“Knowledge is power.” – attributed to Sir Francis Bacon

This week I got pretty animated sharing process patterns of the industry I work in. It’s not the most exciting topic, but it’s the baseline of what we do.

Frankly, if you aren’t working in the area it’s one of the most boring topics imaginable.

That being said, if you don’t realize that there are natural patterns to it you’re at a disadvantage. Knowing the basic building blocks gives context to make all the other work make sense. Without it you have to reinvent the wheel if you want to get anything done.

This experience got me thinking about how people use knowledge. The only way to increase knowledge is to share it or have it shared. The more knowledge is shared, the more tools people have. The more tools people have, the more open we all are to new ideas and new opportunities are easier to find.

On the other hand, hoarding knowledge prevents it being useful.

I’m sure you’ve met the “wizards” of the workplace. The person or small group of people whose vast knowledge of some critical business activity makes them indispensable. Other people line up to ask questions and come away with the tidbit that they were looking for, only to come back later for the next pointer. Nothing functions when they go on vacation. Everything in their domain of understanding comes to a grinding halt when they are absent.

Have you watched their reaction when change comes knocking?

Change is scary to a lot of people, but to the “great Oz” it’s terrifying. Change means their power, their security, their perceived value to the organization shrinks. They are usually the most vocal proponents of why something new won’t work and the fastest to latch on to any fumbles as signs that a change spells doom.

Don’t get stuck as a “wizard”. The knowledge of the way things are done prevents you from seeing the benefits of a change and, more importantly for your career, even prevents your growth. If nobody else knows what you know, how can anyone step up and take your place? If nobody can take your place, how can you possibly take on other, more interesting roles?

Who can you share knowledge with today?

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.

For many people “career” equates to “job”, but they’re quite different things. A job is what you do now. The way you pay the bills and spend a good portion of your waking hours. A job is a temporary situation. Ultimately it’s an exchange of time for money that may or may not be in line with your goals. Jobs change even when you don’t change employer or group. Your co-workers and boss will change. The work you do will change. Even the location you work in will probably change.

A career is more than a job, representing a calling to do something in a particular fit with your life. Your career is special. No matter how much it has in common with someone else, you will do it differently. Your career is an expression of who you are, no matter how far off your current job feels. Sometimes your career has nothing to do with your job at all!

This is why changing careers is often such a huge proposition. Real career change is recognizing and expressing a shift in how you see yourself. It’s traumatic to make that kind of change, but it opens you to a new and rewarding chapter of your life. Career changing is a much bigger topic that I’ll come back to another time.

Your career may not have anything to do with your job at all! It might be that your volunteer activities or your family life might be your real career with its own goals and aspirations. Recognizing that your career may or may not be a “professional” endeavor is important. If you work nine months of the year to volunteer in disenfranchised and under-privileged communities, which is really your career?

It might be that you work at jobs to support your career.

Your career is something you draw a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment from. Getting fully engaged with it might not require you to make any life changes or it might mean drastic change is needed. The clichéd adage “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” might need some adjustments when you think about your career.

Framing why you work and reminding yourself where you are going and what your career means to you are crucial to knowing that it is going in the right direction. Getting excited about your career begins with knowing what your career is and where you want it to take you.

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.

Labor Day, to quote the US Department of Labor, “is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.” A fine rationale for a national tribute and a great moment to get perspective on what accomplishments you as an individual have had in the previous year. It also marks the start of the fall hiring season for most industries.

For me, this combination sounds like a great time to figure out how to describe and present your achievements. Whether you’re intending to look for a new job or not, it’s good to regularly take stock of accomplishments. If you’re ready for a new challenge, describing your successes prepare you for writing and speaking about your resume to a new employer or group. If you’re not ready for that change, that same description lets you share the same information with your boss and prepare for reviewing your performance.

So spend some time thinking about your sucesses, your achievements, the benefits you’ve provided to others. Once you start you’ll find things coming to mind you haven’t thought and the growth of your list will surprise you. Don’t limit yourself to professional achievements and let the accomplishments flow.

Also, write them down. I can’t say this enough when it comes to goals and achievements. The simple act of recording your successes reaffirms them in your memory. You can be assured that the more you remember your successes the better you can share them with others and the more others will understand your impact on “the social and economic” success around you.

So on this Labor Day relax and take time to reinforce how successful you really are.

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.

That out of the way, I’ve shared the following clip a few times since it first aired in 2008 and I think it has some enduring relevance. In it, Ben Stein shares his perspective of the value and presence of the necktie as well as what it represents to him.

(Ben Stein appearing on the CBS Sunday Morning show – 2008)

The tie is many things: A conservative fashion statement; a throwback to an earlier era; an imperative in (some) big businesses; a choking noose; and a personal addition to otherwise constrained traditional attire. Much as I don’t agree with many of Stein’s positions, his perspective rang surprisingly true and brought to the fore all the concrete (if mildly satiric) rationales for wearing a tie. I’ve been wearing one every day for work since.

Where do you stand on the use (and abuse) of neckties?

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.

Besides giving rollicking adventure tales, it also gives you the opportunity to consider events from a different perspective. The Hero’s Journey offers a different lens to see life and the trials and tribulations. In addition, there’s the suggestion of the rewards to be earned along the way as well.

