From Bored to Boardroom...

They say the recession is over, but the phone isn’t ringing. Where’s the new job offer?  Mr. President, your “jobs bill” sounds great, but why doesn’t it help me?

Out of work, under employed, sick of Oprah (wait, isn’t she retiring?). It’s time to get out there and get a job. Not just any job. It’s time to step into a new and life changing career. But wait…where do I start?

Remembering back to high school, we had to take an aptitude test. What fun? If I remember correctly, it was supposed to tell us what we would be good at and direct us toward a career. Does anyone actually remember what their results were? I sure don’t. If I took that same test now, would it say the same thing…probably not!

So how do I figure out what I should be doing for the rest of my life? Actually, I think it’s pretty simple, if you are willing to put some thought into it. You should do something that you are naturally gifted in and that others would be willing to pay to not have to do. If you are naturally gifted as a chimney sweep, I can probably point you to plenty of home-owners that would rather shell out a few bucks than try to tackle that project. The same goes for just about any manual labor or blue collar job.

But wait…how do I get to the boardroom? I don’t want to push a broom for the rest of my life. Just like chimney sweeps – Directors, CEOs, Finance Managers, and a host of other top-level executives take on tasks that others are unwilling or unable to handle. Are you a great motivator? Are you a strategic visionary? Are you able to lead people to produce superior results? If so, you may have what it takes to secure a seat in Corporate America’s board room.

Regardless of your career goals and aspirations, the first question you need to ask yourself is, “What am I great at that someone else might not be willing or able to do?” Once you’ve answered that question, you’ll be ready to develop a plan to get there.