The priesthood is not a career. It is a devotion to service that does not differentiate into work time vs. home time or time-on and time-off. Being there 27/7 only begins to describe the commitment that a religious practitioner, whether it be priest, rabbi, swami, imam, or monk gives to others and to the deep pursuit of their beliefs. 

Assuming most of the clerical have not chosen religious structure and order merely as an insecure refuge from independent decision making or worse yet, as a place from which nefarious acts like child sexual abuse can be perpetrated, then much wisdom may exist among those spiritual advocates. From them we all can learn something about the ever-elusive contentment to a career. 

Let us visualize an idealized image of a pleasant, complacent, and content religious person. There is peacefulness and gentleness about them. Their faces read warmth, acceptance, non-judgment, and understanding. They have taken the time to contemplate life’s big picture and as a result are comparatively self-actualized, free of the many distractions that keep most of us from such a state of equanimity. 

How is this condition achieved? Has God chosen to touch only a selected few, while the rest of us are relegated to scraping by the best we can? I do not think that is the way it works. The serenity that can come from living and working a life of unambiguous purpose is available to all. As in most things in life, it boils down to choice and luck. 

We can strive for deep dedication to what we choose to do for our work. In fact, to do anything less is most unfortunate. Seizing each day for growth, service, and creative expression is always an available option no matter your level of experience or attained income. 

Martin Luther King once talked about a little shrub growing on the side of a hill amongst redwoods. That shrub being dwarfed by the larger trees nevertheless was innately compelled to reach for the sun, to find whatever narrow shaft of light as could be found, and to optimize its situation. 

The poise and demeanor of the religious adherent is accessible to those who choose it. Such a devotional approach is available to the rest of us as well. A life of full measure can result from amply developing one’s career. 

Divine intervention, if you will, does of course play into this religious example. The best of intentions and attitude can be severely challenged by unfortunate circumstances. There is an American mythology stating that financial reward and career satisfaction comes only to those showing the pluck and courage to independently achieve greatness despite all the odds. 

Yes, the right combination of brain and brawn can find bounty in our free market society. The one prerequisite that seems to not receive mention in this equation, however, is that of luck. Be incredibly grateful that disease, a debilitating accident, tragedy beyond your control, did not rob you of the life you know with all its grand accomplishments.  

Or, as Malcolm Gladwell writes, whether the circumstances of the timing and location of your birth give you an unearned advantage. True success with work and life at the devotional level considers both efforts exerted, and blessings bestowed. 

I know there are many who think they are happy to simply go to work, do your job, and come home to live your “real” lives. But for most, what you do for work and the way you do it is inextricably tied to the vibrancy of your lives. 

I recommend getting to that place where you feel your work belongs to you and that you intentionally and lovingly make your contribution. Having allegiance to work that is passionate is a pursuit worth following. 

I am a career consultant who likes to write resumes. It seems that many of my ilk either like delivering the coaching/consultancy/guidance part or the resume part, but not both. I do not totally get that. I see the two as inseparable, two sides of the same career services coin. 

What I like about beautifully written resumes is their economy. By that I mean maximum impact with minimal resource. Powerfully describing a person’s professional value and work highlights in one to two pages can be a beautiful thing. 

Now, I know the point of a resume is to land you the job interview and that is particularly important. But let us take a step back for a moment and view the well-crafted resume as a finely polished piece. Some are truly impressive. There can be an aesthetic to balancing text and lines and bullets with fonts and headings and slickly arranged information. Sometimes, the eye can flow across the page effortlessly while the data and intended images materialize into a package that leaves the reader thinking, “This is good!”. 

Okay. By now I have firmly established myself as a resume nerd. Now, don’t you want a resume nerd writing your resume or advising you on how you can improve yours? 

For those of you still reading this blog, let us look at some of the features that make a great resume. One of the most useful exercises any job seeker can do for themselves is to write a concise, economic, yet powerful and informative professional summary or profile. Being able to describe yourself and to display your value in three to five sentences indicates that you are self-aware, confident, and forward leaning. 