There are three main phases to the journey, each deserving of future posts. In summary however they are:

1. The Departure – Whence our hero (that’s you if you haven’t caught on) is invited to leave the ordinary world and embark on an epic quest! The hero contemplates, possibly rejecting the initial invitation, and ultimately follows the path set before him.
2. The Separation – The trials and tribulations of the journey itself. After facing perils and obstacles, (both internal and external) the heroine reaches her goal and attains the gift of great value.
3. The Return – After succeeding in retrieval of the gift, the hero returns (possibly with help) to bestow the blessings of the gift and their new found wisdom on the ordinary world.

Each phase has particular stages within it representing encounters or situations that a character, or person, might see at that point in their journey. While life may not entice you off to a magical quest, you are regularly invited off to an adventure of your own. Sometimes it’s useful to think of an opportunity as an invitation to an adventure. I find it easier to look at the challenges if I can think of the way-points on the journey.

Ultimately, the hero in the stories brings back a reward that benefits not only themselves but also allows them to share the benefits with others. At the very least your experience in everything you attempt allows you to help others avoid the pitfalls and traps while sharing visions of a better future.

What does the Hero’s Journey illustrate for you about yourself?

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.

As I regroup from a very active few weeks, I wanted to share an update and give a bit of a preview of some articles I have in the works.

Unfortunately my absence doesn’t mean that I landed a position and was whisked away to intensively draw in the needs, expectations and environment of a new role. There have been ups, downs, an unexpected trip to Australia for a wedding in which I gauged the job market in Sydney and Melbourne (the trip was unexpected, the wedding was not) and lots of rushing around to get out submissions for positions. There have been some phone screens, a lot of positions taken off the table by internal candidates and a number of promising opportunities that haven’t provided feedback but that I have to assume aren’t in play anymore.

All that being said, the flow of opportunities hasn’t slowed much and there have been a number of roles popping out of the woodwork. I’m seeing a lot of available positions and I’m seeing a pretty good response for phone screening. I’m still hopeful, but I am concerned about the holiday season being just around the corner which presents its own issues to landing a new position.

More to come on the experiences and I’ve been working up some articles along the way. So over the next week you can expect to read more thoughts on the job search including:

• Recruiters: What they can and can’t do for you
• Things to consider in using social media
• Disappointments and staying positive

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, looking for a new day job, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.

There is plenty of support for this assertion, but sometimes we need to grapple with the idea that someone else might also need to show up for something to happen. So what then?

The answer for me is an easy one: Follow up!

Any time you make a connection with someone you need to follow up. This simple act strengthens your connection, reinforcing that the meeting (and the other person’s time) was valuable to you. Whether it be thanking the person for their time, giving promised information or sharing a thought that occurred to you after you left, your consideration shows that you’re still engaged and ready to reconnect or work together whatever the future holds.

Similarly if you have a missed connection where the other person did not show up, it is important to reinforce that the meeting was important to you and that you value their time. If a meeting happened without someone, following up gives you a chance to re-engage the person and build a rapport. You can also share teasers to build up expectations for the next opportunity to meet. If you were going to be presenting information or offerings it’s easy to send the bulleted high points covered and either the information on the next presentation or the option of asking questions.

The art of the follow up takes a bit of getting used to to make it a natural step, but it’s worth the effort and lets you make a case or build a stronger relationship.

So get out there! Show up – and follow up!

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, conducting high-level business analysis, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.

“There are two types of people–those who come into a room and say, ‘Well, here I am!’ and those who come in and say, ‘Ah, there you are.’” – Frederick L. Collins

After staring at this quote for two days, I realized that this is an attitude that we’re all called to share in order to be successful.

Think about it. If you are going to be successful personally, where do you need to focus? Is it a worthwhile exercise to push yourself forward or does it make more sense to see the other person’s needs as more important than your ego?

Any negotiation breaks down when either participant forgets to look at what the other side really wants. Any service offering fails when it doesn’t meet the needs of a client or market. And for someone interested in their career? Recognise that your success is all about making someone else look good or showing that you can provide what they need.

Focus on someone else today and see what happens!

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, conducting high-level business analysis, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.

New opportunities and possibilities will open up and many people will have the chance to grow further or even change directions to pursue what makes them truly happy. Even if you’re on a downward swing now, look for where you want to be, plan for it and set your plans in motion!

Have a restful and safe holiday, and I’ll be back next week with ideas for New Year’s Career Resolutions!

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, conducting high-level business analysis, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.

It’s always hard to pass up a book by someone with Gladwell’s credentials as the author of “The Tipping Point” and “Blink”, however more fundamental is the message that success is a measure defined by the sum of all of our advantages. In my experience it’s very clear that where individuals are successful a number of factors all come together to build both the foundation of and open the opportunities for that success.

While Gladwell sites a number of individuals who were poised to take advantage of the computer revolution, twenty years later it’s clear that the internet revolution produced a large number of similar success stories such as Pierre Omidyar with eBay and Jeff Bezos with Amazon. If one looks at the ages and stages at which these individuals appeared, it certainly adds further credence to Gladwell’s theory.

Perhaps more important for me are the points eloquently gleaned from the book by Ellen Pearlman of CIOZone. Not least among these are the point that the benefits of IQ scores are limited after the 120 mark and that being successful involves having assistance. The trouble that we all have in recognizing that the advantages we are given and the success we achieve are not necessarily bound up in what we do for ourselves has always intrigued me, but to have it spelled out in such a stark manner is a little disconcerting.

The questions I’m left to ponder after starting the book however are a fair bit more personal. What advantages have I received which can be applied now or which I can see applications coming? What advantages can I offer my children as they develop their own wonderful collection of skills?

Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, conducting high-level business analysis, connecting individuals with ideas and opportunities, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.