I used to counsel people on job search. I helped them find their own answers to what they wanted to do and the specific direction they wanted to go in. I asked questions without an end in mind (and without a preconceived list) and,  soon enough, the people I worked with would get clearer, sometimes very clear.  I could almost see the light bulb going on in their heads.

A couple of examples I remember:

A formally-trained librarian discovered he didn’t want to be a librarian any longer.

A man who thought he had no skills whatsoever discovered he had tremendous accounting skills, and he is a CPA now.

The clients whose work had a definitive name were lucky. The example I used to give was  Dental Hygienist. Everyone knows what a dental hygienist does. No explanation is necessary. It’s a very bounded term that makes it very easy for everyone to know what you are applying for. It’s all set out for you.

On the other hand, there are people like my daughter who are jacks of many trades. Here’s an idea of what I mean. These are excerpts from her resume:

20 YEARS  DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

Managed for Results, Handled Crises, Created Harmony and Success

Transformed Companies and Departments – Improved Productivity and Morale

Quadrupled Workload with Zero Staff Increase, Cut Errors 50%!, Cut Costs 50-1,000 %
Managed Budgets up to $3 Million -  Came in under Budget Every Time
Created New Departments

Managed Staffs of Up to 80 Harmoniously
Implemented Quality Control Systems and Prevented Problems
Performed Needs Analysis, Evaluated  Financial and Production System

Led Corporate Reengineering Initiatives
Analyzed and Redesigned Processes and Procedures
Designed  Programs to Create Employee, Customer and Agent Delight
Created  Rummler-Brache Diagrams, Flow Charts, Organizational Redesign
Trained Management and Employees on All Aspects of Process Improvement

Managed All Aspects of Human Resources –Recruiting/Hiring/Training Policies     Compliance/OSHA   Worker’s Comp   Employee Relations    Benefits     Corporate Culture  Employee Manuals

Lauren’s college degree was in non-specific interdisciplinary studies. She is able to see the big picture and take care of all the details too. She is imaginative and grounded. She always was. But what is the name of the work she is looking for?

Lately she has been wanting to be more defined. She is thinking of going back to school either to become a nurse or a paralegal. I asked her which she wanted more — nurse or paralegal. She didn’t really know.

Of course, practically, to become a nurse would take her two years, and to become a paralegal, she could do it over the internet and spend about seven months. That pushed her in the direction of paralegal.

But then TV clinched it for her.

She said, “I think I like Boston Legal more than I do ER!”