Furthermore, this does not and should not have to be a static piece of writing. Every three months or so I pull out my resume out and rewrite the lead. I cannot help but to continue tinkering with it, always trying to gain some improvement. Here is my current version, which is positioned on my resume just below my contact info: 

Career Expert, Educator, Program Developer 

A motivated and independent professional currently demonstrating effectiveness in customized career development and educational program enhancement. Expertise working with individuals in need of career and education related guidance through vision and a drive for continuous client improvement. Adept at educational program expansion and development on behalf of organizations. An educator involved in the implementation of curriculum development, advocacy initiatives, and learner management. Excellent interpersonal, group presentation, and written communication skills. 

Just in reading this again for this blog I am seeing that changes can be made. A month ago, it looked fine. As soon as I am done with this blog, I think I will mess around with it some more. 

Does this mean that I am indecisive? Perhaps, but I think all of us frequently undergo some micro self-perception changes. Also, it is good to try continual perfecting. How many times do you reach total purity? For me, not so often. 

Another thing I like a lot about a well-done resume is to see a collection of professionally written and unique personal achievement statements in the Qualifications section. When I see a resume with those statements, I know I am reading about someone who is in touch with their accomplishments. Being able to show clearly and with specifics how you added quality to past positions can seriously give your history cachet. 

It is, oh, so easy to put off writing or revising your resume. I know that for most people it is rated as being more obnoxious than paying bills or filing taxes. But if you can put yourself into a proud autobiographical zone where documenting your working past can be artful rather than miserable, then you might just get a lift out of the result.  

Not nerdy enough to find that zone? Call me. I can help. 

It has been interesting to notice that one of the consequences of the Recession is the growing discrepancy between traditional management practices during belt-tightening times and the changing nature of talent acquisition. Recessions naturally cause a thinning out of businesses. Typically, we think of it as a Darwinian consequence of the weak giving way to the strong. However, it is worth noting that some of the survivors may have made it through this round of business closures but could be setting themselves for a loss of competitiveness in the longer term. 

Businesses throughout all sectors are looking for ways to do more with less. Layoffs, furloughs, and redundancies are resulting in a leaner workforce. Added responsibilities being given to the employees who remain, coupled with their fear and uncertainty about job security are beginning to compromise employee performance. 

Of course, there are ways to streamline processes, but in general reducing staff usually means diminishing productivity. How can management cope? One tactic being used is to double up positions. That is, taking two job positions, laying off one of the employees and giving the remaining employee much of the workload of the laid off employee. 

Money may be saved, but from a performance improvement perspective it is a disaster. At best, it is a short-term fix, but not a long-term productivity solution. And since there do not appear to be plans for mass hiring anytime soon, even with an improving economy, employers will be trying to do more with less for some time to come. 

Meanwhile, workers are receiving a harsh lesson in employment economics simultaneous with the ongoing information revolution. The Recession is accelerating the career development phenomena of workers relying less on organizations for full time employment and security. The Internet is providing increased opportunities for online training, research, and the means to enhance exposure and networking. 

Technology is making it easier for the ambitious to become entrepreneurial. This combination of a sour economy with a growing robust web is pushing the American workforce closer toward becoming a free-lance nation. 

Is management prepared to take advantage of this shift in workforce dynamics? This is what may separate the best performing companies of the future from the too-slow-to-change failures. 

I think it could very well be likely that the following scenario becomes commonplace: Optimizing employee performance and productivity will increasingly be focused on outsourcing by businesses to match the highest quality talent for the right job. Full time employees, who have been squeezed in with too many on-the-job responsibilities, will be replaced by targeted, on-demand, just-in-time contracted resources who will provide better performance in accomplishing specific tasks. 

As needs change, so does the specialized talent. Entrepreneurism grows and becomes increasingly focused in niche areas. Together, businesses and the new entrepreneurial class find each other through ever more sophisticated job boards and social network media tools. Innovative management and concentrated expertise forge a workplace that becomes more nimble, adaptable, and clever. 

Change is occurring. Which companies will be leveraging it for success, and which will not start becoming clear soon.