This is an actual exercise I give to clients. It's called the 12-person exercise and it's great for professionals who aren't sure about their next career choice or are changing industries or job status (employee to entrepreneur). It's simple, free and it can be done in short period of time.
You will need a pen, paper and a list of the 12 closest people in your life. The objective of the exercise is to tell all of these people what kind of work you want to do, in a way that they can understand.
What this does is sharpen your skill in communicating your need and want for work. Because the 12-people in your life are probably different ages, with different background and different roles in your life, you will have to shape your language to fit the dialogue that is appropriate for them. Sharpening that skill of communication yields these results:
- Overcome any hesitancy you have about verbalizing your ideal job
- Reconnect with people who are close to you about a real need in your life
- Open an opportunity or connection that you might not have otherwise found
HOW TO DO THIS:
1. Make a list of the 12 closest people in your life. QUICK! The names and faces should just come naturally to you.
2. For each of those people, write no more than two sentences that communicates what kind of job you're looking for. The language should match that person's age and role in your life. Here is an example of what you can do with children.
Example for a Child:
You wouldn't say "I want to work 9-12p, four days a week."
Instead you may try something like, "I'd like to have a project to work on while you're at school so I can be free when you get home." See the difference?
Make sure you explain it so that it's relevant to that person, in a manner that they can see how it applies to them.
Example for Spouse:
"Honey, I'd really want the kind of career that gives the the option to work from home so I don't spend as much time at the office."
Example for Parents:
"Mom, I want to be able to start having some money left after my bills so I can help you with retirement."
The list goes on. The two sentences will depend on how that person knows you. But the key is have the language relevant to them in a way that they can understand and actually apply to their lives.
For a free call about how to do your 12-person exercise, call our office today and tell them you saw the posting on the blog.
"Bear ye one another's burdens" -Galatians 6:2
