise from the book “Designing your Life” might be a good starting point to build your “job seeking compass”.  I have put down the link of this book as well as Ikigai in the show notes below. Once you complete the exercises below, you will have your True North and be on the path towards a job that honors your values and makes you feel coherent. In that sense, you will feel naturally driven, motivated and energised at work. You might say, well I am a fresh graduate or don’t have much work or life experience, well here is the thing, you don’t need to have it all figured out and fix it for the rest of your life. This exercise will help you to create the compass for what work and life are about for you right now. 

This exercise requires about one quiet hour spent with yourself, as well as a pen and paper or your computer. You need to write the answers down, not just thinking in your head. When you are writing, these answers go through your head on another level and it keeps a record where you can come back and edit later. If you can’t do it now, mark this and come back and do it when you can. 

So here is the work view and Life view exercises 

Part 1-  Your work view

Please spend about 30 min on this exercise and write down about 250 words. 

Tips: It’s not a list of what you want from or out of work but a general statement of your view of work. It’s your definition of what good work deserves to be. So don’t write down what you are looking for in a job or an employment situation, in other words, a “job description.” Don’t put down what work you want to do but why you want to work. You can also write down some other important things that are not addressed in these questions. You should answer at least 5 out of 7 questions below.  

Why work?

What’s work for?

What does work mean to you?

How does it relate to the individual, others, society?

What defines good or worthwhile work?

What does money have to do with it?

What do experience, growth, and fulfillment have to do with it?

2-      Your Life view

Similarly, spend about 30 min on this exercise and write down about 250 words. 

No matter whether you know it or not, you do have a life view. This exercise helps you to write down whatever is critical in your life.  Your life view is what provides your definition of what has been called “matter of ultimate concern “. There are some philosophical questions even the “G” word just in case that’s important to you, if not, skip it. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. Feel free to write down some other important things that are not addressed in these questions. You should answer at least 5 out of 7 questions below

 Why are we here?

What is the meaning or purpose of life?

What is the relationship between the individual and others?

Where do family, country, and the rest of the world fit in?

What is good and what is evil?

Is there a higher power, God or something transcendent, and if so, what impact does this have on your life?

What is the role of joy, justice, and love in life?

And the final step is also the most interesting step is to spend some time and write up your thoughts on the integration of your two views.  Most people get the “aha” moment from this exercise. You may go back and edit one or both of your views. Read over your work view and life view, then write down a few thoughts on the following questions:

  • Where do you view work and life complement one another?
  • Where do they clash?
  • Does one drive the other? How? 
  • How much of your time every day is spent to values your life view?
  • Is your current work in congruence with your work view?  

Hopefully by now your answer has given you a bit more clarity of why or why not you are happy with your work or what sort of work you should be looking for. Use this as your compass and “True North” After all, you don’t always need to know where you are going, but you can always know whether you are going in the right direction.  And you can always come back and review this exercise every year as we grow into different life stages and levels of maturity, our life view and work view also change. 

I hope that all make sense to you. If you need any help, feel free to contact me.

Have a nice day! 

Ciao Chen 

Career Design Coach

Reference: 

Bill Burnett & Dave Evans, “Designing Your Life”, 2016. 

Hector Garcia & Francesc Miralles, “Ikigai -The Japanes Secret to a Long and Happy Life”