The Career You’ll Love

The Career You’ll Love

Sponsored by Carl Dierschow’s career blog at www.Dierschow.com

It’s not always about getting a return

WIIFM?

I imagine that you’re familiar with this acronym, which stands for “What’s In It For Me.” I first came across it in connection with the idea of asking this question to always keep a view on how my work can deliver tangible benefits to customers, and that I need to be able to describe that in ways which are meaningful to them.

If you think about it, though, this phrase is reflective of our culture.  With almost every interaction with others, we tend to look at what we get in return.  We’re very individualistic and even self-centered.

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The Career You’ll Love

Sponsored by Carl Dierschow’s career blog at www.Dierschow.com

Giving to get

How do you convince people to like you and give you a break?

Here’s a core principle of human behavior, so simple: When people receive something they value, they’re more inclined to give back in return. Pretty obvious, right? But it’s absolutely true, and is one of the reasons why those charities send you small gifts in the mail. They’re hoping you’ll find some value in them, and give back in return.

But suppose you’re the one trying to sell something: You have a great idea, you want a job, or you want to have influence over other people. You can use the above principle in several ways:

People need to know what you have to offer. A great way to do this is to show it in action, not just tell people about it. Do you know how to do something interesting or valuable? Show them. Do you have a product you’re trying to sell? Show it doing something useful and interesting. Trying to sell an idea? Show a mock-up, an analogy, or how the idea has already worked in other situations.

People need a reason to prefer you over the competition. You’ll be thought of as more valuable if you’ve already demonstrated an inclination to give value. Are you after a particular job? Look for ways to help the employer solve real problems, whether by volunteering or even what value you give during the interview.

Let’s say you’re trying to have influence over a decision. If you have demonstrated an ability to understand the bigger picture – that of the decision-maker – you’ll have more credibility. If people in power have seen you exercise skill and expertise, they’ll be more likely to listen to what you have to say.

Here’s the bottom line: Don’t be stingy with your skill, knowledge, time, and resources. When people see you giving freely, they’ll be inclined to help you in return.

But remember: What you give has to have value in the recipient’s eyes. Otherwise, it’s just a useless trinket.

An important resource

As you might know, I am a career coach and have been doing a lot of work with people who are looking to change or reinvigorate their careers. If you’re interested, please call me at +1 970 225 6889 (US Mountain time, GMT-7) or send me an e-mail. I’d love to help you work through your challenges by showing you some different perspectives. I believe every person has the opportunity to excel in life, even though it may not be clear to you right now!

If you are interested in individual career coaching, group coaching, or other resources which might help you with difficult choices, please contact Carl at carl@dierschow.com.

Connect with Carl on Facebook and LinkedIn to get timely updates and connections to a broader range of professionals.

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