Given our druthers, most of us would prefer to work at a job we love, rather than just fight our way through each day by focusing on the paycheck. But figuring out a career that combines love and money is tricky. “Do What You Love” sounds great, but to make a living at your passion, you need to think pragmatically.
This week’s roundup looks at a question that will help you combine passion and practicality—plus an explanation for something weird you’ve probably noticed people doing on LinkedIn, and advice on how to convert job interviews into job offers.
Allison Jones at Idealist Careers: Looking to Discover Your Passion? Ask This Question Instead
“‘Follow your passion’ is a common piece of career advice and I think this is especially so in the social sector,” Jones writes. “Our passion isn’t just for a job, but for a cause. We want to create and see change on pressing social issues. This passion drives us to build community, to deal with the setbacks and challenges of working in this sector, and encourages us to stay in it for the long-haul.”
You can be driven to do good, but not know exactly how to engage effectively with your cause and turn it into a job. Instead of asking, “What’s my passion?” or “What kind of work should I be doing?,” Jones suggests asking, “What are you willing to get really good at that will contribute to your cause?”
Even if you’re not in the non-profit sector, this advice will help you get closer to a career that feeds your spirit and meets your financial needs.
Wayne Breitbarth at TheSavvyIntern: Networking 101: Should You Hide Your LinkedIn Connections?
First of all, why would someone hide their first-degree LinkedIn connections? Isn’t the point of LinkedIn to grow your network as widely and visibly as possible? Well, that depends on who you are and what you do.
“[Hiders] are typically people who provide professional services, such as accountants, attorneys, insurance and financial brokers, architects,” Breitbarth explains. “I also see some CEOs and company presidents making this choice.”
In short, anyone who’s afraid that sharing these connections might lead them to lose business might choose to hide them. To find out whether you should do the same, consider the variables presented in this post.
Martin Yate at Job-Hunt.org: Converting Job Interviews Into Job Offers
Are you going on a lot of interviews, but not getting many offers afterward? The problem could be that you’re focusing on the wrong things. For instance, timing is (almost) everything in life and in interviews.
“Asking the right questions at the right time has a massive impact on your ability to win job offers,” writes Yate. “Consequently, you answer the interviewer’s questions, ideally with examples that showcase you doing that aspect of the job well, then finish your answers with questions of your own. Ask about the common problems in the area under discussion, their causes and how management likes them handled. Ask what differentiates the people who handle these problems well from those who don’t.”
Above all, Yate advises remembering that your goal is to get the offer. His tips will help you focus on that, and convert all those interviews into actual jobs.
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