Don't Go It Alone: On Career Journeys
Each of us is alike in at least one respect: our career journeys look different. For those in my parents' generation—the baby boomers—there was perhaps more focus on long-term loyalty to a company, or maybe on selecting a singular industry and pursuing it to retirement. I know that was my mom and dad's experience, though they made career shifts along the way. But in my generation—the milennials—we might see our career journeys in a different light, placing an increased emphasis on discovering one's passion and letting that influence or direct our career choices. Not saying my parents didn't find their passion, just that it wasn't always their first priority after college.
Whether you fit within the Baby Boomer, Gen X or Millennial generations, there is a common professional ground that we can all stand on. I think it's especially critical to find this ground during the insecure, even tumultuous times we're living and working through.
What is this common ground? The fact that we (as individuals) can't go it alone. Tempting as it might be to subscribe to the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality in the workplace, I believe businesses and professionals find lasting success when we pay it forward. When we help each other grow and offer help without an ask. When we use our success and expertise to help others find theirs down the road.
I'm grateful that this thinking is trickling down command chains and weaving its way through business practices. It's really about sustainability, which is a philosophy impacting more areas of the world, an example being the increased focus on social and environmental corporate responsibility.
The obvious metaphor is that a Shared Journey is a lot more like gardening than it is like hunting.
The Creatis core value of Shared Journey is about this commitment to form sustainable connections that give back what they take out. Reinvesting your skills and leveraging your position to lift others and strengthen the network over the long-term. It's the Creatis "circle of life," if you will. Shared Journey is rooted in the idea that it really does "take a village" to build and sustain something bigger than the individual. For instance, you're not just job hunting, you're looking for ways to apply your passions to help business partners solve problems. The obvious metaphor is that a shared journey is a lot more like gardening than it is like hunting. (pictured right: Characters from "The Lion King" illustrating the Shared Journey core value)
I know that my own career journey has been a combination of opportunity, curiosity, connections and lots of blind luck. The longer I'm at it, the clearer it becomes that I have to rely on others and then return the favor. Even if that's something as small as helping a colleague tweak their resume, giving a great professional reference or connecting someone who is looking for work with industry professionals in my circle. That's how to promote sustainability and growth for yourself and others. Look out for what's best for you and the company.
If you're looking to start your shared career journey with Creatis, we can't wait to meet you! Learn more below.
