December 29, 2011

A little fatherly advice about finding your dream job

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At least once a year, it's a good idea to find someone in your network from whom to get advice about taking the next step in your career. For me, one of my indispensable advisers was my father, Robert Woods, a Harvard-educated lawyer and one of the smartest people I know. Whenever I switched jobs, made a career change or moved to a location, I sought his advice about the wisdom of my choices. He never steered me wrong.

Here at the end of 2011, however, I will no longer enjoy the privilege of my father's counsel. He passed away last week, at age 80, following a long illness.

My dad came from a blue-collar background quite literally -- he was the son of a mailman from Beverly, Mass. He buckled down in school, earned straight A's and became the first in his family to attend college. Eventually, he became a founding partner of his own firm. His story arc taught me that it doesn't matter where you come from -- if you work hard to develop your talent you can be anything you want to be, even in difficult financial situations.

For the last few days, I've been thinking about some of the examples the old man set for me and some of the lessons that continue to inspire me as I continue on my career path.

If you want it done right, do it yourself. When I was very young, my parents encouraged me to challenge myself with books that were a bit above my comprehension level. While reading E.B. White's "The Trumpet of the Swan," I came across a word that stumped my young brain: crepuscular. I did what most kids did -- I asked my dad what it meant.

Rather than tell me outright, he invited me over to the bookshelf, pulled down the American Heritage Dictionary and taught me how to look up words. I remember being amazed that every word and all of their meanings could be included in a single book. (By the way: crepuscular, adj., "of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight.")

The lesson I learned from this is to take the initiative in your job search. It's good to rely on your network for leads and connections, but it's even better if you first set your sights on a goal and then play an active role in seeking out the job you want.

Results are more important than details. Years ago, I applied for a job that was a big step up for me, requiring increased responsibility and a move to a new city. After I had sent my resume and references, I became nervous about whether I said the wrong thing in my phone interview or had sent the right number of writing samples.

I mentioned my trepidation to my father, who told me that it was not worth worrying about such tiny details. "If these are the kind of thing he uses to judge others," my dad said of the hiring manager, "you probably don't want to have him for a boss anyway. He'd probably find all kinds of petty little mistakes and will make you miserable."

He was right. The person who eventually became my new boss was far more interested in my skills and potential than in my ability to dot every "i" and cross every "t." If I ever get too obsessive about creating the perfectly keyworded resume, I remember my father's reassuring words.

He may be gone, but my father never stopped teaching me new things about how to move forward in my career, especially during the rough patches. His last words to me? "Go get a job."

Good advice, Dad. I'm working on it.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

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2 Comments

BethK on December 29, 2011 10:29 AM | Reply

I'm sorry for your loss, your dad sounds like he was an awesome guy with good down-to-earth advice. Thank you for sharing.

Michelle on January 11, 2012 8:05 AM | Reply

Thank you for this inspiring article. I will use your father's wise words to help me seek a fulfilling job.
My deepest sympathies to you and your family.

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