Purpose

As a Career Counselor, I have come to realize that my career and life experiences have led me to an incredible place. The changes in our multigenerational workforce have shed light on the differences in our values, motivators and quite frankly our work ethic. Not to say one generation is better or worse, we are all just very different. Many of our differences stem from our own life experiences. I have often been able to laugh at myself as a true “GenXer” as our differences are simply hilarious, but some remind me of how much we can learn from one another.

In my years serving as a Career Counselor, I have observed that many fail to take the time to explore career values and interests. They are often focused on finding the “perfect” opportunity, forgetting to appreciate the journey of progress. In the current climate of “the great resignation,” “quiet quitting,” and “quiet hiring,” perhaps we should strive instead for “loud progress” and “loud learning.”

I have been in the workforce for 28 years, navigating career changes, promotions, potential layoffs, mergers; poor management and incredible leadership. I have learned valuable lessons from failures and successes, ultimately discovering my true purpose. I am deeply passionate about what I do and have found fulfillment in helping others. I have made tough choices to achieve a work-life balance, an idea that wasn’t even a concept when I started in the workforce.

To say that I have career satisfaction in what I do each day would be an understatement and as I am approaching my third season as the host of the Podcast, Unpacking Perspectives, I am so excited to imagine what is ahead. I have learned that I have a voice that not only helps others, but provides a bridge to bring people closer together.

With that said, I am not driven by the desire to be a content creator, salesperson, or a prominent influencer or author. If any of those achievements were to come my way, it would be solely because of my passion for the work I do. I have no aspirations for six-figure months, as suggested by numerous in-mail messages. In fact, I believe that such financial success would hinder my ability to engage in the many other meaningful aspects of my life, such as raising my son, spending time with my husband, volunteering in my community, managing my household, and enjoying the company of friends and family. Those who truly know me understand that money has never been a motivator in my career; my driving force has always been to help people. If I help even one person feel less alone or help another see a point of view they never imagined…I’ve done my job.

To all my recent graduates, I encourage you to listen to my episode titled “Dear Class of 2023” if you haven’t already. Until next time…

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dear-class-of-2023/id1580429029?i=1000613342113