What Do You Want? Your Desires And Needs are important to you in any situation, but particularly when engaged in job search. You are going to spend (at least) 8 hours each day doing your job, so it is vital it is what you want and it is vital that the new job takes into account your desires and needs.

But first…A WARNING – STOP HERE!

GET A PEN AND PAPER – DO NOT READ ANOTHER WORD UNTIL YOU HAVE GOT THEM.
Well, go on, off you go.  Do it now!!!!

Got your pen and paper?  Good.  Want to know why?  Well, because as soon as you read some of the points and questions that follow, ideas will pop into your head.  If you just carry on reading they will be lost forever.  As something occurs to you, jot it down.  Then at the end of the chapter, you will be able to formulate your ideas and notes into a coherent set of job, or possibly even life, goals.  Remember what I said earlier about how essential knowing what your purpose is when going for a new job….Well here’s where you find your purpose!  Are you sitting comfortably? Then we will begin.

The following points will help you to define what you want, and are grouped under the following headings;-

1. Desires and Needs
2. Skills and Abilities
3. Personality
4. Advantages and Assets

1.  Desires or Needs

Most people, for the greater part of their lives find themselves up against both prejudice and negative input.  It starts as a small child,  “You do as I say, not as I do”, “Why don’t you think of others?”, “That’s really selfish.” or even worse, “You stupid child” or  “You’re useless!”.  It’s called parental training, frightening isn’t it?

Then, of course, there is religious “training”.  Self denial, we are actually taught that our desires are selfish? Beats me.  “You must think of others”,  “For the good of the church, community etc”.

And, if that lot ain’t enough, we go to school and the teachers all rush to have their twopeneth.  “Armson, you’re useless, you’ll come to nothing”,  “Do your homework or you’ll be a failure”,  “You’ll never do anything with your life” etc, etc.  Sound familiar? I am pleased to say that many schools are more enlightened nowadays, but rest assured it is a recent innovation!

Peer pressure.  Now this is an interesting one!  We all like to feel accepted as part of our peer group, and it’s amazing how easy it becomes to bow to peer pressure.  “You don’t like that do you?”  “Don’t be a jerk, this is much better”.  “Well, I suppose so”.  Recognise it.  How many times have we heard that one?

Finally, you reach the workplace, where most people simply suffer “the job”.  They live for the weekend or next years two weeks in Majorca!  A recent survey (in the  USA) found that less than 5%, yes, less than 5% of people actually enjoyed their jobs!  Frightening.  Most people are so busy on the treadmill they forget to take time out to decide what they want.  Sure, we have to make a living, but we must not lose sight of the fact that it ought to be fun doing it!  Most people don’t even spend the weekends doing what they want.  They end up decorating, cleaning the car or shopping.  For you, it is time to change!

The first question you need to ask is vital. The answer to this one will drive everything else you (want) to do!